Rathpatrick

"Rathpatrick", or Ballypatrick, a parish, in the barony of Ida, county of Kilkenny, and province of Leinster, near the road from Waterford to Carrick-on-Suir, 3 1/2 miles (E. by N.) from Waterford, on the road to New Ross; containing 1617 inhabitants. The parish is situated on the river Suir, at its confluence with the Ross river: it comprises 6298 statute acres. On the top of the great hill of Drumdorony, about 300 acres are occupied by a quarry of breccia, for millstones, which are of so good a quality as to have formerly been exported to England; they are still sent coastwise to Cork, Dublin, and other Irish ports: some of the largest are five feet in diameter, and 16 inches in the eye. The stones are near the surface and appear above it; they are shipped with ease into vessels at the base of the hill, in the Ross river, opposite to the Great Island, which it encircles previous to its junction with the Suir. The principal seats are Bellevue and Snow Hill, both residences of the Power family; Ringville, Springfield, Kilmurry, Larkfield and Mount Prospect.

It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, forming part of the union of Rossbercon; the rectory is impropriate in the corporation of Waterford. On the next vacancy of the benefice, this parish is to be united to Kilculliheen. In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, called Slieruagh, or Slieve-ruagh, comprising this parish and those of Kilculliheen, Ballygorum, Kilbride, Kilquane [Kilcoan], Kilcolumb, and Kilmackavogue; in which union are a private and three public chapels, of which one is at Slieve-Rae, in this parish. At Ringville, a Lancasterian school is supported by Lady Esmonde; there are also a private school, in which are about 40 children, and a Sunday school. There are remains of an old castle in the demesne of Bellevue; and ruins of an old church at Rathpatrick, where several stones have been dug up, bearing inscriptions scarcely legible.

[From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)]