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MAGHEROSS

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

In 1868, the parish of Magheross contained the following places:

"MAGHEROSS, a parish in the barony of Farney, county Monaghan. See Carrickmacross."

"CARRICKMACROSS, a market town in the parish of Magheross, barony of Farney, in the county of Monaghan, province of Ulster, Ireland, 25 miles S.E. by S. from Monaghan, and 50 miles N-E. by N. from Dublin. Inniskeen, a station of the North-Western railway of Ireland, is about 7 miles distant. The barony of Farney was granted by Queen Elizabeth to the celebrated Earl of Essex, who built a castle, called by his name, close by the town. It was burnt down in the civil war of 1641, and no remains of it now exist. With the exception of lands formerly or still belonging to the church, the whole barony is now equally divided between the Marquis of Bath and E. P. Shirley, Esq., M.P., each of whom owns a half of the town. The town has one main street, containing a number of good shops and private dwellings, and several smaller streets. The old market-house, built about 1747 of part of the remains of the castle, stood in the centre of the main street. It having been partially destroyed by fire some years ago, was finally removed in 1861, and a very handsome building erected in its stead, at one side of the main street, at a cost of more than £2,000. The manufacture of brogues, or coarse shoes, is carried on, and there is a good general trade with the surrounding district. There are a tannery and a large distillery, which last, however, has not been working since the year 1859. In the vicinity are quarries of limestone and freestone. The town contains a handsome court-house, built in 1844, a small bridewell, a branch of the National Bank, fronted entirely with cut stone, and a police station. The parish church of Magheross originally stood a little out of the town. It was burnt down in 1641, rebuilt in 1682, but on its decay about a century later a new church was built in the town in 1791. It is a plain but neat structure, with a tower and well-proportioned spire. A Roman Catholic chapel was built about 1780. It is now (1863) being pulled down and a very ornamental structure raised in its place. The grammar school, established by Lord Weymouth in 1711, has an endowment of £70 per annum. It was rebuilt in 1830, and is a flourishing institution. The town has also National, parochial, and industrial schools, a dispensary, and a handsome fever hospital, used likewise as a general infirmary. Carrickmacross is the seat of a Poor-law Union, and contains the Union house. Petty sessions are held every second Friday. There are also quarter sessions. Near the town are Lough Fea Castle, a magnificent building, the residence of E. P. Shirley, Esq.; Lisanisk, Longfield, Essex Castle (on the site of the old building), Belle Vue, Derryolam Glebe, the seats of resident gentry. Corn markets are held on Wednesday and Saturday, and a general market on Thursday. Fairs are held on the 27th May, 10th July, 27th September, 9th November, 10th December, the second Thursday in August, and each month from January to April."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018