•  Rath, County Clare

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

RATH, a parish, in the barony of INCHIQUIN, county of CLARE, and province of MUNSTER, 5 ¾ miles (N. W.) from Ennis, on the road to Ennistymon; containing 2521 inhabitants. It comprises about 5000 statute acres, as rated for the county cess, which estimate was taken as the basis for the tithe composition; a considerable portion consists of coarse pasture, and the remainder of good arable land. ...

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The parish extends to the bridge at Corofin, and comprises portions of the lakes of Inchiquin and Tadane, noticed in the article on Kilneboy: at Riverston is a chief station of the constabulary police. The seats are Adelphi, the residence of F. and W. Fitzgerald, Esqrs.; Clifden, of E. Burton, Esq.; Roxton, of T. Blood, Esq.; Applevale, of G. Davis, Esq.; Willbrook, of W. A. Brewe, Esq.; and Riverston, of Jonas Studdert, Esq. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Killaloe; the rectory was united in 1803 to that of Dysert, together constituting the corps of the prebend of Rath, in the patronage of the Marquess of Thomond; and the vicarage forms part of the union and corps of the prebend of Dysert. Of the tithes, amounting to £76. 15. 0 ½., two-thirds are payable to the prebendary, and the remainder to the vicar. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Corofin; the chapel, a small plain building, is at Liscullane. About 30 children are taught in a school at Knockmacart, chiefly supported by Mr. Blood and Mr. Synge, and about 70 in a school held in the chapel. The ruins of the ancient church stand near the margin of a small lake; near them are those of the castle of Rath, and in the vicinity, those of a castle called O'Nial's Court, formerly the residence of the chieftains of that family. A large monumental stone near the castle records its destruction, and that of part of the family, by lightning. The ruins of Tier Mac Bran castle are situated near the shore of Inchiquin lake.

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