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Rathpatrick or Ballypatrick, Kilkenny

Historical Description

RATHPATRICK, or BALLYPATRICK, a parish, in the barony of IDA, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 3½ miles (E. by N.) from Waterford, on the road to New Ross; containing 1617 inhabitants. This 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 ëwith 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: from this hill another of less elevation extends southward, forming the south-eastern angle of the county, and commanding a magnificent prospect of the banks of the Suir and the harbour of Waterford. The principal seats are Bellevue, the residence of Patrick Power, Esq., beautifully situated on the banks of the river in a well-planted demesne; Snow Hill, of - Power, Esq.; Ringville, of Lady Esmonde; Springfield, of John Waring, Esq.; Kilmurry, of Geo. Giles, Esq.; Larkfield, of H. Snow, Esq.; and Mount Prospect, of J. Hackett, Esq. 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. The tithes amount to £166. 10. 2½., of which £100. 0. 11¾. is payable to the corporation, and £66. 9. 2¾. to the vicar. 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, 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 Rathpatriek, where several stones have been dug up, bearing inscriptions scarcely legible.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1840 by Samuel Lewis

Civil Registration

For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.


Directories & Gazetteers

We have transcribed the entry for Rathpatrick or Ballypatrick from the following:


Land and Property

The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Kilkenny is available to browse.

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