TEMPLESHANNON

TEMPLESHANNON, a parish, in the barony of BALLAGHKEEN, county of WEXFORD, and province of LEINSTER; containing, with a part of the town of Enniscorthy, 2743 inhabitants. It is situated on the eastern bank of the river Slaney, along which it extends in a north-eastern direction about two miles from the town, with the main body of which latter it is connected by the bridge; it is bounded on the north and east by the small river Blackwater, and within its limits is the mount called Vinegar Hill, one of the principal stations of the insurgents during the disturbances of 1798. (See ENNISCORTHY.)

It comprises 4900 statute acres, applotted under the tithe act, chiefly in tillage, but there is a good deal of pasture on the sides of Vinegar Hill; the soil is good, and the state of agriculture improving. Good building stone is found at Clonhaston and Drumgoold, and a few years since some fine specimens of plumbago were discovered at Grenville. At the foot of Vinegar Hill is "Shiell's Well," so remarkable for the purity of its water as to have obtained the designation of the "liquid diamond:" from this source the inhabitants of the town are about to be supplied by pipes laid along the bridge, and conducted to several public conduits. The projected canal from Pooldarragh to Enniscorthy will pass through the southern part of the parish. There is a brewery in the suburbs of the town, and another at Drumgoold about half a mile distant. The parish is in the diocese of Ferns, and is a rectory, forming part of the union of St. Mary's, Enniscorthy; the tithes amount to £470. 2. 3., and there is a glebe of 23 acres: the glebe-house, and the school on Erasmus Smith's foundation, built on the glebe, are noticed under the head of Enniscorthy.

In the R. C. divisions also it is partly in the district of Enniscorthy; the remainder is in that of Monageer. There is a meeting-house for the Society of Friends near the North quay. About 120 children are educated in the public and private schools of this parish. According to Colgan, the ancient church, now in ruins, was founded by St. Senan, a cotemporary of Maidoc, bishop of Ferns. At Moatabeg, on the border of the parish, is a tumulus of great antiquity, and in a very perfect state; it is supposed to have been constructed at a period prior to the irruptions of the Danes.