CLONTEAD, or CLOUNTADE, a parish

CLONTEAD, or CLOUNTADE, a parish, in the barony of KINSALE, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 2 miles (N. W.) from Kinsale, on the mail coach road to Cork; containing 1337 inhabitants. Knock-Robbin, in this parish, was the scene of a repulse of part of the Spanish army in 1601; and during the war of 1641, the royal forces were frequently encamped here. The parish extends from the western termination of Oyster haven, in a southerly direction, till it meets the River Bandon at White Castle cove: it is intersected by the little river Belgooley, and bounded on the south by the Bandon river. It contains 1727 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £946 per ann.; and was anciently part of the possessions of Tracton abbey. The land is generally good and in an excellent state of cultivation, being chiefly under tillage, and producing abundant crops of wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes: the manure used is principally sea sand, which is brought in barges from the bay of Kinsale to the village of Brownsmills. There are some good dairy farms.

At Mullanadee is a flour-mill, called the Kinsale mill, which produces 8000 barrels of flour annually. The gentlemen's seats are Palacetown, the residence of S. P.Townsend, Esq., and Knock-Robbin, of Captain E. Bolton. It is an impropriate curacy, in the diocese of Cork, and is part of the union of Tracton; the rectory is entirely impropriate in the Earl of Shannon. The tithes amount to £73. 17. In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, comprising also the parishes of Ballyfeard and Kilmonogue; the chapel is a large plain edifice, built on an eminence. A school is supported by Mr. Townsend; and there is a small pay school. Near the new road are the ruins of the church; and about two miles from Kinsale are the remains of an old circular fort defended by a rampart and fosse, called Liscrally, which gives name to the surrounding lands: it contains subterraneous passages, which extend all round the mound.

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