•  Drumraney, County Westmeath

          Click on the map for other historical maps of this place

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

DRUMRANEY, or DRUM RATH, a parish, in the barony of KILKENNY WEST, county of WESTMEATH, and province of LEINSTER, 2 ¼ miles (W.) from Bally-more, on the road from Athlone to Mullingar; containing 3494 inhabitants. A monastery was founded here in 588, in honour of St. Enan, which was burnt by the Ostmen in 946, and by Brian McCinneide, in 995. ...

---

The parish comprises 7290 statute acres, of which about 405 are bog, 3645 arable, and 3240 pasture; agriculture has much improved within the last few years. Limestone abounds, and lead ore is supposed to exist. The gentlemen's seats are Dorrington House, the residence of R. Jones, Esq.; Walterstown, of St. George Gray, Esq.; and Lissenode, of J. Russell, Esq. In the hamlet of Walterstown is a constabulary police station. The parish is in the diocese of Meath; the rectory and vicarage form part of the union of Ballyloughloe, the incumbent of which presents to the perpetual curacy of Drumraney. The tithes amount to £290.15. 4 ½., payable to the incumbent of the union : the income of the perpetual curate is £100 per annum, of which £60 is paid by the incumbent, and £40 out of Primate Boulter's augmentation fund. Two townlands, called High and Low Baskin, pay tithes to the parish of Castlelost; they are impropriate in Lord Kilmaine, and extend over about 500 acres. The glebe-house was erected in 1814, by aid of a gift of £450, and a loan of £50 from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe comprises 32 acres. The church, a neat building in good repair, was built in 1811, by aid of a gift of £500 from the same Board. In the R. C. divisions this parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church : there is a chapel at Drumraney. About 100 children are taught in the three public schools of the parish, of which one was built by H. K. Digby, Esq.; and there are three private schools, in which are about 120 children. There are several raths; also remains of old forts and towers at High Baskin, Donomona, and near Dorrington; and at Killininny, Ballycloughdough, Ardnagard, and Walterstown, are remains of castles, formerly belonging to the Dillons, whose burial-place was anciently at Drumraney. Here is a holy well, dedicated to St. Enan; his festival is celebrated on the Sunday after Sept. 18th.

---

Not where you were looking for?

Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Ireland through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Drumraney".