Sligo to Boyle

Sligo to Boyle

BOYLE, a corporate market, and post town, and a parish, in the barony of BOYLE, county of ROSCOMMON, and province of CONNAUGHT, 19¼ miles (S.S.E.) from Sligo, and 84½ miles (W.N.W.) from Dublin. This place has its origin in the foundation of a religious establishment, in 1148, at Grelacdinach, which, after several removals, was finally settled here in 1161, by Maurice O’Dubhay, the third in succession to Peter Mordha, its first abbot, who was promoted to the see of Clonfert, and was drowned at Shannon in 1171.

Boyle Abbey in County Roscommon is a Cistercian monastery established in 1229. The Cistercians were a stern order. The choir monks were required to pray 6 times per day, had a rule of silence and only ate two meals per day in the harvest in season and just one otherwise.

The carved columns pictured below are unusual for a Cistercian monastery as the order normally disdained ornamentation as a distraction from their mission. The abbey which was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was founded for brethren of the Cistercian order of St. Bernard, and as a dependency on the great abbey of Mellifont, in the county of Louth. In 1197, Cornelius Mac Dermot, King of Moylurg (which included the greater part, if not the whole, of the barony of Boyle), died here in the habit of the order, and was interred within the precincts of the abbey.

The English forces, commanded by the lords-justices Maurice Fitzgerald and Mac William, in 1235, encamped within the walls of the monastery, seized upon everything belonging to it, and stripped the monks of their habits, to punish them, for their endeavours to assist the King of Connaught. It was pillaged by Rory O’More, in 1315, but continued to flourish till the dissolution, and in 1569 was given by Queen Elizabeth to Patrick Cusacke, of Gerrardstown, in the county of Meath, by whom, or a lay proprietor who afterwards succeeded him, it was forfeited. In 1589 it was granted to William Usher, on a lease of 21 years, at a rent of £14 16s. 4d., per annum: and in 1595 it was besieged by the Earl of Tyrone with an army of 2300 Scottish Highlanders and Irish. In the 2nd, 4th, and 9th, years of reign of James I., inquisitions were made to ascertain its possessions: and in 1603, it was given to Sir John King, ancestor of the present Earl of Kingston and Viscount Lorton, which grant was, about 15 years afterwards, confirmed by another, which conferred also the privileges of holding courts leet and baron.

The town which is the largest in the northern part of the county, and one of the principal within its limits, is situated on the river Boyle, which flows from Lough Gara into Lough Key, and on the mail coach road to Sligo. It is divided into two parts by the river, towards which the ground slopes precipitously on both sides: the older part extends up the acclivity on the north side, and the more modern portion stretches in a direction parallel with the north-west bank of the river, above the bridge, ascending the hill and forming a crescent on its summit. The old bridge, an inconvenient structure, which connected these parts of the town and on which was a statue of William III., has been taken down and replaced by a handsome structure of three arches, 100 feet long and 42 feet wide: the span of the principal arch is 30 feet, and the lightness and beauty of the design add greatly to the appearance of the town; it was erected at an expense of £500, one half of which was paid by the county and the other by Lord Lorton. Another bridge of a single arch, 50 feet in span, was thrown across the river in 1817: and below it there is a third, of five small arches.

The town is the commercial centre of the extensive agricultural district which surrounds it, and carries on a considerable trade with Sligo and Drumsna. A market and fairs were granted to John Bingley and John King in 1604, prior to which date scarcely any notice occurs of the town. The staple articles are corn and butter: of the former very little is sold in the town, the greater part or nearly the whole being sent to Sligo; the butter market is on Monday, when great quantities are sold in firkins for exportation; yarn is also sold in great quantities to the purchasers who attend from the north for that purpose on the principal market day, which is Saturday; the sale of frieze and flannel has of late very much diminished.

The borough was incorporated by charter of the 11th of Jas. I (1613), and a new charter was granted in the 4th of Jas. II, but it was never acted on, the former is the governing charter. The corporation is styled “the Borough Master, Free Burgesses and Commonality of the Borough of Boyle,” and consists of a borough-master, twelve other free burgesses, and an indefinite number of commonality: of which the last named body is not now recognised in practise. The borough master is chosen annually from and by the free burgesses, but his duties are very limited, and he exercises little practical power: the free burgesses are also chosen, as vacancies occur, by the members of their own body, and hold office for life, but are removable for misconduct: and the charter empowers the corporation to appoint two serjeants-at-mace, but at present there is only a town serjeant.

The parish which is also called Assylin, comprises 10,139 statute acres as applotted under the tithe act. The lands are chiefly under tillage, and the system of agriculture is improved; there is little woodland, except on the demesnes of the resident gentry; about 1010 acres are bog and waste land. Limestone and freestone are found in abundance, and there are also some quarries of a species of marble; it is said that coal exists on the Curlew mountains, and that there were formerly iron-works on the river.

The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Elphin, to which the vicarages of Taunagh, Kilmacallane, Drumcollum, Kilross, Aughanagh, Ballynakill and Ballysumaghan, were episcopally united in 1802, which eight parishes constitute the union of Boyle, in the patronage of the Bishop; the rectory is impropriate in Viscount Lorton. The ivy-clad remains of the ancient abbey are situated near the river, and not far distant from the new bridge. They consist of vestiges of the conventual building dispersed on the grounds of Capt. Robertson’s seat, and of the principal part of the church, of which the nave, choir, and transepts, with the lofty and massive central tower, are in good preservation; the nave 131 feet long and 25 feet wide, is separated from the aisles by a noble range of massive circular arches supported partly by circular and clustered columns , with richly ornamented bases and capitals of various designs, between which are enriched corbels, from which sprang the arches of the groined roof; the wall of the south aisle is wanting, and the pillars stand exposed; some of the clerestory windows are partly remaining; though concealed by the thick ivy that crowns the irregular summit of the range; the central tower is supported on four massive columns, 48 feet high, of which the bases, formerly concealed by accumulated earth have been cleared by Capt. Robertson, and are beautifully ornamented with various sculptured designs; of the arches, there are three circular and the fourth pointed; the east window of the choir is of the triple lancet form; and the prevailing style of this once magnificent church is of the later Norman passing into the early English: within the walls is the tomb of the KING family.

To the north of the town is the low ridge of the Curlew mountains over which are scattered numerous white cottages; and on which Sir Conyers Clifford, governor of Connaught in the reign of Elizabeth was intercepted by O’Rourke, one of the petty chieftains of the district, his detachment routed and he himself, slain. At Ardcarne, three miles to the east of the town, commence the plains of Boyle, extending ten miles in length and four in breadth, consisting of elevated limestone, with an undulating surface of rich pasture lands noted for fattening oxen and sheep. About a mile from the town up the north bank of the river, on a knoll terminating abruptly are the remains of the old church of Assylin or Isselyn, which, from the extent of the ruined walls appears to have been a very spacious building; around it is a large cemetery, which is still used as a place of sepulture by the inhabitants of the town. Below this post the river rushes over the rocks with great impetuosity. At a small distance was a ford, formerly called Athdalaragh and now Ardagh, where was anciently an abbey of Canons Regular, which became the seate of a Bishoprick, over which St. Comgallan presided in the time of St. Patrick; the abbey existed till 1201. On the right side of the road to Lough Gara is one of the largest Cromlechs in Ireland; the table stone, which has a considerable inclination, is 15 feet long and 11 feet wide, and was formerly supported on five upright pillars, of which one has been removed.

ELPHIN, a market and post-town, the seate of a bishoprick, and a parish, in the barony and county of ROSCOMMON, and province of CONNAUGHT, 8½ miles (S. by E.) from Boyle, and 80 ½ (W. N. W.) from Dublin, on the road from Roscommon to Boyle. This city appears to have arisen as a dependency on the religious establishment that was founded by St. Patrick in the fifth century : it was burned in 1177 and destroyed by the English in 1187. Its name appears to be derived from Ail Fin, "the white stone or road,"; though connected by vulgar tradition with the giant Fin MACCOUL. About the yeare 1450, Bishop Cornelius converted the conventual church of St. Patrick into a Franciscan monastery, to which the canons and inhabitants of Elphin were likewise benefactors. Bishop King who presided over the see from 1611 to 1638, erected a castle for himself and his successors, and attached to it lands which he had purchased. This castle, in 1645, was delivered into the hands of the Lord-president of Connaught by Bishop Wilson, who retired to England : his son was then governor of Elphin and had just declared for the parliament.

A cromlech which stood at ELPHIN has been thrown down, and a patron that was held at Tubbermurry is almost discontinued. Here are Rath Croghan and Rilickna Riagh, places remarkable for their caves and ancient burial-grounds, as well as for some rude remains connected by tradition with the history of the kings of Connaught, who are said to have been crowned at the former and buried at the latter place.

	Boyle Abbey in County Roscommon is a Cistercian monastery established in 1229. The Cistercians were a stern order. The choir monks were required to pray 6 times per day, had a rule of silence and only ate two meals per day in the harvest in season and just one otherwise.
	The carved columns pictured below are unusual for a Cistercian monastery as the order normally disdained ornamentation as a distraction from their mission. The abbey which was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, was founded for brethren of the Cistercian order of St. Bernard, and as a dependency on the great abbey of Mellifont, in the county of Louth. In 1197, Cornelius Mac Dermot, King of Moylurg (which included the greater part, if not the whole, of the barony of Boyle), died here in the habit of the order, and was interred within the precincts of the abbey.