Freshford

"Freshford", or Aghoura, a post-town and parish, in the barony of Cranagh, county of Kilkenny, and province of Leinster, 6 1/2 miles (W. N. W.) from Kilkenny, and 63 (S.W.) from Dublin, on the road from Kilkenny to Johnstown; containing 2277 inhabitants. This place, anciently called Aghoure or Achadhur, signifying the "green ford," was the site of an abbey founded about the commencement of the 7th century, by St. Lactan, who was its first abbot. The parish comprises 2108 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: there is no bog or wasteland. The principal seats are Upperwood, Balleen Castle, Kilrush. The town, which comprises 374 houses, is neat and well-built, and is part of the estate of William De Montmorency, Esq. It is a station of the revenue and of the constbulary police. Here is a dispensary, a fever hospital, and a society for relieving the bedridden poor. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, episcopally united bto the parishes of Clomanto, Kilrush, Clashacrow, Rathbeagh, Tubridbritain, Sheefin, Clontubrid, and Coolcashin, which together form the uion of Freshford and the corps of the prebend of Aghoure (anciently called the Golden Prebend") in the cathedral of Kilkenny. The first six aprishes are in the patronage of the Bishop, and the remaining three in that of the Dean and Chapter. The glebe-house is in Clashacrow. The church was built in 1730, and has a fine Norman porch with the date 1133. In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising Freshford, Tullaroan, Ballynamara, Clashacrow, Ballylarkin, and parts of Odogh, Burnchurch and Clomanto, in which district is a chapel at Freshford, one at Odogh, and one at Tullaroan. There is a parochial school, and there is a national school adjoining the R. C. chapel. About 300 children are educated in these schools, and about 60 in two private schools, exclusive of those taught in a Sunday school. Near Kilrush are the ruins of Ballylarkin castle, once the seat of the Shortall family.
[From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)]