•  Killabban, County Laoighis

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

KILLEBAN, or KILLABIN, a parish, partly in the barony of BALI.YADAMS, but chiefly in that of SLIEUMARGUE, QUEEN'S county and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (S. by W.) from Athy, on the road from that place to Kilkenny; containing 9776 inhabitants. It includes the villages of Aries, Ballylinan, and Ballickmoyler, which are separately described, and comprises 24,749 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act. ...

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The land is generally fertile, and chiefly in pasture, with some bog and mountain; the system of agriculture is improving. Limestone, flag-stone, and sandstone are quarried, and at Newtown are extensive collieries: there are also collieries at Modubah, Tellerton, Corgeo, and Hunt's Park. Fairs are held at Mayo on June 29th and Oct. 18th; and a manorial court is held at Newtown. The principal seats are Cooper Hill, the residence of W. Cope Cooper, Esq.; Ashfield Hall, of P. Gale, Esq.; Rahin, of Lieut.-Col. Weldon; Tollerton, of Hovendon Stapleton, Esq.; Killeen, of M. Dillon Thomas, Esq.; Maidenhead, of the Bambrick family; Ardeateagle, of W. Fitzmaurice, Esq.; and Hollymount, of W. Fishbourne, Esq. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Leighlin, and in the gift of the Crown. The tithes amount to £1292. 6. 1 ½. Here are two churches, one at Castletown and the other at Mayo, for the erection of one of which the late Board of First Fruits, in 1813, gave £800; and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £108 for the repairs of that at Castletown, and £172 for that at Mayo. There is neither glebe-house nor glebe. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms the head of two unions or districts, one called Ballylinan and Arles, which has chapels at those places and at Killean; the other called Mayo and Doonane, which is united with the parish of Rathaspick, and has chapels at Mayo and Doonane. About 400 children are educated in four public schools, to three of which the rector subscribes, and 640 in 16 private schools; there are also six Sunday schools. St. Abban founded a monastery here in 650, in which he is said to have been interred: there are some remains of its church. There are also remains of the old church of Aries, and of the ancient castle of Hovendon, over the entrance to which are quartered the arms of the Leinster and Ormonde families. Near Castletown church is a well, which supplies water enough to turn a mill in its immediate vicinity.

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