MSS.

Advowson.

Church

Chapel.

Mode of Agricalture.

of lending through the neighbourhood, as a great curiosity. The parish can boast of no Irish manuscripts here; but an English one was discovered by the late Mrs. M'Dermott, among the papers of the Bryanton family, which fell into her hands at an auction, and has been so justly considered a curiosity, that it has been inserted in some late, but rare editions of Oliver Goldsmith's works.

VIII. State of Religious Establishment, Tythes, &c.

This parish is a vicarage in the gift of the Archbishop of Tuam; but the rectorial tythes belong to the Vicars Choral of St. Patrick's cathedral in Dublin, who usually set them to the vicar during his incumbency. The family of the late vicar were of another opinion, and for some time considered that they had a right to the benefit of this lease, but upon consulting lawyers, it was found to be otherwise. The scite of the parish church was many years ago removed to the town of Ballymahon, where there is an handsome church and steeple. There is also a large and well-built Roman Catholic chapel, erected some years ago in the town by subscription. The chapel was before that time on the lands of Moygh, about half a mile out of the town. There was formerly a monastery on the hill of Mullavorna; but the friars built a slated residence for themselves about thirty years ago, on the lands of Foighy.

IX. Modes of Agriculture, Crops, &c.

The modes of agriculture are such as are common through Ireland, either by ploughing up les

land, or planting oats in it; or by covering the surface with stable or cow-house dung or compost, and planting potatoes in it by the spade. The usual rotation of crops is thus: 1st, potatoes, 2d, bere, (a species of barley for which there was formerly a good market here), 3d, oats; sometimes a second crop of oats laid down with grass seed. There are some rich grounds highly cultivated in the vicinity of Ballymahon, with several tracts of excellent meadow. The low lands along the river, produce a coarser and less valuable kind of hay, mixed with reeds, and called sedge, chiefly used for thatching and litter.

Cattle.

The horses and black cattle in this neighbourhood Stocks of are of a good kind, and the latter has been much improved by the exertions of the late worthy Earl of Rosse, who imported several bulls of the best English breeds, and brought them to his highly cultivated demesne at Newcastle, on the borders of this parish. On the 21st of May, 1802, ten five year old bullocks were sold at the fair of Ballymahon for four hundred guineas; and ten four year old heiffers, for three hundred guineas. These cattle were the property of Lord Oxmantown, (afterwards Earl of Rosse,) and for size, shape and fat, could not be equalled; they were fed on common grass and hay.

Land.

The rents vary here, from twenty-five shillings to Rent of four pounds per acre. The general tenure on the Shuldham estate is for three lives or thirty-one years: a few leases for ever have been granted on the other properties. Labourers' hire fluctuates according to the season of the year, from ten pence to

YY

Implements.

Fairs.

one and eight pence a day, without diet; and from seven pence to ten pence with it. The implements of husbandry here, are the common Irish and Scotch plough; long narrow spades called loys; common turf spades; the old Irish car, and a few carts.

Fairs are held in Ballymahon on the Thursday before Ash-Wednesday, 11th of May, 11th of August, and 21st of November; that on the 11th of May is much resorted to by graziers, and is reckoned the best fair for cattle in the province, except that Markets. of Ballinasloe. A weekly market is held here on Thursdays, which affords an abundant supply of meal, potatoes, and all kinds of provisions. The tolls and customs of this town are set for upwards of an hundred guineas a year, and bring a large surplus to the holder of them, but the trouble in collecting them is very great.

Trade.

X. Trade, Manufactures, Commerce, &c.

The trade of Ballymahon is as considerable as that of almost any other inland town of its size in Ireland. It consists in the sale or purchase of linen yarn and cloth, flannel and other woollen goods; groceries, hardware, grain of all kinds; flour, oatmeal, butchers meat, hides, tallow, butter, wines, spirits, porter, ale, &c. &c. There were formerly two distilleries, and several malt-houses here. The manufactures are of linen, frize, and a kind of linsey woolscy for waistcoats and petticoats; the two latter chiefly for home consumption. Leather, shoes, brogues, and nails, are manufactured here; as also bread, and a kind of gingerbread of an ex

cellent description. It is scarcely necessary to add, that a number of taylors, hatters, hosiers, black smiths, carpenters, masons, wheelwrights and other artizans, find subsistence in this parish. Slates are brought hither from Killaloe and Broadford by boats, whose cargoes are landed near the bridge of Shruel; and sometimes, but rarely, corn, turf, and other articles, are sent out of the parish by the same mode of conveyance.

Canal.

Under this head may be noticed the Royal Canal, Royal which passes through this parish in its line from Dublin to the Shannon, at Tarmonbarry. It is advancing rapidly to its completion, and, by the late liberal aid received from Parliament, promises to be of essential service to this part of the country. A passage-boat, furnished with excellent accommodations, leaves Dublin every morning for Ballymahon, and sets out on its return next day. In the article of shop goods alone, this convenience of water carriage will save the traders of Ballymahon upward's of half the sum which they have hitherto paid for carriers. Some peculations, however, have been committed on hampers of wine, and other articles, conveyed in the boats, which require the utmost vigilance of the managers to prevent, as such practices must tend to deprive the public of the convenience of the canal, and compel them to resort to the old mode of land carriage, as being less hazardous, though more expensive. A few salutary examples would, however, set this point to rights, for it is not to be supposed that, cæteris paribus, boatmen are less honest than carriers.

XI. Natural Curiosilies, Remarkable Occurrences, &c.

No natural curiosities have been hitherto known in this parish.

As Goldsmith was educated in Ballymahon by the Rev. Mr. Hughes, vicar of Shruel, the following brief memoir of his ancestry and life may be given with some propriety in the survey of this parish.

Oliver Goldsmith was born at Pallice, on the southern banks of the river Inny, adjoining the parish of Forgeny. "Natus Forniæ in comitatu Longfordiensis in loco cui nomen dedit Pallas." The Goldsmith family has been long settled in Ireland; and though one of them (Dr. Isaac Goldsmith) was Dean of Cork in the year 1730, they seem to have resided chiefly in the province of Connaught. For several generations they regularly furnished a minister for the Established Church, being what is termed a clerical family.

On the 30th of December, 1643, the Rev. John Goldsmith, parson of Brashoule, in the county of Mayo, was examined upon oath by Henry Jones and Henry Brereton, two of the commissioners appointed for ascertaining the sufferings and losses of the Protestants in the rebellion and massacre of 1641. It appears by the examination, which is preserved in Sir John Temple's history, that this Mr. Goldsmith was also chaplain to Lady Mayo, and that when the English of that neighbourhood, among whom were thirteen clergymen, were conducted by Edmond Burke, under a promise of safe conduct, towards the county of Galway; he was saved from suffering in