Banagher

Is a post, fair, and market town in the King's County, and situated on the banks of the river Shannon; it is 66 miles to the south and west of Dublin, 14 south cast of Ballinasloe, 17 south of Athlone and 40 north by east of Limerick. About one mile south of Banagher are the ruins of Garry castle, near which stands Garry castle house The seat of Captain Thos. St. George Armstrong. At the north end of the town is a spacious stone bridge of 18 arches, built about the year 1049 by Roderick O'Connor, then King of Connaught. This bridge unites the two provinces of Leinster and Connaught, one half being in the county of Galway, and the other half in the King's county. Near the bridge, on the Galway side, are two large towers, each planted with one 24lb.traversing gun; and at the south west of the bridge is a sod battery, mounting three 24 pound traversing guns for the purpose of protecting or destroying the bridge, in case of an attack being made by the people of Connaught. At the foot of the bridge is a good barrack for two companies of foot, and apartments for three officers, with a military battery mounting rare 12 pound guns, and a large magazine underneath, which is bomb and water proof. This barrack was formally a nunnery, and communicated with the church by a subterraneous passage of about 400 yards. Banagher has an extensive trade in corn, of which great quantities are sent to the Dublin and other markets. At Cuba house, distant about ¾ of a mile, is the royal school endowed by letters patent in the 4th year of the reign of King Charles the first on the plan of Erasmus Smyth. The church is in a very ruinous state, but it is expect that a new one will soon be built, which will accommodate about 500 persons: the site fixed on is a very pleasant situation at the end of the main street leading from Parsonstown, and opposite to Cuba house.

The Catholics also are building a chapel, which, when finished, it is computed will contain 1000 persons. The market day is Friday, and there are three fairs; the principal one commences on the 15th of September and continues for four days, the first for sheep, the second for horned cattle, the third for horses, and the last day is the country fair for linen, woollens and other merchandise. The other fairs are on May 1st. and November 8th.- Population is about 1500.

POST OFFICE - post master, Mr. Richard Shape. The mail is despatched for Dublin at three in the afternoon, and returns at ten in the morning. The Cork and Limerick Mails are sent at ten in the morning, and return at twenty minutes past two in the afternoon. The Eyrecount, and Portumna bags are despatched at ten in the morning, and return at forty-five minutes past three in the afternoon. Letters to and from England and Scotland are conveyed by the Dublin mail.

Birr, otherwise called Parsonstown

Is a good post and market town, and far the most considerable of any in the King's County, 63 miles south west of Dublin, 6 south east of Banagher, 9 south west of Frankford, 10 north of Roscrea, 19 north cast of Nenagh, 19 south west of Tullamore and 40 north east of Limerick. It is situated on the river Birr, and adorned with a fine castle, build by the family of the Parsons, but now the residence of the Earl of Ross, the proprietor of the town. This castle was besieged by General Sarsfield, and relieved by Kirk; it has since been rebuilt by the present Earl. In the middle of the town is a stone column of the Doric order, with a shaft about 25 feet high, and surmounted with a pedestrian statue of the Duke of Cumberland in a Roman habit, cast in lead, and painted of a stone colour; it was erected in 1747. The church, which was built about 14 years ago at an expense exceeding 11,000 is a beautiful edifice of stone, built in the Gothic style, and possessing a square tower and one bell The Roman Catholic chapel may vie with the church, being also built of stone, and in the same style; it is adorned with a high spire, and with a statue of St. Peter, cut in stone, and holding the Keys of heaven. The noble and generous Earl of Ross gave the land and stone for this chapel, and 100 towards its erection; besides these there are two Methodist chapels and a Quaker's meeting house. The charitable institutions of Birr, are a fever hospital and dispensary, supported by county grants and annual subscriptions; a Sunday school for children of all denominations; a free school for boys, and another for girls, both supported by subscription, the latter by that of ladies only. Here is a gaol with a sessions house, where the sessions are held four times a year; the prisoners after their trial are sent to Philpstown, which is the county town. A manorial count is also held here on the first Monday in every month, for the recovery of debts under 40 shillings. The ruins of the old church are still visible; it is supposed to have been built upwards of 500 years, and was formerly the monastery of St. Brendan. One mile from the town are the Barracks, a large and elegant building, capable of holding three regiments of soldiers. Birr has two large distilleries and two breweries, which give employment to most part of the poor of the town.

The population in 1821 was 5,400. The market day is Saturday. The fairs are four, viz. February the 11th, May the 5th, August the 25th and December the 10th.

POST OFFICE.-Duke-street. Post master, Mr. William Wilkinson. The Dublin Mail is despatched at five in the evening, and arrives at half-past eight in the morning. The Banagher, Ferbane, and Eyrecourt Mails are sent at half-past one in the afternoon. The Tullamore Mail is despatched at twelve at noon, and arrives at four in the afternoon. Letters for England an Scotland by the Dublin Mail.

Cloghan

Is a small fair and post town in the King's County, 62 miles W. By .S. of Dublin 6 W. by S. of Frankford, 4 N.E. of Banagher, and 13 S. W. of Tullamore. It is governed by a seneschal, who holds a manorial court once a month, for the recovery of debts under 10 pounds. Here are a neat stone church, with a tower and one bell, and a Roman Catholic chapel, lately built by subscription. The town stands on the high road between Galway and Dublin; and possesses a very comfortable Inn, the Coghlan's Arms, established in 1769; the present proprietor is Mr. Patrick Gorman. Near the town may be seen the ruins of many old castles, formerly inhabited by the ancestors of the Coghlan family. At Moystown, one mile from Cloghan, and on the banks of the river Brusna, is the beautiful seat of Colonel H. P. L. L'Estrange, of the King's County militia; near to it there is a neat stone church, with a spire, built a few years ago, on the road leading to Ballinasloe. Population 550. Fairs are held on the 15th of May and the 29th of October.

POST OFFICE- Post Master, Mr. John Devery. The Dublin Mail is despatched at five in the evening, and arrives at nine in the morning. The Ferbane, Banagher, and Parsonstown bags arrive and depart with the Dublin Mail. Letters for England and Scotland by the Dublin Mail.

Edenderry

A MARKET and post town at the north eastern extremity of the King's county, and near the river Boyne, is 28 miles west of Dublin and 9 north of Rathangan. The woollen trade was formerly carried on to a considerable extent, but within these few years unfavourable changes have taken place; at present its principal trade is in corn, of which great quantities are brought to this market, and purchased by the neighbouring dealers. The church is a neat stone building with a tower and one bell, is situated on a neat rising ground, and commands a view of the river and of the surrounding county. Within the church is a stone tablet to the memory of Sarah Lady Blundell, Who died in the year 1701; this stone was discovered in the ruins of the old church of Monasteroris, distant about a mile and a half, and was removed hither in 1814, by Mary, Marchioness of Downshire, and Baroness Sandy, the heiress and lineal descendant of Montague Lord Viscount Blundell. Besides the church, the Catholics possess a handsome chapel, and the Methodists and Quakers have each a place of worship. The charitable institutions are, eight alms-houses for poor widows, the gift of the Marquis of Downshire, who is the Lord of the Manor; a dispensary supported by subscription; a free school for children of both sexes; and a Sunday school, established in August 1823, for children of all denominations. The town has been much improved within these few years, most of the thatched cabins having been taken down, and replaced with good stone-built and slated houses. A new road is also making from this town to Rathangan, which will cut off three miles, and bring the two towns within 6 miles of each other.

A seneschal court is held here on Thurdays and Saturdays for the recovery of small debts, at which John Brownrigg and Thomas Murray, Esqrs. preside. The population of the town and neighbourhood, in 1821, was 1439. Saturday is the marker-day, and fairs are held on Shrove Tuesday, Whiten-Thursday, and on the 4th of November.

POST OFFICE - post master, Mr. Robert Astles. The Mail for Dublin is despatched at three in the afternoon, and returns at nine in the morning. All by-Bags go by the Dublin Mail.

Portarlington

Is a respectable borough town, 35 miles west of Dublin, 5 from Mountmellick, and 9 from Mary-borough. The river Barrow divides the town into two unequal portions, the larger being situated in the Queen's County and the smaller in the King's County. Three estates of Portarlington were granted by Queen Elizabeth to Lord Clonmalire. His success, for his conduct in the rebellion of 1611, was attained of treason, and forfeited all his lands, which were bestowed on Sir Henry Bennett, one of the ministers of Charles 11. Who was created Lord Arlington, and obtained a charter for a corporation and manor. In 1666 a patent was granted him for the name of Portarlington, from which the town derives its name. The estates became forfeited again in the rebellion of 1688, and in 1696 King William granted the lands to his Dutch followers, and his favourite Lord Galway, who made leases of the town and estates for ever to a number of French Protestants, who came over with him. He also erected two churches, one for the French and the other for the English; and these are still continued, and endowed with sufficient lands. He assigned funds for an English and a French school, which were the means of establishing in Portarlington those eminent seminaries, which have produced some of the most shining characters in the kingdom; and the inhabitants feel an honourable pride in the circumstance of the present viceroy and his illustrious brother Wellington having been educated among them. The town is the resort of a great part of the rank and fashion of Leinster, is governed by a sovereign, and sends one member to the British parliament. The church is a neat edifice with a lofty spire. A celebrated spa was discovered here about 30 years ago. The markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and there are eight fairs in the year, viz. On the 5th of January, the 1st of March, the 8th of April, the 22nd of May, the 4th of July, the 1st of September, the 12th of October, and the 23nd of November. -The population amounts to near 3,000.

POST OFFICE - post Master, Mr. James Sheweraft. The mail is conveyed by horse to Monastereven every evening at eight, and returns at seven in the morning. Office hours from seven in the morning till seven at night.

Tullamore

In the King's County, is a handsome market and fair town, divided into two nearly equal parts by a river of the same name, and situated forty-five miles nearly west of Dublin, eight west of Philipstown, five south of Kilbeggan, and ten north-cast of Ballyboy. It owes its present thriving condition to the magnificent liberality of its noble proprietor, Lord Charleville, who convert an ill formed group of thatched cabins into regular streets, composed of handsome dwellings, which administer to the comforts and conveniences of a wealthy and industrious population; such an example descries to be imitated by other wealthy proprietors, and the procedure would redound to their immortal honour. The linen manufacture has been introduced here, and under judicious encouragement, cannot fail to prosper. The barracks for horse and foot are spacious and handsome, and the marker house, built at his lordship's expense, is very well adapted for its intended purpose.

The Grand Canal, from Dublin to Shannon Harbour, runs close by the town. About a quarter of a mile distant, on the banks of this canal, and near the old road leading from Dublin to Galway, are the ruins of Sragh castle, built in 1588, John Briscoe, esq., of Crofton Hall, in Cumberland, an officer of high rank and merit in Queen Elizabeth's army, and by his wife Eleanor Kerney, and their son Andrew Briscoe, esq., as appears by a tablet commemorating the event. The church, which is also about a quarter of a mile from the town, is a neat edifice with a handsome tower and one bell, and stands upon a high sandy hill; it was formerly in part surrounded by a deep bog, where there is now fine meadow and rich pasture land. Here is a handsome Roman Catholic chapel, built in the modern style of architecture under the inspection of the Rev. Michael Karney, the parish priest; and besides this the are two Methodist meeting houses. The beneficent institutions of Tullamore are a charity school, built and endowed by the Earl and Countess of Charleville, for an unlimited number of boys and girls, who are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic; two Methodist Sunday scho ols, one founded in 1813, the other in 1822; and a county infirmary, supported by subscription and county grants. Tullamore has convenient shambles for butchers' meat, and a good market for corn and other provisions; it also possesses a small silk manufactory, three extensive breweries, and a lately erected distillery. Within a short distance from the town is Lord Charleville's beautiful demesne, delightfully wooded with full-grown timber,and judiciously studded with young and thriving plantations. The various cascades contrived at the different falls of the river Cladagh produce a charming effect. Grottos and rustic bridges are tastefully disposed, and his lordship has so naturally formed an artificial excavation of nearly eight acres, that it does not appear to be the work of man; ars est celare artem. The fairs are May the 10th, July the 10th, and October the 21st. The market days are Tuesday and Saturday. - The population in 1821, including the parish, was 5,444.

POST OFFICE, church-street - post Master, Mr. John McDonald. The Dublin mail arrives at fifty minutes past five in the morning, and is despatched at a quarter before seven in the evening. A by-mail is despatched at fifty-eight minutes past five in the morning to Ballyboy, Kinnitty, and Parsonstown. Letters for England and Scotland by the Dublin mail.