﻿841 



MONAGHAN. 



MONAGHAN. 



842 



of the county south of these heights, eloping on the west towards 

 Lough Erne, and on the east towards the Irish Sea, is divided by 

 several eminences, of which the principal is Crieve Hill, S86 feet in 

 height. Patches of bog occur in all parts of the coauty. 



There are no navigable rivers in the county. The Blackwater has 

 about 10 or 12 miles of its course along the north-eastern boundary, 

 where it receives several streams from the Slieve Beagh Mouotains. 

 The Fane rises not far from Castle Blayuey, and 8ows south-east, 

 partly upon and partly witliin the border, for about 12 miles, before 

 it enters the county of Loutb, through which it flows into the Irish 

 Sea. The Glyde rises in the Fouth part of the county, and has a 

 course parallel to the Fane ; the L:igin, a feeder of the Olyde, and a 

 much more considerable stream, has about 13 miles of its course along 

 the southern boundary. The Finn is the most important of the 

 streams which flow into the Erne ; it rises in the Slieve Beagh Moun- 

 tains, and has about 20 miles of its course within the county. The 

 Ulster Canal, which unites Lough Neagh with Lough Erne, crosses 

 the county in a south-west direction near Monagbau and Clones. Its 

 length within the cotmty is about 20 mil-s. 



The loughs are numerous, but all of thrm are small. Muckno or 

 Barrac Lough, near Castle Blayney, is the largest. It is of very irre- 

 gular form, about 3 miles long, and in some parts about a mile wide : 

 it contaius a cumber of small islands. The river Fane runs through 

 it. Lough Inner, on the south-west border near Rookcorry, is about 

 3 miles long, ezcet-drngly narrow, and of very irregul.ir form. Lough 

 Emy, near Emyvale, and Gla< Lough, near the town of Gltslough, in 

 the northern p^irt of the county ; Lough Leesborough, between liock- 

 corry and Mewbliss, and Lough Long, near the village of Drum, in 

 the western parts ; the White tiough and Corfin Lough, near Billyb ly, 

 in the central y^arts ; Lough Egish, or Eglisli, Lough Avaghon. and 

 Lough Bawn, near Ballytraio, in the southern part ; Louu'h Ballyhoe 

 (through which the Lagan runs), on the southern border of the county, 

 and Lough Ross, on the eastern border, are next in size to Muckno 

 and Inner. 



There are numerous good roads in the county. The principal line 

 is thai from Dublin to Londonderry, Carrickmacroa*, Castleblayni^y, 

 an<l Monaghan. A branch ro id runs from Carrickmacross to Moaa/han 

 by Ballybay. Other road-i lead from Carrickmacroaa to Dundalk, from 

 Castleblayuey to Newry and to Armagh, from Honaghan to Armagh, 

 and from Monnghan by Clones to Cavan. A poad from Dublin by 

 Cootehill (Cavan) passes through Clones, and joins the Londonderry 

 mail-road nt Omagh in Tyrone. 



Geology, Mtnei-alogy, etc. — The carboniferous limestone of the great 

 central field of Ireliuid occupies that part of the county which lies 

 north-west of a line drawn through Monaghan and Clones. The 

 hlieve-Beagh Mountains are composed of the rocks belonging to the 

 calp series of this formation. The rest of the county, with the 

 exception of a small tract on the southrm bonier, belongs to the 

 transition formation, which occu[>ies an extensive district in the east 

 of UUter and north of Leinster. The rocks consist of grauwacke 

 slate, fissile clay-slate, flint-slate, and chlorite slate, with hornblende 

 slate, schistose porphyry, and other metamorphic rocks. On the 

 southern horder is a small coal-fielil, not wrought, resting on a tract 

 of carboniferous limestone, and flanked on the west by a patch of 

 new red-sandstone, which contains a valuable deposit of gypsum. 

 Escars, or low steep ridges of alluvial matter, usually composed of 

 clay and limestone gravel, are found in several parts of the county. 

 Those near Tyhallon, not far from Monaghan, are composed entirely 

 of jasper, quartz, agates, and argillaceous sand. Limestone of great 

 variety and excellent quality is quarried ; also fine marble, and valuable 

 fireestone for building. A fiue white sandstone, dug in the Slieve- 

 Beagh Mountains, is extensively used for architectural purposes. 

 Ironstone is found, but of inferior quality, and several quarries of 

 slates or flagstones are worked. Lead-ore has been found to a small 

 extent. Some potters'-clay is found, and brick earth in nearly all 

 parte of the county. 



Climate, SoU, and Produce. — North-west winds prevail during the 

 greater part of the year. These bring frequent rains from the 

 Atlantic up the valley of the Erne, rendering the climate exceedingly 

 moi't. The evil however is to a great extent counteracted by the 

 ventilation and drainage of numerous valleys. The soil of the 

 coinity varies much, but is mostly a strong deep loam resting on a 

 firm sabsoil of clay, mixed with lime, gravel, or sand. In the elevated 

 parts the soil is moory or peaty. The lowlands are generally wet and 

 moory, especially in the north-west, near the Slieve-lk'ai,'h Mountains. 

 The western side of the coimty has a soil naturally wet, but capable 

 of great improvement. The southern extremity consists of rich and 

 productive land. The most fertile part of the county is the central, 

 including the baronies of Monaghan, Cremome, and Dartreo. The 

 barony of Monaghan is altogether a tillage district, except some 'rough 

 grazing ' in the mountains, on which some young cuttle are kept : 

 there is no grazing-land in the district capable of fattening ciittle. 

 The occupations are almost wholly agricultural Spade hustMndry is 

 much practised. Flax, from its improved culture, is increasing greatly 

 in quantity and value. The culture of wheat and of green crops is 

 extending. The manufacture of linen is reviving. 



In 1853 there were 152,404 acres under crop ; of which 2519 acres 

 grow wheat; 73,537 acreioats; iMi acres barley, bore, rye, pea'?, and 



beans; 23,926 acres potatoes ; 8305 acres turnips; 2664 acres maugold- 

 wurzel, carrots, vrtohes, and other green crops; 17,392 acres flax; 

 and 1-1,099 acres were in meadow and clover. la ISll the plautationa 

 covered 8007 acres, yielding oak, ash, elm, beech, lir, uiixed timber, 

 and fruit. In 18.i2, on 19,338 holdings, there woie 10,258 horses, 

 5110 mules and asses, 64,621 cattle, 9S30 sheep, 13,716 pigs, 10,072 

 goats, and 263,099 heid of poultry. The estimated value of the live 

 stock here enumerated was 553,9 J8i, 



Divisions and Towm. — The county is in the diocese of Clogher in 

 the united sees of Arma;,'h and Clogher. It is divided iato fivo 

 baronies — CreTnorne, central aud east ; Dartreo, central aud west ; 

 Faruey, south; Jlonaghan, central; and Trough, north. The prin- 

 cipal towns are Monaguas, Clo.ves, Castleblatxey, aud Carrick- 

 macross, which are noticed under their respective titles. The following 

 are soma of the other towns and more importaut villages, with the 

 po)>ulation of each iu 1851 : — 



Ballybay, or Ballibay, population 1617, a well-built town, 9 miles 

 S. from Monaghan and 86 miles N.X. W. from Dublin, contaius a neat 

 parish church, a Roman Catholic chapel, two Presbyterian meeting- 

 houses, several endowed schools, a public library, a market-house, aud 

 district dispensary. The linen manufacture is carried on ; ia the 

 neighbourhood are extensive bleach-lields. Petty sessions are held here. 

 Fairs for cattle, horses, aud piga are hell on tho third Saturday of 

 every month. There is a weekly market o:i SiturJay. Emyvale, a small 

 post-town situated on the left bank of an atllnent of the Blackwater, 



8 miles N. from Monaj^han, is a neat clean place consisting chiefly of 

 one street The general employment is weaving. There is a large 

 flour-mill on the stream, as also a mill for working iron, principally iu 

 the manutacture of spades aud shovels. A eattle lair is held monthly, 

 Glatlough, a neat aud thriving market-town, 6 miles N.E by N. from 

 Monaghan, on the mari;in of a benutil'id lake called Ulas Lough, or Green 

 Lake, The town contaius the pari.-h church of Donagh, aud a district 

 dispensary. Flax-spiuniiig and weaving are c irried on. Gray marble is 

 quarried in the neighbourhood. There is a market every Friday for 

 corn and flax. Fairs are held on the third Friday of every month 

 except February, ^ewbliu, population 431, a small market-town 9 miles 

 S.W. from Monaghau aud 714 miles N,\V. from Dublin by road, 

 consists of a single street of good width, containing houses of 

 respectable appearance. The church is a haudsome building recently 

 erected. There are a Presbyterian meeting-house, a neat market- 

 house, a dispensary, and a school of the Loudon Hibernian Society. 

 Petty sessions are held monthly. There is a well-attended market on 

 Saturday, chiefly for piga aud ilax. Fairs are held on the last Saturday 

 of every month. Rockcurry, population 316, a small market-town 



9 milee S. by W. from Mouaghan, contains a Presbyterian and a 

 MeiLodist meetiug-house, a neat market-house, aud a dispensary. 

 Petty sessions are held monthly. Fairs are held on the last Wednesday 

 of every month. The town btdungs to Baron Cremome, by whom 

 the neighbourhood has been much improved. Scotshouse, in the 

 barony of Dartree, 14 mil'sS.W. from Monaghan, contains a parish 

 church and a Roman Catholic chapel. In the neighbourhood are the 

 remains of an ancieut embankment called Worm Ditch, which has 

 been traced several miles from this point. 



The county of Monaghan returns two members to the Imperial 

 Parliament. The assizes are held in Monaghan, and quarter-sessions 

 there, and at Carrickmacross, Castleblayuey, and Clones. Petty 

 sessions are held iu eight places, The county court-house and jail 

 are in Monaghan, and there are bridewells at Carrickmacross, Castle- 

 blayuey, and Clones. The county iufirmary is in Monaghan. There 

 are fever hospitals at Carrickmacross, Clones, Monaghan, Rockcorry, 

 and Trough ; and dispensaries in fourteen places. A savings bank is 

 ectablished in Monaghan ; the amount owing to depositors on Novem- 

 ber 20th, 1853, was 18,128f. 13«. llrf. The constabulary force con- 

 sisting of 203 men aud officers, has its head-quarters at Monaghan. 

 The county is divided into 4 police districts comprising 24 stations. 

 In September 1852 there were 141 National schools in operation, 

 attended by 7014 male, and 5862 female children. 



Jliatory and Antiquities. — In the invasion of Ireland by tho Anglo- 

 Normans, Henry II., having bestowed all Ulster on John de Courcey, 

 that chieftain overran various parts of the province in 1177, and 

 built castles to secure his conquests. Among others he built two in the 

 district of Famey in this county, aud gave them iu charge to Mac- 

 Mahon, an Irish chieftain, who had gained his coutidence. MacMahon 

 subsequently demolished the castles, and set himself in 0|>position to 

 De Courcey. Iu the reign of Uunry V. the MacMahons seem to have 

 risen in arm=p, for they are noticed amoug the septs whom Talbot, 

 lord Fumival, the lord-lieutenant, brought into the king's peac •. In 

 the reigu of Elizabeth, Monaghan was constituted a shire by the Irish 

 Parliament which assembled at Dublin in 1563. Tho country how- 

 ever still remained in an unsettled state in consequence of the turbu- 

 lent xpirit of the MacMahons. In the troubhs excited by the Earl 

 of Tyrone, the county was the scene of hostilities, and some of the 

 MacMahons api>ear to have joined tho earl. In tho rebellion of 1641 

 Mon.ighan came early into tho power of the insurgents, but in tho 

 course of the subsequent struggle, no events of particular interest 

 occurreil in it. In the war of the Revolution a sharp conflict took 

 place at Glaslough, in which the Protestants were victorious. 



There are no feudal remains of impoi-tauce in the county. The 



