Ardagh

ARDAGH, a parish, in the barony of TYRAWLEY, county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 2¾ miles (W. S. W.) from Ballina; containing 1813 inhabitants.

This parish is situated on the shores of Lough Conn and the river Deel, and on the road from Ballina to Crossniolina: it comprises 3215 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £1794 per annum; the land is chiefly under tillage. There are large tracts of bog, furnishing abundance of fuel. Deel Castle, the seat of St. George Cuff, Esq., is delightfully situated on the river Deel, and in a fine demesne. Fairs are held at Newtown on the 4th of Aug. and the 1st of Nov.

The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Killala, with the vicarages of Ballynahaglish, Kilbelfad, Kilmorermoy, Attymass, and Kilgarvan episcopally united, constituting the union of Ardagh, in the patronage of the Bishop: the rectory is partly appropriate to the precentorship of the cathedral of Killala, and partly to the vicars choral of the cathedral of Christchurch, Dublin. The tithes amount to £110. 15. 4½., of which £38. 10. 10. is payable to the precentor of Killala, £13. 16. 11. to the vicars choral, and £55. 7. 8½. to the vicar. The glebes, which are detached, comprise together 31 acres; and the gross tithes payable to the incumbent amount to £948. 19. 2¼. The church of this parish is in ruins, and the church of the union is situated at Kilmoremoy.

An episcopal chapel has been partly built at Deel Castle, but is not yet roofed. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church: the chapel, a neat slated building, is situated at Newtown. Here is a school of 60 boys and 30 girls.

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.