Z57 



QUEEN'S COUNTY. 



QUEENSTOWN. 



268 



Geology, Mineralogy, Ac. The greater part of Queen's County is 

 included in the limestone district which overspreads a large part of 

 Ireland. The Slieve Bloom Mountains are composed chiefly of sand- 

 atone, with thin beds of limestone and coal. Mica-slate occurs on the 

 summits and higher acclivities. A portion of the Dysart Hills is 

 formed by the coal-measures. An esker or gravel ridge, called the 

 Ridge of Maryborough, extends about eight miles northward from 

 that town, continuing with intermissions to King's County. Potters' 

 clay is found, and is employed in making tiles, garden-pots, and other 

 coarse earthenware. Sandstone of a soft texture, suited for hearth- 

 stones and chimney-pieces, is quarried ; a.i are also slates, and, in a 

 few places, marble. 



ate, Soil, and Produce, The general surface being high and 

 open, the climate is generally dry and free from fogs. It is decidedly 

 salubrious, notwithstanding the exhalations from extensive tracts of 

 bog. The soil is generally fertile. There are some large tracts of 

 bog, resting on clay or gravel, which are capable of being converted 

 into fine productive land. On the east side of the Slieve Bloom 

 Mountains, a yellow clay lying on gritty gravel, and on the west side 

 strong red clay good for oats and potatoes, are very much interspersed 

 with wet spongy ground, and broken by protruding rocks. There is 

 good limestone for manure in every part of the county. Dairies are 

 numerous. There is a small manufacture of woollen fabrics, and 

 some families are employed in the weaving of linen and cotton. A 

 factory for extracting sugar from beetroot has been formed at Mount- 

 inellick. In 1353 the number of acre* under crop was 151,656, of 

 which 18,874 acres grew wheat, 35,397 acre* oats, 11,222 acres barley, 

 here, rye, peas, and beans; 19,619 seres potatoes, 14,606 acres turnips, 

 2259 acres mangel-wurzel, carrots, parsnips, vetches, and other green 

 crops ; 14 acres flax, 49,665 acres meadow and clover. In 1841, 

 including an equivalent of 2331 acres for detached trees, there were 

 13,961 acres growing oak, ash, elm, beech, fir, mixed timber, and 

 fruit In 1852 on 11,294 holding*, there were 11,923 horses, 5347 

 mules and asses, 56,624 cattle, 75,745 sheep, 23,292 pigs, 5794 goats, 

 and 191,643 bead of poultry. The value of the live stock here 

 enumerated was estimated at 598,8451. 



/'iritioxi and Tom*. Queen's County lies chiefly in the diocese of 

 Leighlm and Ossory, with small portions in the diocese* of Kildare, 

 Killaloe, and Dublin. It contain* 53 parishes, and is divided into II 

 baronies Ballyadams. Clamlonagh, CUrmallagh, Cullenagh, Mary- 

 borough East and West, Portnahinch, Slievemarigne, Stradbally, 

 Tinnehtnch, and Upper-woods. The principal town* are MARYBOROUGH, 

 Moi-.VTMKLLicK, and part of PORTABUHGTOX, which, with ABBEYLUX, 

 are noticed under their respective title*. The following town* and 

 villages we notice here, with the population of each in 1851 : 



Ballinal-ai, population 1109, a market and port-town, 13 miles S.S.E. 

 from Maryborough, contains a handsome parish church, with a tower 

 and spire ; a large Roman Catholic chapel ; two National schools ; a 

 market-house, and a district dispensary. Fain are held every month, 

 and on the Thursday after Whit-Sunday. Tuesday U the market-day. 

 The castle is now in rains. Ballinakill wa* incorporated by James I., 

 and returned two members to the Irish Parliament. 



Borrif in Oaory, population 804, a market- and post-town, situated 

 near the right bank of the river Nore, 16 mile* S.S.W. from Mary- 

 borough, consuls of a tingle street, and contain* a neat court-house, 

 which is used as a chapel of ease ; a Roman Catholic chapel : a National 

 school ; a bridewell ; and a dispensary. Quarter and petty session* 

 are held in the place. Fain are held seven time* a year. Bom* wa* 

 anciently defended by a castle, which is now in ruins. 



Dumw, population 1085, a small market-town, 16 mile* S. from 

 Maryborough, is watered by the Erkin, a feeder of the Nore, and is 

 agreeably environed by the demesne of Cattle-Durrow, a seat of Lord 

 Ashbrooke. It consist* of a few regular street*, opening into a square ; 

 the boa*** are generally well built, and roofed with slate. It contain* 

 a church, a Roman Catholic chapel, a dispensary, and an infantry 

 barrack. Petty sen-iocs are held monthly, and fain nine time* a year. 



Oraiyue, population 1527, a suburb of the town of CAHLOW, with 

 which it is connected by a fine bridge of five arches over the Barrow. 

 It consist* principally of one strret, extending nearly half a mile 

 along the right bank of the river, and contain* a parish church, a 

 Roman Catholic chapel, a public school, built by voluntary contribu- 

 tions ; a National school, two tan-yards, and a flour-mill. Fain are 

 held four time* a year. 



Mountrath, population 31 01 , a market- and post-town, 8 miles W.S. W. 

 from Maryborough, contain* a neat pariah church, a Roman Catholic 

 chapel, a Methodist and a Quakers meeting-house, a monastery of the 

 order of St Patrick, with a classical school attached ; a nunnery, 

 dedicated to. St Bridget, with school* attached ; and two National 

 school*. There are also a new court-house, a neat market-house, a 

 duptnsary, and fever hoopital. Cotton and woollen fabric* an manu- 

 actured. Mountrath poexssc* an oil-mill, malt-house, and a brewery. 

 Then is a large weekly market Fain are held seven time* a year. 

 Petty aeaaion* are held weekly. 



RmUdomuy, population 1192, is situated on a feeder of the Nora, 

 19 mile* S.W. from Maryborough. The town contain* the pariah 

 church, a Roman Catholic chapel, a Methodist meeting-house, two 

 National school*, a constabulary barrack, and a dispensary. Petty 

 sessions are held monthly. Fain are held seven time* a year. 



0100. DIV. TOL. IT. 



Stradbally, population 1326, a town 7 miles E. from Maryborough, 

 pleasantly situated on the Straid, a feeder of the Barrow. The prin- 

 cipal street ia spacious, and contains some well-built houses, a hand- 

 some parish church, a large Roman Catholic chapel, a National school, 

 a neat court-house with a small bridewell attached, a dispensary, and 

 a savings bank. Quarter and petty sessions are held, and fairs six 

 times a year. Saturday is the market-day. 



The following are the chief villages -.Ballyroan, population 430, 

 a post-village, 7 miles S. from Maryborough, contains a neat parish 

 church, a spacious Roman Catholic chapel, a National school, and a 

 classical and English school. Cattlstown, population 339, a village on 

 the river Nore, 9 miles S.S.W. from Maryborough by the Great 

 Southern and Western railway. It ia well built and has a clean and 

 neat appearance. It contains a Roman Catholic chnpel. On tbe pre- 

 cipitous bank of the river are the ruins of the castle from which the 

 village derives its name. Clonaslee, population 428, is situated on tho 

 Clodagh Rivulet, which is here crossed by a good bridge, 16 miles 

 N.W. from Maryborough. It contains a district church, a Roman 

 Catholic chapel, two National schools, a school on Erasmus Smith's 

 foundation, and a dispensary. Near the village are the ruins of Castle 

 Cuffe. 



Queen's County returns three members to the Imperial Parliament, 

 two for the county and one for the borough of Portarlington. The 

 county jail ia at Maryborough, where the assizes are held. The 

 county infirmary is at Maryborough, aa also the district lunatic 

 asylum, to which the county is entitled to send 50 patients. There are 

 fever hospitals at Mountrath, Mountmellick, Abbeyleix, <\nd Mary- 

 borough; and dispensaries in 21 places. Savings banks are established 

 at Abbeyleix, Portarlington, and Stradbally ; and loan funds at Abbey- 

 leix, Aghaboe, Crettyard, Durrow, Mountrath, Portarlington, and 

 Timahoe. In September 1852 there were 82 National schools in 

 operation, attended by 3935 male and 4407 female children. 



J/ittory and Antiquitie*. The county was anciently comprehended 

 in the district* of Leix and Ossory. The King of Ossory, after the 

 invasion, made peace with tbe English, and managed to retain his 

 independence. In the reign of Edward II., O'More, an Irish chief- 

 tain, to whom Mortimer had intrusted the administration of his 

 domain, tbe ancient district of Leix, became so powerful as to bold it 

 for himself, and the district was the seat of almost incessant war 

 between the O'Mores and the English. In Edward VI.'s reign the 

 O'More* were defeated by Sir Edward Bellingham, the lord deputy, 

 who re-annexed their territories to tbe English pale. A new rebellion 

 in the reign of Mary was quelled with a severity which threatened to 

 extirpate tho inhabitant*; and two shires were formed, one being 

 namel after the queen, and the other after her consort, Philip of 

 Spain. In the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth the O'Mores were 

 again in rebellion, and the county wa* invaded by the lord deputy, 

 the Earl of E**ex (1599), who broke the power of tho rebellious clan: 

 their ruin was completed by Lord Mountjoy, the successor of Essex. 

 In 1641 Roger More, head of the now reduced sept of the O'Mores, 

 wa* the mainspring of the rebellion. Several castles fell into the 

 hand* of the insurgent*. In 1646 the insurgent force from Ulster, 

 under Owen Roe O'Neale, occupied Maryborough and several other 

 trongholds ; but the Parliamentarians maintained a strong garrison 

 in tho castle of Borris-in-Ouory, by a party of which, in 1647, the 

 neighbouring fort of Ballagbmore was taken. In 1649 Maryborough 

 and some other places were taken from the insurgents under Owen 

 Roe O'Neale, by the Royalist* under Ormond, and shortly afterwards 

 they were taken from the Royalists by tbe Parliamentarians under 

 colonels Hewcon and Reynolds. In the war of the revolution some 

 fighting took place in tho county, in whicli tho Jacobites were defeated 

 by William's army. 



Danish nth* and other ancient tumuli occur in the parishes of Lea, 

 Killeshin, and Aghaboe, and other parts of the county. At Timahoe 

 there is a round tower, nearly perfect ; and at Killeshin and Ilose- 

 nallis are the remains of two others. The principal ecclesiastical 

 remains are tbe ruins of an abbey at Aghaboe, of a priory at Aghma- 

 cart, and of a monastery at Rathupeck. Of numerous feudal anti- 

 quities, the most remarkable are the remains of tbe castles of the 

 Fitzpatricks at Castletown and Borris-in-Ossory, of Lea Castle near 

 Portarlington, and those of a castle of Earl Strongbow, on the rock 

 of Dunamase, a few miles east from Maryborough. 



QUEENSFERRY. [LINUTHOOWSHIRE.] 



QUEENSTOWN, or COVE OF CORK, County Cork, Ireland, n 

 sea- port town, is situated on tbe south side of Great Island, in Cork 

 Harbour, in 51 51' N. lat, 8 18' W. long., distant by road 14 miles 

 E.8.E. from Cork, and 167 miles S.W. by S. from Dublin. The popu- 

 lation in 1851 was 11,428. Previous to the French war Covn was a 

 small village consisting of fishermen's cabins; it then rose into 

 importance by becoming an admiral's station. It was the port of 

 embarkation for troop* going on foreign service, and a place of ren- 

 dezvous for merchant vessels about to sail under convoy. It now 

 depend* on the number of invalid* who resort to it, especially in 

 summer, when it is much frequented as a favourite bathing-place. 

 The name was changed from Cove to Queenstowu on the occasion of 

 her Majesty's visit to Cork in 1850. The town, which occupies a 

 steep acclivity overlooking the harbour, consists of several streets 

 riling one above another in lines parallel to the beach. It contains a 



