ERRIGAL, or ARRIGLE, a parish, in the barony of COLERAINE, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER; containing, with the post-town of Garvagh. A monastery was founded here by St. Columb in 589, which flourished until the ninth century, when it was plundered and destroyed by the Danes. The parish is bounded on the south by the Agivey water, and comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 19,625 ¼ statute acres, of which 18,113 are applotted under the tithe act and valued at £5163 per ann.; about 7500 acres are arable, 5500 pasture, 100 woodland, and the remainder bog and mountain; the latter affording good pasturage to large herds of cattle. The vale of Glenullen, and all the lands around Garvagh and on the banks of the Agivey water, are fertile, and even many of the more elevated lands produce excellent crops, though agriculture has been but little improved. The mountain range consists principally of the eastern slopes of Ballyness and Donald’s hill, extending to the boundary of the barony, and are exclusively basalt, but everywhere produce sweet herbage. The inhabitants unite with agriculture the weaving of linen cloth.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry , and in the patronage of the Bishop. In the Roman Catholic divisions this parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also parts of Desertog hill (sic) and Balteagh, and containing two chapels, one at Ballerin, and the other in Glenullen. BALTEAGH, or BALLYDAIGH, a parish, in the barony of KENAUGHT, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 2 miles (S. E.) from Newtownlimavady. This parish, which is situated on the Balteagh water and bounded on the west by the river Roe, is intersected by the roads leading respectively from Dungiven and Garvagh to Newtownlimavady, and by the road from Coleraine to Londonderry (City). It
In the front of the Cedy mountain is a large quarry of white limestone, which is there topped by the lofty mountains of basalt extending on the east to Coleraine, on the south east to Garvagh, and on the north west to Magiligan. In the bed of the Balteagh water, freestone, calcareous sand-stone and thin layers of coal are found alternating. In the Roman Catholic divisions this parish forms part of the union or district of Newtownlimavady (Drumachose), and contains a chapel. DRUMACHOSE, a parish, in the barony of KENAUGHT, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, on the river Roe, and on the road from Londonderry city to Coleraine; containing, with the market and post-town of Newtown-limavady. In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, called Newtown-Limavady, comprising the parishes of Drumachose, Balteagh, Tamlaghtfinlagan, and parts of Aghanloo and Bovevagh, and containing three chapels, of which one is at Roe-mills, in this parish.