•  Tomhaggard, County Wexford

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In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Tomhaggard like this:

TOMHAGGARD, a parish, in the barony of BARGY, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER, 8 miles (S.) from Wexford, on the road to Kilmore; containing 723 inhabitants. This parish, which is situated at the north-western extremity of the lake of Tacumshane, comprises 1825 statute acres, as rated for the county cess, and, together with the surrounding neighbourhood, is remarkable for its high state of cultivation, chiefly owing to the example and personal exertions of the late James Harvey, Esq., of Bargy Castle, who for several years distributed premiums at his own expense for improvements in agriculture. ...

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Sea-weed is brought up the lake and generally used for manure; building stone is found in the parish. Bargy Castle, which gives name to the barony, is supposed to have been built either by Harvey de Montemarisco or some other early Anglo-Norman settler; but no part of that ancient fortress is now remaining, except what is incorporated with the present and comparatively modern castellated mansion, flanked with towers, and surmounted with battlements. It is now the seat of Mrs. Harvey, widow of the late J. Harvey, Esq., whose predecessor, B. Bagnal Harvey, Esq., on the evacuation of Wexford by the king's troops, was induced to take the command of the insurgents, which he held but for a short time. After the termination of the disturbances he took refuge in the great Saltee island, but was discovered and brought to Wexford, where he was tried and executed; the estate, however, which was at first forfeited to the Crown, was subsequently restored to the family. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Ferns, episcopally united to the vicarages of Kilturk and Kilmore, and in the patronage of the Bishop: the tithes amount to £203. 2. 6., and the gross tithes of the benefice to £398. 11. 1. The glebes of the union, which are contiguous to the sites of the respective churches, comprise 26 acres. The church is in ruins; that of the union is at Kilturk. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Kilmore, and contains a chapel. In the parochial school and two national schools, one of which is attached to the chapel, about 170 children are educated. Near the chapel is a holy well, dedicated to St. Anne, where, on July 26th, a patron is held; and on the eve of this patron the relatives of deceased persons deck their graves with flowers.

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