KILRONAN, a parish, in the barony of BOYLE, county of ROSCOMMON, and the province of CONNAUGHT, 9 miles (N.) from Carrick-on-Shannon; containing, with the town of Keadue (which is described under its own head), 6940 inhabitants.
This parish contains the iron and coal works of Arigna, which are described in the article on the county, and comprises about 14,200 acres, of which 200 are woodland, 6000 arable, 4000 pasture, 2000 bog, and 2000 mountain and wasteland. It is bounded on the east by Lough Allen, which is the first great expansion of the river Shannon, and about six miles from its source; this beautiful sheet of water is 6- miles in length by 2- in breadth but is considerably narrower towards its southern extremity. On each side are steep and barren mountains, which render it liable to storms and gusts of wind; and within its limits are O'Reilly's island, which has been lately planted, and the small island of Inse, which is described in the article on Innismagrath. Beneath the mountains on the south is Lough Meelagh, near which is some charming scenery; and here is also Lough Skean. The village of Lough End consists of straggling houses, the inhabitants of which are principally engaged in the collieries, or the sandstone and limestone quarries.
The principal seats are:
- Castle Tenison, the residence of Col. Tenison;
- Alderford, of T. McDermott Roe, Esq. ;
- Greyfield, of Hugh O'Donnell, Esq. ;
- Mount Allen, of Hugh McTiernan, Esq. ; and
- Knockranny, of J. C. Dodwell, Esq.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ardagh, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the rectory is impropriate in W. Mulloy, Esq.
- The tithes amount to £260, which is equally divided between the impropriator and the vicar. The glebe-house was erected by aid of a gift of £400, and a loan of £328, from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1816; the glebe comprises 30 acres, subject to a rent of £10.
- The church is a neat building with a spire, towards the erection of which the same Board gave £500, in 1788.
The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church and has a chapel at Keadue and one at Arigna, which was erected by the Mining Company.
There are four public schools, one of which is aided by Col. Tenison, another is supported by Miss Tenison, and one is aided by Mr Dingnan; in these schools, about 250 children are educated. There are three private schools, in which about 150 are educated, and a Sunday school.
At Keadue there is a dispensary.
The ancient church is in ruins; the burial-ground is still much used. In it are interred the remains of Carolan, the last and one of the most celebrated of the Irish bards, who died at Alderford, the seat of the McDermott Roes, in 1738. There is a circular-headed portal in the walls of the old church, ornamented with carved cylinders. Near it is a celebrated well and cromlech.
