Rents. Imple meats. Manure. Price of Labour. Fairs. mentioned article, they have all lately suffered a great depression. If this depression continue, it must tend to lower the high rents which land bas brought for some time past in this parish, amounting from two pounds to three guineas per acre. Implements of husbandry have undergone little or no change here, in latter times; except that spokewheel cars are now in general use. In the greater part of this district the soil is cold, so that lime produces the most beneficial effect, particularly on the mountains and the low lands, where it produces good crops of potatoes and oats; but a compost of elay, bog-stuff, and dung, is in general use on the uplands. The farmers of this district are at present more devoted to tillage, than to feeding or breeding eattle: this species of stock is therefore not abundant; and few flocks of sheep are to be met with. The price of labour varies considerably, being high about the town and villages, and much lower in other parts. The average price may be computed at about 1s. a day for a labourer. There are some fairs held in the union, but of little note, viz. two at Castlecuffe on Easter Tuesday, and on the 22d November; one at Tinnehinch on the 29th October, in which there is nothing exposed for sale but pigs; two at Castlebrack, on the 16th May, and 12th August; and seven in the town of Mountmelick, on the 1st February, 25th March, 2d May, 26th August, 29th September, 1st November, and 11th December; in these there is a large shew of cattle and pigs, with some sheep. There are no regular entries made at these fairs, so that it is impossible to state the number of black cattle, sheep, or pigs sold. We have also a weekly market in the town of Mountmelick on Saturday. A statement of the different denominations of land in this union, with the number of acres in each denomination, may be seen in the appendix. X. Trade, Manufactures, Commerce, &c. The cotton and woollen manufactures are carried Cotion and on in the town of Mountmellick; but not to so great Manufac Woollen an extent as formerly; still, however, they give em- tory. ployment to a great number of persons. It is computed that even now* 600 looms are employed; the number was formerly much greater. Coarse coatings and cloths bring from 8s. to 12s. per yard. Grey calicoes, cords, checks and stuffs, are manufactured here. A cotton weaver earns from 2s. to 2s. 6d. per day; and a woollen weaver about 1s. 6d. The combing trade gave employment to a great number of hands a few years ago, but has now much declined, in consequence of the introduction of En Work. glish spun worsted yarn, of which the stuffs are now mostly made. Bridle-links, and stirrup-irons, are Smith's manufactured here, and give employment to a number of smiths. About a century ago there were very extensive iron works here, of which scarcely a vestige now remains. There is no spirit distillery; but Breweries. there are five breweries in the town of Mountmelick, which produce excellent beer. At the rere of the church of the village of Clonalee, is a very good bolting mill. • In famílies employed in manufacture, there are generally from two to four looms at work. This reconciles the statement that there are 600 looms now employed, with the fact that there are but 379 families engaged in manufactures and trade. XI. Natural Curiosities, Remarkable Occurrences, &c. Several of the articles which might have been classed under this general head, have necessarily been mentioned in the foregoing sections, where they were connected with the subjects under consideration. It may be remarked in confirmation of what has been said in sec. I. of the former woodiness of this district, that large quantities of timber trees, such as deal, oak, and yew, are still raised from the bogs and moorish grounds. Their depth under the surface, shews that they must have lain a long time. Stumps of deal trees, in somewhat regular rows, adhering to the gravel, have been found in a bog, after fourteen spit of turf had been cut away. At the same depth below the surface, a cake of a cylindrical form, and having the appearance of fat, bas been met with; but it was found on trial that the fatty matter had been totally absorbed. The name of General Dunne's estate (Brittas,) mentioned in sec. III. is thus accounted for. While those daring invaders, the Danes, held sway in this island, Brittas, a Danish chief, seized on that part of the district, and gave his own name to the castle; certainly a rude stone bust, affixed to one of the portals of the old castle, was always called Brittas, and tradition has faithfully preserved the story. The village of Rosenallis, is said to derive its name from Rossa Failgea, eldest son of Cathaoir More-Charles the Great. The father being in his own hereditary right King of Leinster, was elected supreme monarch on the decease of Fedlimus Legifer, anno Christi 175. He attained to this high dignity by his many and great virtues, but chiefly by his bold and successful opposition to the Danes, who piratically infested the coasts, though they had not yet attempted an invasion he was distinguished by his impartial justice and heroic valour, till he fell in the memorable battle of Tailten. This monarch had many sons, polygamy being then tolerated, and Rossa his eldest and favourite, was deeply skilled in the learning of these days. He is said to have built the round tower mentioned in sec. IV. List of Incumbents, extracted from the First Fruits' records. Gulielm. Lightbound admiss. 16 April, 1619, v. de Oregan, £16 4. Georg. Chapham, institut. fuit 25° die Aprilis, 1662, ad vicar. de Oregan als. Rossenollis cum capell. annex. in dioc. Daren. £12 3s. Georg Chapham, insitut. fuit 3° die Jan. 1675, ad vicar. de Oregan in dioc. Daren. et com. Reginæ. £12.4s ob. Ricus. Hall, cler. in Artib. Magr. admiss. fuit. 290. die Jan. 1684, ad vicar. de Oregan als. Rossenallis, dioc. Daren et Com. Regin. £12. 3. ob. Ricus. Harwood, institut. fuit 18° May, 1709, vic. Oregan. als. Rosenallis. £12. 7s. ob. Jeremiah Marsh, jun. institut. 21 June, 1788. v. Oregan oth. Rosenollis, Rerymore, Kilmainan, et Castlebrack. James Saurin, institut. 15 Sept. 1801, v. Oregan, als. Rosenollis, £12. 3s. & of the ch. of Kilmanman, Ballintomple other. Rosmore, Castlebrack, King's co. T T Rev. Thomas Pigott, instituted 20th January, 1812, to the vicarages of Rosenallis, Rerymore, Kilmanman and Castlebrack, in the dio. of Kildare and Queen's county, vice James Saurin, who vacated by resignation. XII. Suggestions for Improvement, and Means for meliorating the Condition of the Poor. New implements of husbandry are wanting, and would be a great improvement, as the parish is chiefly agricultural. The introduction of good bulls would also tend much to improve the stock of black cattle, |