Cloghane or Clahane

CLOGHANE, or CLAHANE, a parish, in the barony of CORKAGUINEY, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 6 miles (N. N. E.) from Dingle; containing 2772 inhabitants, of which number, 222 are in the village. This place is situated on St. Brandon's bay on the western coast; and the parish is divided by part of the Connor range of hills into the northern and southern portions. In the former is St. Brandon's Hill, a mountain of considerable elevation, near the summit of which are the remains of an oratory or chapel, dedicated to St. Brandon, and a remarkably fine spring of water. This mountain, of which, from its proximity to the sea, the summit is rarely seen unclouded, is terminated on the north by the promontory of Brandon Head, 8½ nautical miles (E. ¾ N.) from Smerwick, between which and Magharee Head, on the east, is Brandon bay. This bay, from the number of sunken rocks and the frequent squalls from the mountains, is extremely dangerous; and vessels can only anchor in safety on the western side, and there only in fair weather. A small pier was erected by the late Fishery Board. The fishery is chiefly carried on in yawls and canoes; it affords employment during the season to 250 persons, who at other times are engaged in agriculture. A considerable quantity of sea manure is landed at the pier; great quantities of butter are sent hence in hookers to Limerick; and there is a flour-mill and also a tucking-mill in the parish, both worked by water. At Ballyguin is a coast-guard station, being one of those which constitute the district of Dingle. The village, which is near the shore of the bay, contains 43 houses, mostly thatched; and in it are situated the parochial church, a R.C. chapel, and a school.

The parish, including a detached portion called Lateeves, a very fertile tract of 889 acres, locally in the parish of Kilmelchedor, comprises 27,740 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, of which a large tract consists of mountain and bog; a small portion of the land is under tillage, producing excellent and early crops; the chief manure is sea-weed, which is obtained in great abundance. The principal seats are Brandon Lodge, the residence of Mrs. Hussey; Fermoyle, of J. Hillyard, Esq.; and Keelmore, of P. B. Hussey, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ardfert and Aghadoe, and in the patronage of the Bishop : the tithes amount to £184. 12. 3¾. The church, a neat edifice with a square tower, situated in the village of Cloghane, was erected in 1828, by aid of a gift of £830 from the late Board of First Fruits. There is neither glebe-house nor glebe. In the R.C. divisions the north portion of the parish forms part of the union or district of Killeiny, or Castle-Gregory; the south portion, with the exception of Lateeves, is included in the district of Dingle; and the detached portion of Lateeves forms part of the district of Kilmelchedor. The chapel in the village, a commodious slated building, erected in 1824, is dependent on that of Killeiny, or Castle. Gregory. The parochial school at Ballyguin is chiefty supported by an annual donation from the incumbent; and a school in the village is supported under the patronage of the R.C. clergyman. The ruins of the old parish church are still remaining; and on the sea shore are some remains of an ancient castle, of which no account is extant. At Coomainaire, or "the Valley of Slaughter," numerous ancient arrows have been found at various times, from which circumstance and the traditional name of the place it would appear that a battle had been fought here at a very remote period. A patron is held on the last Sunday in July, in honour of St. Brandon.

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