LISSONUFFY, a parish, in the barony and county of ROSCOMMON, and province of CONNAUGHT, 3? miles (S. E.) from Strokestown, on the road to Lanesborough; containing 4599 inhabitants.
It comprises 5022 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £5025. 10. per annum ; the land is chiefly in tillage and is tolerably well cultivated.
The village of Erra is situated on the river Shannon (by which the parish is bounded on the east), and is nearly surrounded by an extensive tract of bog. Stone is found in this parish, peculiarly adapted for millstones, of which a considerable number are made for supplying the adjoining counties ; and specimens of coal and iron-ore are found on the surface of the mountain of Slievebawn, on the western side of the parish, but no attempt has been made to discover any veins.
- Mount Dillon, the seat of Theobald Dillon, Esq., situated on an isolated hill, forms a conspicuous object in the surrounding scenery.
It is in the diocese of Elphin; the rectory forms part of the corps of the prebend of Kilgoghlin in the cathedral of Elphin, and the vicarage part of the union of Bumlin: the tithes amount to £258. 9. 2?., of which £107. 1. 6. is payable to the rector, and the remainder to the vicar.
In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, called Carraghroe, which comprises the parishes of Lissonuffy and Clonfinlogh, and part of Bumlin; and contains two chapels, one at Carraghroe, in this parish, the other at Caranaskagh in Clonfinlogh; that of Carraghroe is a very neat edifice of recent erection.
About 450 children are educated in six private schools. There are some remains of the old church, the burial-ground attached to which is still used; and there are also the ruins of an ancient abbey containing a beautiful pointed window and doorway, and some handsome monuments to the O'Conor family.
