CLOGHER

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

"CLOGHER, a parish, post and market town, in the barony of Clogher, in the county of Tyrone, province of Ulster Ireland. It is situated near the Londonderry and Enniskillen railway, 15 miles to the S.S.E. of Omagh, and 98 N.N.W. of Dublin. The parish extends along the Blackwater river, and is traversed by the road between Aughnacloy and Enniskillen. It was formerly a separate diocese, said to have been founded by St. Patrick, before A.D. 444, including Ardstrathy, Clones, and Louth, and the seat of the bishopric; it is now annexed to the diocese of Armagh, but still remains a distinct charge, including 45 parishes, with an equal number of benefices. The chapter consists of a dean, precentor, chancellor, archdeacon, and five prebendaries. The parish covers an area of 49,761 acres, and contains Fivemiletown, Newtown, Augher, and Saville. The soil is good, with limestone and freestone bottom; the surface hilly, the highest ground being on Slieve Beagh, which rises 1,255 feet above the sea-level. The interior is watered by numerous minor loughs. The living is a rectory annexed to the deanery of Armagh and Clogher, value £786, in the patronage of the crown. The town, supposed to be the Regis of Ptolemy, is now but a mere village, consisting principally of one straggling street. It was formerly a borough, governed by a portreeve and twelve burgesses, and returned two members to the Irish parliament before the Union. Here stand the episcopal palace, built by Lord Beresford, Primate of Armagh, and the cathedral church, which also serves as the parish church. It was built and dedicated to St. Macartin in 1744. It is a plain cruciform structure, and contains several fine monuments of the bishops. Here are a Roman Catholic chapel, Presbyterian meeting-house, police station, workhouse dispensary; deanery, bridewell, savings-bank, and free school founded by Bishop Garnett. It is the head of a Poor-law Union, and petty sessions are held in the town. In the cathedral lies the Cloghor, or golden stone, supposed by some to be the celebrated Lee Fail, which in Druidical times, according to the legend, was used for oracular purposes-hence the name Clogher; previous to this the town, so says tradition was called Errigal, from its having been the capital of the petty principality of that name. An abbey is said to have been founded here by St. Patrick, to which was added a cell and monastery, and some other foundations by his disciple, Macartin, in 506, but no traces whatever remain of these antiquities, and their existence is doubted by many. The principal seats in this parish are Augher Castle, the residence of Sir J. R. Bunbury, Bart., the Deanery, Daisy Hill, Carrick, and Blessinbourne Cottage. The market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on the 20th of every month."

"AUGHER, a small market town in the parish and barony of Clogher, in the county of Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland, 2 miles to the N.E. of Clogher, and 96 miles from Dublin. It is situated in a hilly district on the river Blackwater, near the border of Monaghan. It was granted to Sir Thomas Ridgway by James I., in 1613, on condition of his causing twenty Englishmen or Scots to settle there. In the same year a charter of incorporation was granted, constituting the place a borough, with the privilege of returning two representatives to the Irish parliament; which privilege was exercised till the Union. In 1641, the town was garrisoned and successfully defended against Sir Phelim O'Nial and the insurgents by Colonel Chichester. The castle was subsequently dismantled by authority of the parliament. The town has one principal street, which is crossed by another. A chief police station is established here, and petty sessions are held occasionally by the county magistrates. The market-house, the only public building, serves as the church. There are several seats of the gentry, of which the principal is Augher Castle, a fine mansion erected in 1832, close to the ruins of the ancient castle, and now the seat of Sir J. B. Richardson, Bart. Monday is the market-day, and a cattle fair is held once a month."

"FIVE-MILE-TOWN, a post and market town in the parish and barony of Clogher, county Tyrone, province of Ulster, Ireland, 6 miles S.W. from Clogher. It is situated on the road from Lisnaskea to Clogher, among the moors of the Fermanagh border. It contains a police station, chapel-of-ease, schools, Presbyterian and Methodist meeting-houses, dispensary, and a good hotel. Petty sessions are held here. This town, sometimes called Blessingbourne, was founded by Sir William Stewart in 1619, to whom the site was granted by James I. The principal residence is Corereevey House. Here are ruins of Aghantine Castle, built by Stewart, before the foundation of the town, and burnt by Phelim O'Nial in 1641. Friday is market day. Fairs are held every month."

"NEWTOWN-SAVILLE, a chapelry in the parish of Clogher, county Tyrone, Ireland, 4 miles E. of Fintora."

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