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Description of Shrule in 1837
Shrule parish includes the townland of Mochara, where Maggie Langan and her brother,
Martin, were born. Their grandmother, Penelope Byrne, was listed in Mochara
in the 1856 Griffith. There were also Langans in Houndswood, Kinlough, Ramolin,
and the Town of Shrule. However, I don't know if they were related to Matthias
Langan. The following descriptions of Shrule is from "A Topographic Dictionary of Ireland"
by Samuel Lewis, written in 1837
"Shrule, or Shruel, a parish, in the barony of Kilmaine,
count of Mayo, and province of Connaught, 3 _ miles (N) from Headford, on the
road from Galway to Westport; containing 4167 inhabitants, of which number, 507
are in the village. This parish is situated on the river Blackwater, which running
through the village separates the counties of Mayo and Galway: comprises 8959
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. The land is of good quality, and
chiefly under tillage; the system of agriculture is much improved and the wheat
produced here is considered to be the best in the country: the waste land is bog,
which might be easily reclaimed and converted into good pasture. Limestone of
excellent quality is found in abundance and quarried for agricultural purposes
and for building. The principal seats are Dalgan Park, the residence of P. Kirwan, Esq.,
a spacious mansion of hewn limestone, in the Grecian style, with a noble hall
supported on lofty Corinthian columns and lighted by a finely proportioned dome;
Riverview, of M.J. Hunt, Esq.; and Glen Corrib, of A Brown, Esq.; Shruel, of R. Golden
Esq.; Ballycurrin Castle, of P. Lynch, Esq.; and Houndswood of M. D'Arcy, Esq.
The village contains 16(?) houses, many of which are neatly built, and the (?) of the
climate is such as to render it a desirable residence for invalids. To the rear of
Riverview is a hamlet called Gurtloygraph, in which are many instances of longevity.
An extensive brewery is carried on, and there are large corn-mills, the property of R.
Golden Esq. A market for corn is held here every Thursday, which is abundantly supplied;
and there are fairs on Easter-Monday, July 26th and Nov. 11th. A constabulary police
force is stationed in the village, and petty sessions are held on alternate Thursdays.
The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Tuam, and the patronage of the
Archbishop; the rectory forms part of the union or wardenship of Galway. The
tithes amount to L264.2.8, of which L183.17.5 is payable to the Warden of
Galway, and the remainder to the vicar. In the R.C. divisions the parish
is in the diocese of Galway and is co-extensive with that of the Established
Church: the chapel is a neat edifice in the ancient English style, with a square
tower, towards the erection of which L1300 was contributed by Mr. Kirwan , of Dalgan
Park, who also gave the ground: it has a handsome marble altar-piece,
presented by T. Martin, Esq. About five miles from Shrule is a
Franciscan convent, endowed by the Lynch family with 30 acres of land, to which
is attached a chapel. There are three private schools, in which are about
100 children. Some interesting remains of the old castle and of the ancient
abbey of Shrule are still in existence. In the demesne of Ballycurrin are the
remains of the castle of that name, in good preservation; the floors are still
perfect, and it might easily be rendered habitable; from the summit are extensive
views of Lough Corrib, Connemare and the surrounding country.
The following are definitions of some of the terms that might be unfamiliar.
All of the terms connected with the church refer to the Church of Ireland (Protestant).
- The rectory, as used above, was the material benefit derived from the payment of the tithe, which was basically a tax, paid to the (Anglican) Archbishop.
- The vicarage, as used above, was the salary paid to the (Anglican) priest in charge of the parish, presumably paid by the (Anglican) Archbishop from the tithes he received.
- In the 1840's the British pound was worth about $4.86 in US currency
Samuel Lewis was an "Anglican", and a member of the "gentry".
These descriptions were written before the Great Famine of 1845-8 and therefore
describe Shrule before the potato crop rotted and about two million four hundred
thousand people in Ireland either died from hunger and disease or emigrated from Ireland.
The Guardian, known also as The Manchester Guardian, November 5th, 1859.
BIGAMY. — At the Liverpool Police Court, yesterday, a respectable-looking
woman, named Bridget Mooney,
was committed for trial on a charge of bigamy. It was proved that about 19 years ago the
prisoner married a man
named Patrick Lanagan, who is yet alive, at a place called Shrull in Galway, and that in 1855
she married her second husband, Mr. Mooney, an outfitter, residing in Kent Square, Liverpool."
Shared by John Doherty January 2008
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