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Moy

MOY, a market and post-town, and an ecclesiastical district, partly in the barony of O'NEILLAND WEST, county of ARMAGH, but chiefly in that of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, 5¼ miles (N.) from Armagh, and 71¼ (N. by W.) from Dublin, on the mail coach road from Armagh to Dungannon; containing 6646 inhabitants, of which number, 902 are in the town. This place, commanding the chief pass of the river Blackwater, was a post of considerable importance during the wars in the reign of Elizabeth, and its intimate connection with Charlemont rendered it in succeeding reigns a station of much interest to the contending parties. The town is situated on the western bank of the Blackwater, over which is a bridge connecting it with the ancient borough of Charlemont; it consists principally of a square, or market-place, and one steep street, containing 172 houses, several of which are neatly built, and most are of modern character. A considerable trade in corn, timber, coal, slate, iron, and salt is carried on by means of the river Blackwater, which is navigable for vessels of 100 tons' burden; and there are extensive bleach-greens near the town, where great quantities of linen are annually finished for the English market. The weaving of linen is also carried on to some extent, and there are several small potteries for earthenware of the coarser kind; but the inhabitants are chiefly employed in the trade of the river, and in agriculture. The Ulster canal, now in progress, passes through the parish and falls into the Blackwater a little below the town. The market, which has been recently established, is on Friday, and is well supplied with grain and provisions of all kinds; and fairs for live stock are held on the first Friday in every month, and are numerously attended, especially by horse-dealers. A very commodious market-house and a spacious market-place have been constructed by the Earl of Charlemont, who is the proprietor of the town. A constabulary police force has been stationed here; petty sessions are held on alternate Mondays; and a court for the manor of Charlemont and Moy, which has extensive jurisdiction in the counties of Armagh and Tyrone, is held occasionally by the seneschal.

The district parish was constituted in 1819, by separating 33 townlands from the parish of Clonfeacle, of which 27 are in the county of Tyrone, and 6 in the county of Armagh. The land, though of a light and gravelly nature, is productive under a good system of agriculture. Limestone is found in abundance and quarried for manure; sandstone, basalt and whinstone are found here alternating; and there are indications of coal in several places. In the vicinity of Grange fossil fish have been found in red sandstone, a fine specimen of one of which has been deposited in the museum of the Geological Society, London. The lands westward of the Blackwater are extremely fertile. There are several handsome seats, of which the principal are Argory, the residence of W. McGeough Bond, Esq.; the Grange, of Miss Thompson; and Grange Park, of H. H. Handcock, Esq. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Armagh, and in the patronage of the Rector of Clonfeacle; the stipend is £100 per ann., of which £75 is paid by the rector, and £25 from Primate Boulter's augmentation fund. The glebe-house, towards which the late Board of First Fruits contributed a gift of £450 and a loan of £50, was built in 1820; and there are about 2 roods of glebe. The church, a small neat edifice in the early English style, with a square tower, was built in 1819, at an expense of £1569, of which £900 was a gift and £500 a loan from the same Board. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union of Clonfeacle; the chapel is a large and handsome edifice, recently erected. There are places of worship for the Society of Friends, Independents, and Wesleyan Methodists. About 300 children are taught in eight public schools, of which an infants' and a female school at Roxborough House are wholly sup ported by Lady Charlemont; an infants' and a female school at Argory were built and are supported by Mrs. McGeough Bond; a school for girls at Grange by Miss Thompson, and two at Goretown and Drummond by funds bequeathed by the late Lord Powerscourt.


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

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