Dunaghy

DUNAGHY, a parish, in the barony of KILCONWAY, county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 6 miles (N, W. by N.) from Broughshane; containing 3451 inhabitants It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 13,743¼ statute, acres, of which 12,040 are applotted under the tithe, act; about one-sixth is irreclaimable mountain and bog, one-fourth rough mountain pasture, a twelfth, pasture of a better quality, and one half, arable land. Towards the east the hills attain a mountainous elevation; the highest are those of Moneyduff and Ballyboggy, A great portion of the summits of the hills towards the north is unprofitable; but nearer their base they afford good pasture to young cattle during the summer. Along the banks of the Ravel and Altakeerag are considerable tracts of low meadow land, subject to floods from the former river which pours down with great rapidity. The females are employed in spinning, and the males, in addition to their agricultural pursuits, in weaving coarse linens and calico.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £311. I8. 7¼. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £350 and a loan of £450 from the late Hoard of First Fruits in 1816; the glebe comprises 25 acres. The church, a small edifice with an open belfry turret, occupies an elevated site. In the R. C divisions the parish is the head of a union or district called Glenravel, and comprises Dunaghy and Skerry, in each of which is a chapel; the chapel for this parish, a neat, edifice, is at Glenravel, near the bridge over the Ravel. There is a place, of worship in the village of Clough for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster, of the first class. There arc two public schools, in which are about 260 children, and three Sunday schools. There are several Danish forts, of which the most remarkableare, one on the hill of Dungonnell, two on Dunbought; and one nearly effaced on Carnbeg, in levelling which were found an urn, a small statue, it cross, and some silver coins, There are many sepulehral monuments in the churchyard, among which, those of the Crawford and Hamilton families are the most remarkable, Corby Rock is a bold precipice forming the termination of a hill; it is covered with ivy and washed at its base by the Ravel.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.