Town of SHERCOCK

"Shercock, or Killan, a parish in the barony of Clonkee, county of Cavan, and province of Ulster, 5 miles (N. W.) from Carrickmacross, on the road from Kingscourt to Cootehill containing 4845 inhabitants. It comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 8221 statute acres : the land, in general good, is chiefly under tillage, producing crops of oats, potatoes and flax. On the townland of Glasleck, about two miles south of the village and contiguous to the Bailieborough road, appears a thick stratum of coal of a very sulphureous quality, also iron ore, but neither is worked: here are several quarries of good building stone. The village, which comprises 82 houses, has a penny post to Carrickmacross, and is a constabulary police station; a manorial court is occasionally held here, for the recovery of debts under 40s., and petty sessions on alternate Thursdays. There is a market for flax, poultry, and pigs every Wednesday, and a corn market every Saturday: and fairs, where horses, cows, sheep, asses, and goats are exposed for sale, take place on the second Wednesday of every month. The weaving of coarse linen was for-merly carried on here to a great extent, but of late years it has considerably diminished." [From Lewis' Topographical Dictionary (1837)]

"SHERCOCK, (or Killan), a parish, post, and market village in the barony of Clonkee, county Cavan, province of Ulster, Ireland, 20 miles E. of Cavan, and 54 from Dublin. The soil is fertile and generally under cultivation. The surface is traversed by the road from Kingscourt to Cootehill. Lough Swillan is in the parish. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Kilmore, value £551, in the patronage of the bishop. The church was built about halt a century ago. The parish retains its ancient name, Killan, in the Roman Catholic returns. There are a parochial, several day, and two Sunday schools, also a police station in the village, where petty sessions are held once a fortnight. The linen trade was formerly considerable, but has declined. Shinan House is the principal seat. The Sheridans once lived here, and Richard and T. Sheridan were natives. Traces of coal and iron have been found in this parish." [Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868 by Colin Hinson ©2018]