| BALLYDONNELL, a parish, in the barony of ARKLOW, county of WICKLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 4? miles (S. E.) from Rathdrum; containing 643 inhabitants. This parish, which is situated on the lower road from Arklow to Wicklow, comprises 2803 statute acres. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, and forms part of the union of Castlemacadam the ecclesiastical duties were separated from that union by act of council in 1830, by which Ballydonnell was included in the newly erected district parish of Redcross, the church of which is situated inthat village. |
| REDCROSS, a parish, in the barony of ARKLOW, county of WICKLOW, and province of LEINSTER, 5 miles (N. E.) from Arklow, on the old road to Wicklow; containing 1528 inhabitants, of which number, 280 are in the village, This parish was formed in 1829, out of the unions of Kilbride, Dunganstown, and Castlemacadam, and constituted a parish of itself. The land is under an improving system of cultivation, and is chiefly arable and pasture, there being but little bog or waste mountain, Near Ballykane is a good slate quarry. The village consists of 48 houses : fairs are held for cattle on May 6th, Aug 5th, and Nov. 1st. Petty sessions are held on alternate Tuesdays ; and here is a constabulary police station, Ballykane, the residence of Mrs. Foot, is agreeably situated in a secluded spot ; East Acton is the residence of the Rev, J. W. Grier ; Kilpatrick, of J. Byrne, Esq, ; Ballyrogan, of E. Byrne, Esq. ; Temple-Lyon, of W. L. Bestall, Esq. ; and Revelscourt, of Mrs. Brass. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Dublin, endowed with a stipend of £75 per annum, payable by the incumbents of the three before-mentioned unions, who are also patrons in rotation, and an augmentation of £30 from Primate Boulter's fund. The church is a small neat edifice, without tower or spire, and was erected in 1829 by subscription, aided by a gift from the late Board of First Fruits ; it is situated in the village on a spot which, with the churchyard, was gratuitously presented by the Earl of Wicklow, who also gave £100 towards its erection. In the R. C. divisions the parish is part of the union or district of Newbridge and Baranisky. The parochial school is aided by a small annual donation from the incumbent ; and a female school is aided by Mrs. Lundy Foot : in these schools are about 100 children, A dispensary was established in 1834, from which there is a branch at Dunganstown, In the demesne of Ballykane is an old rath ; there is also another at Ballyrogan, called Kilpedder. On the townland of Chapple are the remains of an old church with a burial-ground ; adjoining which was an extensive fortification, nearly levelled in 1834. |
