Oughteragh

OUTRAGH, or OUGHTRAGH, a parish, in the barony of CARRIGALLEN, county of LEITRIM, and province of CONNAUGHT, on the road from Carrick-on- Shannon to Killesandra; containing, with the market and post-town of Ballinamore (which is separately described), 8449 inhabitants. A small river runs through the parish, which comprises 16,331 statute acres of middling land, mostly under tillage; there is a large quantity of bog and a considerable mountain tract.

Limestone abounds, of which there are fine quarries, and there is a flagstone quarry in the mountain, where mines are also said to exist. General and petty sessions, and fairs, are held at Ballinamore. The gentlemen's seats are Clover hill, the residence of E. Lawder, Esq.; Riversdale, of J. Shanly, Esq.; Willyfield, of H. Percy, Esq.; Kilrush, of W. Shanly, Esq.; Willsbrook, of W. Slack, Esq.; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. F. Percy. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Kilmore, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is appropriate to the Bishoprick. The tithes amount to £248, payable to the vicar, by whom £9. 13. 10½. is paid to the bishop in lieu of the rectorial tithes. The glebe-house was built in 1816, by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £750, late currency, from the late Board of First Fruits; the cost of its erection was £1089, the residue having been supplied by the incumbent.

The glebe comprises 407¼ acres, valued at £240 per ann.; about 60 acres are mountain pasture. The church is an ancient building, in bad condition, erected in 1787 by parochial assessment] the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have recently granted £318 towards its repair.

The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church; there is a good and spacious chapel in Ballinamore, and another at Dernasmalan. Here is also a Methodist meeting-house. In Kilrush is a public school, in which about 70 children are instructed; and in 18 private schools are about 800 children. A dispensary is supported in the usual manner, and Mrs. Percy has given £6 per ann. to the poor of the parish.

 

from Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837.