The DIOCESE of ARMAGH comprehends the greater part of that county, and parts of those of Meath, Louth, Tyrone, and Londonderry. It was anciently divided into two parts, the English and the Irish, now known as the Upper and Lower parts; the English or Upper part embraces that portion which extends into the counties of Louth and Meath, and is subdivided into the rural deaneries of Drogheda, Atherdee or Ardee, and Dundalk; and the Irish or Lower part comprehends the remaining portion of the diocese in the counties of Armagh, Tyrone, and Londonderry, and is subdivided into the rural deaneries of Creggan, Aghaloe, Duugannon, and Tullahog. In all ancient synods and visitations the clergy of the English and Irish parts were congregated separately, which practice is still observed, the clergy of the Upper part assembling for visitation at Drogheda, and those of the Lower at Armagh. The see of Clogher, on the first avoidance by death or translation, will, under the Church Temporalities' Act, become united to that of Armagh, and its temporalities will be vested in the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for Ireland.
MAGHERA, a market and post-town, and a parish, in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 16 miles (S.) from Coleraine, and 102(N.) from Dublin, on the mail coach road to Coleraine. This place is evidently of great antiquity, and though there is no precise account of the original foundation of an abbey for Canons Regular, said to have been established here at a very early period, yet it is certain that the ancient see of Ardstra or Ardsrath was removed, in 597, to this town, which continued to be the seate of the diocese till 1158, when it was united to the see of Derry, and the cathedral church established in that city.
Books of Survey and Distribution 1636-1703: Corcomroe Barony - Kilmanaheen Parish - Book of Forfeitures and Distributions—continued -Barony of Corcomroe: Kilmanaheen Parish
Townlands Ardnacullia Patrick O'Connor Lord Ikerrin Ballingaddy Donogh O'Brien Same Calluragh Earl of Thomond Earl of Thomond Carrowgar Same Same Clooncoul Donogh O'Brien Lord Ikerrin Cloonybreen Earl of Thomond Earl of Thomond Crag Same Same Comallor Donogh O'Brien Lord Ikerrin Ennistymon Earl of Thomond Earl of Thomond Fahanlunaghtabeg Michl., son of Teige MacGillapatrick Henry Ivers Fahanlunaghtamore Donogh, son of Loghlen MacGillapatrick Henry Ivers Kilcornan Andrew Lysaght; Earl of Thomond Cornelius Lysaght Lehinich Daniel O'Brien Lord Ikerrin; Donogh O'Brien Lissatunna Earl of Thomond Earl of Thomond Maghera Same Same Tullygarvan Same Same Tredeen Same Same
The town appears to have declined rapidly in importance after that period, and few events of historical interest occur, except occasional depredations during the insurrections of the O'Nials, to whom the surrounding territory belonged, and in the war of 1641, during which it was burned by the insurgents under Macdonnell. In 1688, the town, which had scarcely recovered from its former devastation, was assaulted by the Irish adherents of Jas. II., and the inhabitants were compelled to abandon their houses and seek refuge in the city of Derry. During the disturbances of 1798 it enjoyed comparative tranquillity, and has since been gradually increasing in extent and importance.
The greater portion is good arable and pasture land; there is also some of inferior quality and a very large tract of waste land and bog. The mountain district of the parish is very extensive and abounds with grouse and every other kind of game. The system of agriculture is improved, and the highlands afford excellent pasturage for cattle. The vale of the Moyola and the vicinity of the town are extremely productive; and in the bogs are several fertile spots, called by the country people “islands'' which are in a good state of cultivation.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry, and in the patronage of the Bishop. The parish of Killelagh was once united to this parish. In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising also the parish of Killelagh and part of that of Termoneeny; the chapel at Lamny is a plain modern edifice, and there is also a chapel at Fallagloon, a handsome building with a campanile turret and bell. KILLELAGH, or KILLELA a parish, in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 2 miles (N.) from Maghera on the river Clody. On its eastern boundary is Carntogher mountain, rising 1521 feet above the level of the sea. In the mountain district the inhabitants are principally native Irish, and in the plains, of Scottish extraction. Five townlands are in the manor of Maghera and belong to the see of Derry. The parish was formerly united to Maghera, but in 1794 was separated from it and now forms a distinct benefice. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Derry, and in the patronage of the Bishop.
In the Roman Catholic divisions it forms part of the union or district of Maghera; the chapel is a small ancient building. In the townland of Tirnony is a perfect cromlech, and near it an artificial cave formed of held stones and covered with lags. TERMONEENY, a parish, in the barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, near the post-town of Maghera. This parish, which is bounded on the north by the river Moyola. The land varies greatly in quality; around the old church of Mullach it is extremely fertile, producing abundant crops; but in the neighbourhood of Knockleighrim, high, rocky, and unproductive. The substratum is principally basalt, and many of the rocks of that formation rise abruptly above the surface, especially Knockleighrim, a bold and almost detached rock of basalt, which rises to a considerable height and is difficult of access, except on the east, to which its whole surface inclines; it has some indications of the columnar formation, and is a conspicuous object front every part of the barony. Four town-lands of the parish belong to the see of Derry, and are in the manor of Maghera; the remaining five belong to the Vintners' Company, of London, and are in the manor of Bellaghy. In the southern part of Maghera parish are the ruins of a very ancient church, which was destroyed in the rebellion of the Earl of Tyrone, and subsequently rebuilt.
BELLAGHY, a village and post-town, in the parish of BALLYSCULLION, barony of LOUGHINSHOLIN, county of LONDONDERRY, and province of ULSTER, 9˝ miles (S.) from Kilrea. This place became the head of a district granted in the reign of Jas. I. to the Vintners' Company, of London, who, in 1619, founded the village, and erected a strong and spacious castle, the custody of which they entrusted to Baptist Jones, Esq., who had a well-armed garrison of 76 men for its defence. In the war of 1641 the castle was besieged and taken by a party of insurgents under the command of one of the Mac Donnells, and in the following yeare burned to the ground. It occupied a gentle eminence on the north-west side of the village, but no portion of it is remaining; the very site has been cultivated as gardens, and the only traces are some of the arched cellars beneath the roots of some large trees. The village is situated on the western shore of Lough Beg, and on the roads leading respectively from Castle Dawson to Portglenone and from Kilrea to Toome.
About three miles from the MAGHERA town is ‘Doon Glady,’ a very large and perfect rath, which gives name to one of the townlands; it is encompassed with treble walls and a trench. There are also several other raths and forts in the parish. Numerous celts, swords, spear heads, and ornaments of bronze and brass, have been found in the parish and vicinity. There are some remains of ancient iron-works, established at Drumconready in the reign of Chas. I., and destroyed in 1641; they consist of the foundations of the buildings and heaps of half-smelted ore and charcoal.