DROMCREHY, or DRUMCREELY, a parish, in the barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (W.) from Burren, on the bay of Ballyvaughan, and on the road from Burren to Kilfenora ; containing 1758 inhabitants.
It comprises 6186 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, of which a considerable portion is rocky mountain pasture, principally devoted to the grazing of sheep. The substratum is limestone, which inn various places rises above the surface. Sea-weed, an abundance of which is procured in the bay, is the principal manure.
The seats are
- Harbour Hill, tIne cottage residence of G. Mc Namara, Esq.:
- Sans Souci, of the Rev. J. Westropp ;
- Ballyallaben, of J. O'Brien, Esq. ;
- Mucknish, of J. S. Moran, Esq. ; and
- Newtown Castle, of C. O'Loghlen, Esq.
In the little creek of Pouldoody is a small oyster bed, the property of J. S. Moran, Esq., of Mucknish; the oysters taken there have long been celebrated for their delicious flavour, and are always disposed of by the proprietor in presents to his friends.
The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Kilfenora, united, in 1795, to the rectories and vicarages of Glaninagh, Rathbourney, and Killonoghan, together constituting the union of Droincrehy and corps of the treasurership of Kilfenora, in the patronage of the Bishop.
- The tithes of the parish amount to £115, and of the entire benefice, to £330.
- The church is in ruins; that of the union is in the adjoining parish of Rathbourney.
In the R. C. divisions, the parish is part of the union or district of Glenarragha, or Glynn ( aka Glenaragh/ Glenaragah and Carrah / Carrah – now Ballyvaughan).
A school is aided by the Duke of Buckingham, and another is about to be established.
In this parish are the ruins of the castles of Mucknish and Ballynacraggy, and some vestiges of that of Ballyvaughan: at Newtown is a castle of unusual form, consisting of a round tower resting on a square base, and said to have been formerly the residence of the Prince of Burren; it is in good preservation and inhabited.
On the lands called "The Bishop's Quarter" are the remains of a religious house, of which no particulars are recorded.
BALLYCONREE, a hamlet, in the parish of DROMCREHY, barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER; containing 9 houses and 60 inhabitants.
BALLYNACRAGGY, a hamlet, in the parish of DROMCREEHY, barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 3 miles (W.) from Burren; containing 19 houses and 123 inhabitants.
This place, which derives its name from an ancient castle, of which there are some remains, is situated on the road from Burren to Ballyvaughan.
A school is about to be established, for which purpose Captain Kirwan has given the site and £10 towards the erection of the building.
LOUGHRASK, a hamlet, in the parish of DROMCREEHY, barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER ; containing 17 houses and 95 inhabitants.
-See also BALLYVAUGHAN.
