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Rathaspick, Westmeath

Historical Description

RATHASPICK, a parish, in the barony of MOYGOISH, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, on the mail coach road from Dublin to Sligo; containing, with the market and post-town of Rathowen (which is separately described), 2170 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the west by Lough Glynn, and on the south and east by the river Inny. It comprises 4542 statute acres, exclusively of a considerable portion of bog: the land is good for pasture and tillage, and the system of agriculture is improving. Limestone abounds, for which there are quarries, and there is also abundance of limestone gravel and marl. Petty sessions and fairs are held at Rathowen. A bridge of 12 arches crosses the Inny at Ballicorkey, which river here separates the dioceses of Ardagh and Meath. Newpass is the property of Sir George R. Fetherston, Bart; Ardglass, the residence of Major A. P. Bond; Rockfield, of M. Crawford, Esq.; Ardglass Cottage, of J. Atkinson, Esq.; and Newpark, of J. A'Hmuty, Esq. The living is an impropriate curacy, in the diocese of Ardagh, and in the patronage of Sir J. Bennett Piers, Bart., in whom the rectory is impropriate. The tithes amount to £128. 5., entirely payable to the impropriator: the curate's stipend is £92. 6. 7½ of which £83. 2. is derived from Primate Boulter's augmentation fund, and £9. 4. 7½. is allowed by the impropriator; he has also the glebe, comprising nine acres, valued at £18 per ann. and subject to a rent of £8. 11. 8. The glebe-house was built, in 1817, at a cost of £461. 10. 9¼., of which £415. 7. 8¼. was a gift, and the remainder a loan, from the late Board of First Fruits. The church is a neat structure, with a square tower, built in 1814 by aid of a gift of £800, and enlarged in 1821 by a loan of £200 from the same Board, In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Russagh, and contains a chapel. About 90 children are taught in two schools aided by private subscriptions; one of which is under the patronage of M. Crawford, Esq., who gives the house and half an acre of land; and in two private schools are about 70 children; there is also a Sunday school. There are ruins of two castles; a curious rath; and remains of the conventual church of Kilmocahill, or Kilmichael, a monastery founded by the Petyt family, the possessions of which were given to Robert Nangle at the dissolution. There are several mineral springs.

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 Rathaspick from the following:


Land and Property

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

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