Jonesborough Parish - from Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1837

" Jonesborough, a parish, in the barony of UPPER ORIOR, county of ARMAGH, and province of ULSTER, 4-1/2 miles (S. W.) from Newry, adjoining the post-town of Fleury-bridge, and containing 1598 inhabitants, of which number, 174 are in the village. According to the Ordnance survey it comprises 2185-3/4 statute acres, including about 700 acres of bog and mountain. Clay-state and good granite for building are obtained here. The village, which comprises 35 houses, is situated on a mountain pass at the foot of two lofty hills close to the confines of Louth, and was burnt in 1798. Here is a good inn ; and a dispensary has been established, which is supported in the usual way. It has much traffic with Newry and Dundalk ; and cattle fairs are held on June 4th, Aug. 15th, Oct. 21st, and Dec. 3rd. Near the village is Jonesborough House, the residence of Hamilton Skelton, Esq. ; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. Robert Henry. Here were formerly barracks for the accommodation of a troop of infantry, but the building has been converted into a private residence. The parish was formed out of that of Killevy, or Ballymore, in 1760, and endowed with the tithes and glebe, in 1789, by Primate Robinson. It is a rectory, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Lord-Primate : the tithes amount to £155. There is a glebe-house, which was built by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £30, in 1816, from the late Board of First Fruits, and has a glebe of 6a. 3r. 11p. The church is a plain neat building, erected in 1772, consecrated in 1795, and repaired in 1812 by a gift of £400 from the same Board. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the union or district of Faughart, and has a large handsome chapel in the village. About 100 children are educated in two private schools. A little south of the village stands an upright single stone, with an illegible inscription ; and not far distant are the ruins of Moyrath castle, erected in the 17th century to defend the mountain pass."

A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate, Market, and Post Towns, Parishes and Villages, by Samuel Lewis. London, England: S. Lewis, 1837.

Transcribed by Alison Kilpatrick, August 2004.