AS THEY WERE: Clare County Directory, 1862 .. partial

Monday, 13 August 2012

Clare County Directory, 1862 .. partial

Clare County Directory, 1862

From Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory for the Year 1862

CLARE, a maritime county in Munster province. Boundaries: N., Galway Bay and Galway; E. and S., the Shannon, which separates it from Tipperary, Limerick, and Kerry; W., the Atlantic Ocean. Greatest length, N.E. and S.W., 67 ½ miles; greatest breadth, N.W. and S.E. , 38 miles; comprising an area of 1,294 square miles, or 827,994 acres, of which 455,009 are arable, 296,033 uncultivated, 8,304 in plantations, 728 in towns, and 67,920 under water. The coast is in general rocky, and in some places hold precipitous cliffs; it is indented with several bays, the principal of which are Ballyvaghan, Liscannor, and Malbay; there are also Doonbeg, Ballard, Farrahy, Moore Bay, and Ross Bay; and in the estuary of the Shannon, Rinevella, Kilbaha, Carrigaholt, Poulnasherry, and Clonderlaw Bay; Kilrush Creek, and the estuary of the Fergus, which is the only large river; off the coast, in the Atlantic, is Mutton Island, and in the Shannon, Scattery and Hog Island. The surface is diversified, mountainous in the N.E. and E., and in the N.W. and W.; the centre an undulating plain; the soil varying from light limestone pasture in the N., to deep rich loam along the Shannon in the S.; the W., which is a portion of the Munster coalfield is cold and wet land interspersed with bog. Lime is the principal mineral, but there are valuable lead mines worked at Kilbreckan, Ballyhickey, and Milltown, and some thin seams of coal and culm in the S.W. The produce is almost wholly agricultural. The chief trade is corn and provisions, and some of the best sheep and cattle are reared on the excellent pasturage of this county; coarse linen and hosiery are manufactured for home use. The population in 1861 was 166,275.

The county is divided into 11 baronies - Bunratty Lower and Upper, Burren, Clonderalaw, Corcomroe, Ibrickane, Inchiquin, Islands, Moyarta, and Tulla Lower and Upper, and contains 80 parishes, &c. It includes the diocese of Kilfenora, the greater part of Killaloe, and a small portion of Limerick. The principal towns are, Ennis, population in 1861, 6,993; Kilrush, 4,565; Killaloe, part of which is in Tipperary county, 1,672; and Kilkee, 2,031. The county returns 3 members to Parliament; 2 for the county at large, constituency in 1859, 5,509; and 1 for the borough of Ennis, constituency, 191. The Assize town is Ennis. The county is within the military district of Cork; there are barrack stations for infantry at Ennis, Clare Castle, Killaloe, and Kilrush; and for artillery in the forts of Scattery Island, Donnaha, Kilcredano, Blackwater, and Kilkerrin. The net annual value of property in the county, under the Tenement Valuation Act, is £311,574.

N.B. FOR FULL DETAILS PLEASE GO TO LIBRARY IRELAND at http://www.libraryireland.com/Thom1862/Clare.php

NOTES:- (referring to partial article above... lots of names and positions listed)

* Have served the office of High Sheriff of the County

† Are members of the Board of Superintendence of the County Prison

‡ Are Governors of the District Lunatic Asylum for the County

For hundreds more historical books and articles relating to Ireland, view our subject index.

Author:

Title:

Keyword:

First Edition

Signed

Belfast and Province of Ulster Directory 1852