Thomas O'Conor, O'Donovan's colleague on the Offaly survey recounts here in colourless pros short accounts of Kilbride (Clara), Ballyburly, Kilclonfort and Ballycommon.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[Letter no. 14 from Thomas O'Conor ]

Tullamore,
January 5th 1838.

Sir,
In Killcoursey Townland, which is in Irish called Cill Chursaigh and lies in the Parish of Killbride in the Barony of Killcoursy, there is an old graveyard and an old castle. Tradition does not decide whether this castle was built by the family of the Foxes, who are said to be the former proprietors of Killcoursy or by the family of the Baggots, from whom the present proprietor, Mr. Baggot, is descended.

There were three branches of the Foxes, of which one branch possessed as an estate Ballymalady, lying between Horseleap and Clara and in the County of Westmeath; another held as an estate Clochatsionnaigh, which has become the name of a Townland in the County of Westmeath and is commonly called Cloch, the terminational part being omitted; the third possessed Streamstown in the County of Westmeath. The two last estates were confiscated (in 1641?) and the first, Ballymalady, was sold about forty or fifty years ago by Charles (?) Fox, who was the last of the family that possessed this estate.

Tradition seems to be uncertain as to whether the two estates, viz., Clochatsionnaigh and Streamstown, were confiscated or not out of the hands of the Foxes, for it appears, as we see, from this very tradition that Streamstown was taken by forcible possession from Fox, its proprietor.

It is said that in Streamstown there were two castles, of which one was erected by Fox, the proprietor of that estate, and the other by Mac Aodhagan. Fox gave Mac Aodhagan permission to build a castle on any part of his (Foxe's) estate that suited his wish.

Mac Aodhagan built his castle up against Foxe's and succeeded finally in depriving Fox of the estate, which was, according to tradition, afterwards possessed by his (Mac Aodhagan's) descendants, who were, according to the same tradition, called in English "Keegans."

Killbride Parish was dedicated to Saint Bridgid, Abbess of Killdare, after whom a holy well in this Parish was called St. Brigid's Well.

In the description of the Parish of Killbride in the Down Survey, are noticed "the ruins of two Churches at Kilbride and of a (castle? - effaced or burned in orig.) at Killcoursie." And in it stated that:-

"In this Parish are scituate the Townes of:- (1) Ballykilcrosse; (2) Loghan; (3) Ballicknehey; (4) Kilbride; (5) Killcolline; (6) Lehensy; (7) Keilmoclone; (8) Kilnebin; (9) Kilcoursy; (10) Cloragh; (11) Lisneasky; (12) Ballykemoyler; (13) Rathin; (14) Bealoboclone and (15) Errie belonging to the Earle of Cavan, a Protestant, and (16) Curraghboy, which by some is sayd to be part of the land of Gurtin, in the Parish of Kilmanaghun hereafter described."

These Townlands are now written:- (1) Ballykilcross; (2) ---------------; (3) Ballicknahee; (4) Kilbride; (5) Kilcollin; (6) Lehinch; (7) Kilmucklin; (8) Kilnebinea; (9) Kilcoursey; (10) Clara; (11) Lisiniskea; (12) Ballickmiler; (13) Raheen; (14) Ballyboughlin and (15) Erry, and (16) Curraghboy goes by the alias name of Woodfield.

BALLYBURLY PARISH

In Fahy (Faithche) Townland in this Parish, there is an old castle in ruins.

Togher Townland had, as appears from an old map of Leix and Offaly, formerly a castle in it, of which there appear no remains at this time. The same map places a castle at Toberdaly Townland, in that part of the Parish of Castlejordan in the King's County. There are as yet some remains of this castle. It is stated in the Down Survey, in the description of the "Barronie of Warrenstowne" that Toberdalagh was a forfeited Townland. On the map above mentioned there appears a castle marked at Kilcor, now Coolcor Townland in the Parish of Ballyburly, in which Townland it is not remembered that there ever existed a castle.

The River Mongagh which divided, according to this old map, the ancient Territory of Tuathmaighe (Tethmoy) from Westmeath, has its source in a lough lying in a bog, at Garr Townland, and not far from Knockdrin Hill, both which lie in Castlejordan Parish, and joins the Yellow River at Clonmore and Castlejordan Townlands, from which the united waters of both rivers flowing mix themselves with those of the Boyne, somewhere near Carbury in Co. Kildare.

This description, which is the most accurate I could obtain from any person consulted on this head, is had from a native of Castlejordan Parish, who travelled with the surveyors through the neighbouring part of the country of (about) Castlejordan. This river is of interest to the topographer, as it formed the northern boundary of Tuath-Da-Mhuighe and the southern mere of ancient Meath (Cella Latibuli Mirabilis).

KILLCLONFERT PARISH

In Killclonfert Townland are the ruins of a Church and of a castle.

This Killclonfert is not Clonfert Molua, which had its situation at the very boundary of Leinster and (the ancient) Munster between Ossory, Hele (Ely O'Carroll, formerly in Munster) and Leix. See Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History where it notices the Monastery of St. Molua, which also states that Clonfert Molua was in Sliabh-Bloom and that according to the modern division, i.e., of Munster and Leinster, Clonfert-Mulloe is in the King's County and is now a Parish. (This is the Cluain Feartha Mughaine mentioned in the Felire Aenguis as in Ui Failghe; see Sept. 3rd. - J. O'D.)

In this Parish is a Townland bearing the name of Barnaboy, which is written in Ferganainim Mac Eochadh's poem, celebrating the Victories of Hugh O'Byrne, Bearna Buidhe and signifies the Yellow Gap. The passage runs thus:- ...

Plunder from Pailis O'Molloy came with a countless brave host, as also from Bearna Buidhe, through the bravery of our Hugh.

In Lib. Regalis Visitationis, under the heading "Decanatus De Kilkye" Clonfert is set down as a Rectory:-

Kilclonfert Rec. Non residens Vic. residens - Rector Neale O'Malony studens in Collegio valor 15 le. Vicarius Edwardus Tracy Minister legens valor 10 le. Ecclia et Cancella bene repantur cum communionis Hibernice.

BALLYCOMMON PARISH

Ballycommon Townland contains no other ruins than an old castle. Nor have I got information of any other notable object within this Parish.

Ballecomon is, in the same Visitation Book above referred to, set down as a rectory and under the same heading "Decanatus de Kilkye."

Ballecoman residens - Rector ibm Johannes Duringe minister legens, residens inservit cure cum libro communionis Hibernice.

Kilkye is now written Kilkea, which is the name as well of a Parish and half Barony in the County of Kildare as of a Deanery in the Diocese of Killdare.

Your obedient humble servant,
T. O'Conor.