Clomantagh

"Clomantagh", also Cloghmantagh, or Clomanto, a parish, in the barony of Cranagh, county of Kilkenny, and province of Leinster, 3 1/2 miles (W.) from Freshford, on the road from Kilkenny to Thurles, containing 889 inhabitants. It comprises 3597 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, about 480 acres are mountain and woodland, and the remainder arable and pasture. The principal seats are Woodsgift and Balief Castle, both of the St. George family. It living consists of a rectory and vicarage united, and a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Ossory; the rectory and vicarage form part of the union of Freshford and of the corps of the prebend of Aghoure in the cathedral of St. Canice, Kilkenny; the perpetual curacy was instituted by act of council, in 1828, by detaching five townlands from this parish, and uniting them with the parishes of Burnchurch and Tullaroan, together forming the perpetual curacy of Clomanto, which is in the patronage of the incumbents of the several parishes out of which it was formed, each of whom contributes to the curate's stipend. The old parish church is in ruins, and there is neither glebe-house nor glebe. A church has been recently erected for the district curacy. In the R. C. divisions the parish is partly in the union or district of Urlingford, and partly in that of Freshford. There are two pay schools, in which are about 100 children. The remains of the old castle of Clomanto consist of a square tower in good preservation; both it and Balief castle belonged anciently to the Shortall family. On the summit of Clomanto hill is a circular mound of stones, 87 paces in circumference; the name Cloghman-Ta, signifying in the Irish language the "stone of God," is sufficiently indicative of the use to which this place was applied.
[From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)]