ISLANDEADY, or ISLANDINE, also called ISLANDEDIN, a parish, partly in the barony of BURRISHOOLE, but chiefly in that of CARRA, county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 3.25 miles (W.N.W.) from Castlebar town, on the road to Westport; containing 8564 inhabitants.
It comprises about 25,920 statute acres, of which 23,936 are applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £6154 per annum. There is much bog and mountain, and a lake 4 miles long, in which are two islands crowned with luxuriant woods.
Here is an abundance of fine limestone, which is quarried for building, and formerly large iron-works existed, of which great quantities of the scoria still remain.
The principal seats are:
- Mucknagh, the residence of M. Rowland, Esq.;
- Green Hill, of J. Bourke, Esq.;
- Woodville, of T. Bourke, Esq.;
- Cloonane, of J. O'Malley, Esq.; and
- Rahens, of H. J. H. Browne, Esq., which was occupied by the French in 1798. Near this seat is a monument, 86 feet high, erected by the late Dodwell Browne, Esq., in memory of his wife; also a very ancient wind-mill.
It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Tuam, forming part of the union of Castlebar; the tithes amount to £240.
The Roman Catholic parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church, and has a chapel at Glen island, built in 1820 at an expense of £150, and one in Islandeady, which cost 300.
There are one public and five private schools.
The old church is in ruins.
SOURCE: A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis (pub 1837)
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