KILBRIDE LANGAN

In 1868, the parish of Kilbride Langan contained the following places:

"KILBRIDE LANGAN, (or Kilbride), a parish in the barony of Kilcoursey, King's County, province of Leinster, Ireland, containing its post town, Clara, and the village of Charlestown. The surface extends along the bank of the river Brosna, and is traversed by the road from Tullamore to Athlone. It consists for the most part of an inferior soil. The parish is 3½ miles long by 3 broad. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Meath, value with Ardnurcher, £359, in the patronage of the clown. The church is at Clara. The Roman Catholic chapel is united to that of Clara: There are meeting-houses for Baptists and Wesleyans, also parochial and seven or eight private schools. Kilcoursey is the principal residence.

"CLARA, a quoad sacra parish, post and market town, in the barony of Kilcoursey, in King's County, province of Leinster, Ireland. It contains the quoad civilia parishes of Kilmanaghan and Kilbride, in the union of Ardnurcher. The general aspect of the country is flat and boggy, and the soil for the most part is bad. The living is a curacy in the diocese of Meath, value with Kilmanaghan, £91, in the patronage of the crown. The church was built by Edward Armstrong, Esq., in 1770. There are places of worship for Baptists and Wesleyan Methodists, besides three Roman Catholic chapels, and thirteen day schools. Situated between the town and Moate-Grenogue is the great moving bog Kilmaleady. The town is neatly built on the banks of the river Brosna and the Grand canal, at the cross-roads from Kilbeggan to Banagher, and from Athlone to Tullamore. It is about 61 miles from Dublin by road, or 65 by the Athlone branch of the Great Southern and Western railway, which has a station at Clara. It may also be approached viâ the Midland Great Western, which has a station at Moate. The inhabitants are principally employed in the cotton and linen trades. Here are large corn-mills, a bleach ground, loan-fund, dispensary, and police station. Petty sessions are regularly held here. About a mile from the town is the scene of the assassination of the Earl of Norbury, in 1839, within his own demesne, Durrow Abbey; other seats in the neighbourhood are Clara House, Kilclare, and Kilcoursey. The market day is Wednesday for corn. Fairs are held on the 6th January, 1st February, 25th March, 12th May, 29th June, 25th July, 26th September, and 1st November."

 

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