Burros in Ossory, Queens County
Historical Description
BURROS-in-OSSORY, a post-town, in the parish of AGHABOE, barony of UPPER OSSORY, QUEEN'S county and province of LEINSTER, 13 miles (S.W. by W.) from Maryborough, and 53 miles (S. W. by W.) from Dublin; containing 770 inhabitants. This place was formerly of some importance: being bounded on the north by the river Nore, and encompassed on every other side by boggy land, it formed the great pass to Munster; and for its defence the Fitzpatricks, proprietors of the district, at an early period built a castle. In 1600, Queen Elizabeth granted this place to Florence Fitzpatrick and his son, which grant was confirmed by Jas. I. in 1611. The castle was, in 1641, besieged by Florence; but the garrison, though suffering from want of provisions, kept possession of it till they were relieved by Sir C. Coote. In 1642, Bryan, the sixth baron, accompanied the insurgents to besiege this castle, which was subsequently granted to the Duke of Ormonde, and, with the townland of Burros, comprising 600 acres, is now part of the estate of the Duke of Buckingham. The town is situated on the mail coach road from Dublin to Limerick, and consists of one long street containing about 130 houses. Fairs are held on Jan. 25th, March 21st, May 31st, June 24th, Aug. 15th, Oct, 11th, Nov. 21st, and Dec. 20th. A constabulary police force is stationed in the town; and the quarter sessions for the county are held in April and October, and petty sessions on alternate Mondays. The court-house is a neat building, with a bridewell attached: divine service is performed in it. In the town are a R. C. chapel belonging to the district of Aghaboe, a dispensary, and a public school. The principal seats in the vicinity are Charleville, that of Mrs. White; Ballymellish, of B. Thacker, Esq.; Ballybrophy, of T. White, Esq.; Borris Castle, of W. Biggs, Esq.; and Spring Hill, of Capt, Knipe. Close to the town are the ruins of the old castle, a picturesque object mantled with ivy; and near it, on the estate of Sir Chas. Coote, Bart., are some remains of the old castle of Ballaghmore, built by the Fitzpatricks, which, in 1641, was attacked by Capt. Hedges and the garrison of Burros, to whom it surrendered, and was partly dismantled. On Kyle hill, about two miles from the town, is a rude stone chair, called by the peasantry the "Fairy Chair," which was probably in former times a seat of judgment of the Brehons.-See AGHABOE.
Civil Registration
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Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Burros in Ossory from the following:
- Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1840 by Samuel Lewis (Burros in Ossory)
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Queen's is available to browse.