Courtown Harbour - Wexford Guide and Directory, 1885

About “Wexford County Guide and Directory,” 1885

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

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The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

  1. This online version of Bassett’s Wexford County Guide and Directory is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
  2. The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
  3. Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

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ONE of the most popular of the drives from Gorey is that which has its terminus at Courtown Harbour. The distance is three miles, and the direction to the south-east. On the way are passed Marlfield, the residence of Viscount Stopford; Mrs. Hamilton, The Cottage, and the Owen-a-varra, or Owenavorragh River. The bridge which carries the road over this affords a charming view of the valley, including in the distance a pretty cottage belonging to Captain Richards, of Ardamine. Taking the road by way of River Chapel, a village also by the sea, to the south of, and almost adjoining, Courtown, a mile or so of round is amply compensated for. First, there is seen to the left a row of neat workmen’s cottages belonging to Lord Courtown. Then, the new Catholic Church of River Chapel, in the Gothic style, and, at the opposite side of a steep hill, the Protestant Church of Ardamine (I.C.) The road which connects the two villages has, on both sides, several handsome villas. It leads to a public avenue, running from Courtown Harbour through Lord Courtown’s demesne. This skirts the sea, and winds frequently. At a point nearly fronting Courtown House there is a tennis court, sheltered on every side by sand hills. The Owenavorragh River, teeming with salmon and trout, flows beside the avenue. Courtown House is a substantial mansion, and, although within sight of the ocean, is surrounded with plantations, in which are some splendid forest trees. Courtown Harbour some years ago promised to become valuable as the seaport of Gorey, but its harbour, although built at a great expense, is little better than a sand-trap. Vessels with cargoes of even modest proportions are obliged to anchor outside and unload into lighters. Fishing-boats, of which there are many, frequently have to make off to more hospitable ports to escape wreck. As a bathing-place, Courtown has few superiors. There is an excellent strand, miles in length. The population of village and district, composed for the most part of fishermen, was 348 in 1881; that of River Chapel district, at the same time, was 264.

Rev. John Furlong, C.

Rev. T. W. Manning, Rector (I.C.), Ardamine

Rev. J. Smyth, Rector, Kiltennel

James Paskins, Postmaster

Rd. Garland, sergt., R.I.C.

Chief Officer Coast-guard Station, Wm. M‘Kegg

Rd. Hicks, Master, Nat. School

Mary Riley, Mistress, Nat. School

Ellen Weatherup, Mistress, Protestant School

Temperance Society—Pres.—Rev. T. W. Manning. Treas.—Rd. Paskins. Sec.—E. Weatherup

Coal—Mary Funge, J. Redmond, Rd. Spencer

Grocers who do not sell spirits—T. Frith, R. Paskins, M. Sheehan, Courtown, E. M‘Donald, Riverchapel

Grocers who sell spirits—M. Funge, J. Redmond, W. Swaine, Courtown; M. O’Connor, P. Kavanagh, T. O’Brien, Thos. Balfe, T. Kavanagh, Riverchapel

FARMERS, LANDOWNERS, &c.

Courtown, Earl of, C’rtown House

Davis, William, Middleton

Dunn, James, Ballydeane

Dunn, George, Ballinatray lower

Bakers—Rd. Paskins, Courtown, T. O’Brien, Riverchapel

Hanstock, John, Tomsilla lower

Fitzsimons, R., Askingarron upr

Hobbs, Alexander, Ballinacur

Hobbs, Charles, Glendoyne

Horan, Nicholas, Ballinacur

Keane, Daniel, Moore

Keane, Joseph, Moore

Keane, Peter, Ballynakill

Keane, John, Ballinageelogue

Keane, John, Askingarron upper

Keogh, Michael, Middleton

Keys, J., Ballynagronn

Leary, W., Askingarron lower

M‘Donald, John, Ballinatray upr

M‘Donald, John, Ballinagran lr

Masterson, W., Glen (Richards)

Maud, George, Doughal

Murphy, John, Bolaney

Murray, Patrick, Ballinagran lr

Murray, James, Ballinagran upper

Nowlan, Patrick, Ballinagran upr

Paskins, James, Ballinatray lower

Richards, A. W. M., Ardamine

Richards, Solomon, Glenrichards

Ruth, Thomas, Ballinagran lower

Stopford, Hon. G. F. W., C’rtown

Strahan, Nicholas, Seamount

Tapley, Henry, Ballinagran

Tomkin, Richard, Glendoyne

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