MUCKNO

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

"MUCKNO, a parish in the barony of Cremorne, county Monaghan, province of Ulster, Ireland, containing its post town, Castle-Blaney. It is 5½ miles long, and its extreme breadth is 4 miles. The surface, which lies near Lough Muckno, is hilly, including Mullyash, which is 1,034 feet high, being a conspicuous summit. Several islands in the lake belong to this parish. The road from Dublin to Londonderry passes through the parish. The living is a rectory and vicarage in the diocese of Clogher, in the patronage of the bishop. The church was built by means of a loan from the late Board of First Fruits in 1810. There are two united Roman Catholic chapels, a Presbyterian meeting-house, and several schools. Castle Blayney, Lord Blayne's seat, is in the vicinity.

"CASTLEBLAYNEY, a market town in the parish of Muckno, barony of Cremorne, in the county of Monaghan, province of Ulster, Ireland, 11 miles to the S.E. of Monaghan, and 60 miles from Dublin. It is situated in a pleasant and highly-cultivated country, and is a station on the Irish North-Western railway. This place was founded in the 17th century by Sir Edward Blayney, to whom James I. granted a large district here. In the centre of the town, which has a population of 1,600, is the market-place, with a neat market-house of modern erection, sessions-house, and townhall. The linen manufacture is carried on to a small extent, and there are several corn-mills and tanneries. Castleblayney is the seat of a Poor-law Union, and contains the Union house. Here are also a county bridewell, a police station, and a dispensary. The streets are lighted with gas. The parish church of Mucknoe is in the town. It is a beautiful specimen of the early English style, erected in 1859, at a cost of £4,000. Here are also a chapel belonging to the Roman Catholics, two to the Presbyterians, one to the Wesleyan Methodists, and two charity schools. Castleblayney House, lately the property of Lord Blayney, is a handsome modern mansion standing near the site of the castle founded in the reign of James I., in a large and beautiful demesne, including the lake of Mucknoe. It is now the seat of Mrs. Hope, having been purchased by the late T. M. Hope, Esq. Markets for corn are held on Tuesday and Friday, and for miscellaneous goods on Wednesday. Fairs are held on the first Wednesday of each month."

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