KILMEEN

KILMEEN, a parish, partly in the barony of IBANE and BARRYROE, but chiefly in the Western Division of the barony of EAST CARBERY, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 5 miles (N. W.) from Clonakilty, on the road to Dunmanway; containing 3980 inhabitants. It comprises 8343 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £4871 per ann., of which 5324 are arable, 1408 pasture, 864 bog, 80 woodland, and the remainder rough pasture and waste land. The surface is uneven and the soil light but productive; about half of the land has been brought into tillage under the old system since new roads were opened in 1820. At Oak Mount and Lisnabrinny are extensive remains of ancient woods; and there are large plantations round the glebe-house, the residence of the Rev. E. H. Kenney. There is a constabulary police station at Ballygurteen, where cattle fairs are held on June 24th, July 25th, Nov. 1st, and Dec. 21st.

The principal seats are Bennett's Grove, the residence of Herbert Gillman, Esq.; Oak Mount, of J. Gillman, Esq.; and Lisnabrinny, of the Rev. Godfrey C. Smith.

The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Ross, and in the patronage of the Bishop; the tithes amount to £750. The glebe-house was erected by the last incumbent, with the aid of a gift of £100 from the late Board of First Fruits, in 1791; the glebe comprises 26a. 3r. 9p. The church is a very neat edifice with a square tower, for the erection of which the same Board granted a loan of £460, in 1810.

In the R. C. divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising Kilmeen and Castleventry, and part of Kilkerranmore, in the two first of which are chapels; that of Kilmeen, which is at Rossmore, is a large plain edifice. The parochial school is under the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity, and is aided by the rector: the master's house is a good building, and the school is endowed with two acres of land by Mr. Cox. In this and another public school about 70 children are educated, and about 110 are taught in two private schools; there are also a Sunday school and an infants' school on the glebe. To the west of the church is the strong castle of Ballinward, which was built by Randal Oge Harley; it was garrisoned by the English in 1641, subsequently dismantled by order of Cromwell, and granted with the adjoining lands to the Archbishop of Dublin by Charles II. Here are several ancient raths, one of which, near Lisnabrinny, has a very curious entrance.