KILCOLEMAN, a parish, partly in the barony of COOLAVIN, county of SLIGO, but chiefly in that of COSTELLO, county of MAYO, and the province of CONNAUGHT, on the new mail coach road from Longford to Ballina; containing, with the market and post-town of Ballaghadireen, 5021 inhabitants.
It comprises 13,030 statute acres, of which 5880 arc bog; the land is, in general, of very inferior quality, and the system of agriculture unimproved.
Limestone is very scarce, but there are some quarries of freestone of 'very good quality.
The seats are
- Edmondstown, the residence of the Costello family;
- Clogher, of R. Holmes, Esq.; and
- Coolavin House, of C. J. McDermot, Esq.
The parish is in the diocese of Achonry; the rectory is impropriate in Lord Dillon, and the vicarage forms part of the union of Castlemore.
- The tithes amount to £190, payable in moieties to the impropriator and the vicar.
- The church in Ballaghadireen is a small building, serving for the vicarial union; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £110 for its repair.
In the R. C. divisions, the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also Castlemore, and containing chapels at Ballaghadireen and Cragaduff.
There are six public schools, some of which are aided by donations from Lord Dillon, Mr. Holmes, and the incumbent, affording instruction to about 580 children; and there is a private school, in which are about 80 children.
There are some remains of the old parish church.
-See also BALLAGHA-DIREEN.
