Cahernarry

CAHIRNARRY, a parish, chiefly in the county of LIMERICK, and province of MUNSTER, partly in the barony of CLANWILLIAM, county of LIMERICK, 4 miles (S. E.) from Limerick; containing 1939 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the road from Limerick to Charleville, and comprises 1832 statute acres, About one-fourth of the land, which is in general remarkably good, is under tillage; the remainder is rich meadow and pasture land, chiefly grazed by milch cows, whose milk is daily sent to Limerick.

Limestone quarries are numerous, all furnishing good stone, which is raised for agricultural purposes. At one of the extremities of the parish is a valuable bog of about 70 acres. A new line of road leading from Limerick to Charleville, and avoiding the hill, has been recently opened. In the village of Ballyneedy is a constabulary police station. The principal seats are Ballyneguard, the residence of J. Croker, Esq.; Cahirnarry House, of J. Cripps, Esq.; Ballyneedy, of J.

Fitzgerald, Esq.; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. J.

Gabbett: there are also several other excellent houses.

The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Limerick, and in the gift of the Dean; the rectory is part of the union and corps of the deanery of Limerick. The tithes amount to £173. 7- 8., payable to the dean. The curate's income is £75 per annum, paid by the dean; he has also the glebe-house and glebe, for which he pays a nominal rent. The church is a small plain building, with a tower and spire of hewn stone, erected by aid of a gift of £350, in 1810, from the late Board of First Fruits. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a gift of £450, and aloan of £50, from the same Board, in 1813: the glebe comprises five acres. In the R. C. divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Donoughmore or Knockea. There are two private schools, in which are about 130 children. On the summit of the hill, east of the church, is a small turret, erected by the late John Howley, Esq., in 1821, to commemorate the election of Thomas Spring Rice, Esq., the present Chancellor of the Exchequer, as a member of parliament for the city of Limerick. In the churchyard is a very splendid monument covering a large vault, also erected by Mr. Howley, and in which his remains are interred. From the summit of the hill are some very extensive views; and not far distant from it are the ruined castles of Rathsiward, Drombanny, and Liccadoen.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.