1st January 1837
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A snapshot of pre-famine local history, as described by Samuel Lewis in the "Topographical Dictionary of Ireland" 1837.

KILCONDUFF, a parish, in the barony of GALLEN, county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT; containing, with the post-town of Swinford, 5951 inhabitants.

The greater part is in tillage, but there are large tracts of bog and mountain land; flag-stones are abundant; pearls are found in the river Moy, and there are chalybeate and sulphureous springs.

The principal seats are

  • Brabazon Park, the residence of Sir W. Brabazon, Bart.;
  • Swinford, of .J. D. Ellard, Esq.;
  • the glebe-house, of the Dean of Killala;
  • Fahyness, of I. P. O'Donnell, Esq.; and
  • Midfield House, of P. Kelly, Esq.

The parish is in the diocese of Achonry; the rectory is impropriate in W. S. Bourke, Esq., and the vicarage was united episcopally, in 1805, to those of Kilbeagh and Meelick, and in the patronage of the Bishop.

  • The tithes amount to £366. 1. 6., which is equally divided between the impropriator and the vicar; and of the entire union, to £403. 15. 10 ½.
  • The church is a plain building, erected in 1810, for which the late Board of First Fruits gave £600, and recently repaired by a grant of £209 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
  • The glebe-house has a glebe of 22 acres.

In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, comprising also Meelick, and containing a chapel in each.

About 420 children are educated in seven private schools.

Some of the ruins of Kilconduff and Kinaff churches still exist.

—See SWINFORD.

SOURCE: A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland by Samuel Lewis (pub 1837)

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