KILNAMANNAGH

KILNAMANNAGH, or KILMANNAGH, a parish, in the barony of BERE, county of CORK, and province of MUNSTER, 4 miles (S. W.) from Castletown; containing 5612 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the south-western coast, forming a peninsula between the bays of Bantry and Ballydonagan, and comprises 8895 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act, and valued at £3316 per annum. Of these, 3126 are arable, and 5769 bog and mountain. The land is tolerably fertile, and is chiefly cultivated by the spade, and manured with sea-weed and sand. The mountains consist of slate, of which there are excellent quarries at Lickbarren, but imperfectly worked. Asbestos is found at Kenlogh, and near Blackhall; lead and copper ore are frequently discovered in small masses, and iron ore is abundant. At the south-western extremity of the parish is Crow head, in lat. 51° 34' 20" and lon. 10° 11' 40."

Here is also Blackhall Head, on which is a signal station, and between it and Sheep Head is the entrance to Bantry bay. Dursey island is separated from the western coast by a deep and dangerous channel, about 50 yards wide, through which the tide runs with great rapidity. There is a coast-guard station at Garinish Point, one of the three in the Castletown district. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ross, forming part of the union of Kilaconenagh; the rectory is partly impropriate in Lord Riversdale, and partly appropriate to the vicarage.

The tithes amount to £278. 12. 3 ½., of which £130 is payable to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar.

In the R. C. divisions it is in the diocese of Kerry, and is the head of a union or district, called Castletown, comprising this parish and Kilaconenagh; there is a chapel at Cahirmore. There are five private schools, in which about 380 children are educated. The old church is a picturesque ruin.