Statistical Remarks by Lieutenant G.A. Bennett, 3 November 1834

Donaghmore is said to be derived from [Irish letters] Domhnach-mor. It admits of little difference on spelling. In the History of county Down 1744 it is Donoghmore, on Williamson's map of 1810 we find it Donoghmore and it is generally written and pronounced Donaghmore [accent on last syllable].

It is situated in the south west end of the county of Down and barony of Upper Iveagh, bounded on the north and north east by the parish of Aghaderg, east and south by the Newry lordship and on the west by the county of Armagh. Its extreme length from north to south is near 5 and a half miles and mean length about 4 miles, extreme breadth from east to west is 4 miles, mean breadth abouth 2 and a half miles. It contains an area of 8,396 acres of which about 223 acres of nearly exhausted turf bogs and 43 and a half acres are covered with water and is divided into 26 townlands, one of which is called the Glebe.

Loughorn lake on the south east adjoining the lordship of Newry contains 51 acres, 28 of which are in this parish. Its height is 244 feet. The large lake in Dromantine demesne contains 11 and a half acres, the smaller one only 1 and a half acres.

The Newry river is the boundary of tIle parish on the south west. It enters from Newry lordship near the Dublin road and is the boundary to the junction with the canal.

The parish contains 223 acres of bog, all in small detached pieces and none larger than that in Aughintubber townland which is 18 acres. The several portions in each may be seen under the heads of their respective townlands. There are besides the bogs, about 70 acres of swampy ground along the canal flooded in winter but used as pasture during the summer, of which 17 acres are in Ballylough, 16 in Lurganare, 13 in Corgrey, 10 in Knockinarney and 3 in Dromantine townland.

The demesne of A. Innis Esquire contains 220 acres of trees, a great portion of which are full grown. At the north end of Ballylough townland there are about 15 acres of trees near the canal, but there is no other timber in the parish except a few trees at Frankfort, the farm of T. Corry Esquire.

Schist <scist> is the only rock found in the parish, except at the extreme south where it is found in conjunction with granite.

MODERN TOPOGRAPHY

There is no town nearer than Newry, which is 3 miles from the south end and 8 from the north end. The north end is about 5 miles from Banbridge.

The parish church lies in the south east end of the parish in the townland called the Glebe and is a plain building. The Glebe Rouse is about 250 yards to the north. There are 2 Roman Catholic chapels, one in the south end on Bar Chapel hill now rebuilding, another in the north near Dromantine called the Glen chapel. A Seceding meeting house called the Rock meeting house is situated

in Killysavin and Dromantine townlands but is afterwards losL

[Insert addition: Donaghmore parish church~was built by the encouragement and bounty of the late lord primate and was consecrated on the 8 September 1741. This parish was the scene of a merciless butchery of a great number of Protestants in l64l~.

Dromantine House, the seat of A. Innis Esquire, has been already mentioned as containing 220 acres of wooded lands. The house is new and the ground laid Out with taste. The house is situated at the top of a hill considerably above the lake and is supplied with water by means of a dam [?] placed on the small rivulet running from the lake.

Frankfort, a farmhouse of T. Corry Esquire, a cottage in Muddydrumbrist inhabited by Mrs Innis, the Glebe House already mentioned and the residence of the Reverend M. Finley are the only houses above the common style of cottages.

There is a very large corn mill on the Newry river in Druruniller townland, 2 other small ones in Ballymacarattybeg and Ringbann and a flax mill in Aughnacavan townland.

Main road from Dublin to Belfast enters this parish near Sheepbridge 3 miles from Newry and runs nearly north for 3 miles, where it enters Aghaderg.

A by-road from Newry to Loughbrickland skirting Dromantine demesne and a crossroad from the demesne to the main road are the best, but the parish is closely intersected with by-roads in every direction.

The Newry Canal is close to the southem boundary of the parish for its whole length, but this parish does not derive as much benefit from it as those at a greater distance, as the distance to the canal from the interior of the parish is nearly as great as to Newry, the export town.

ANc~~ To~~~llY Danes Cast

Dane's Cast already mentioned in Aghaderg enters from that parish at the north. It may be traced

There area few forts. The largest and most worthy of remark is in the extreme south in Drummiller townland close to the corn mill.

SOCIAL AND PRODUCT ECONOMY Farming Society

There are no magistrates in this parish. The sessions are held in Newry and Banbridge. There is no dispensary nor other provision for the poor.

It is divided into 26 townlands viz. Aughnacavin, so pronounced, contains 143 acres I rood 32 perches.

Ardkeragh, pronounced Ardkee[stress]ragh, contains 275 acres 2 roods 16 perches, of which about 16 acres is worn out bog.

Annaghbann, so pronounced, contains 264 acres 3 roods 3 perches. Of bog in detached portions, there are about 35 half acres.

Aughintuber, so pronounced, contains 227 acres 25 perches. On the west side about 18 acres of bog.

Ballymacaratty-beg, so pronounced, contains 457 acres 2 roods 14 perches. About4 acres ofbog is in this townland.

Ballymacaratty-more, so pronounced, contains

340 acres 2 roods 18 perches. In the north are a

Seceding meeting house and in the south east is a

mill-pond of 3 acres in this townland.

Ballylough, pronounced Ballylogh, contains 520 acres 14 perches, proprietor A. Innis Esquire. On the eastern boundary is the remains of a lough of about 8 acres. It is now a swamp with a few young

trees around it and at the south point is about 4 acres of Aughintuber bog.

Buskhill, pronounced Buskill, contains 165 acres 2 rocds 18 perches. On the east boundary in this townland are about 7 and a half acres of bog.

Ballyblagh, pronounced Ballyblough [stress Qn last syllable], contains 172 acres 1 rood 18 perches. At the extreme south is about 3 and a half acres of bog and at the east about 3 acres of marsh.

Carrickrovaddy, so pronounced, contains 366 acres 17 perches, proprietor A. "mis Esquire and ~lank] Leland Esquire. About 1 and a half acres are flooded at the north end in winter.

Corgrey, pronounced Cor[stress]grey[short stress], contains 637 acres 2 roods 12 perches, proprietor A. Innis Esquire. At the south east end about 6 acres marshy ground and about 13 acres are flooded in winter at the west side of the north end.

Carrigbann, so pronounced, contains 240 acres

1 rood 10 perches. At the north boundary are about

10 acres of bog and at the south end about 14 acres

of marsh and water, being part of Loughoran lake. Drumantine, so pronounced, contains 597 acres

3 roods 13 perches. At the south end is the house and demesne of A. "mis Esquire.

Drummiller, so pronounced, contains 389 acres 3 roods 31 perches, of which about 3 acres at the north end is flooded in winter.

Derrycraw, so pronounced, contains 384 acres 2 roods 37 perches. On the east boundary are about 4 acres of Aughintubber bog and4 detached pieces each about half an acre. Proprietor T. Corry Esquire.

Glebe, contains 58 acres 2 roods 19 perches. In the north end about 7 acres of bog.

Killysavin, so pronounced, contains 581 acres 1 rood 33 perches, proprietor General Mead, let at about 30s per acre. 60 acres of bog at the north end.

Knockanarny, pronounced Knockanar[stressiney, contains 458 acres 9 perches, proprietor Colonel Howard, lets at 30s per acre. At the north end about 10 acres are flooded in winter.

Lurganare, pronounced Lurgan-aar[stress] or ar[stress], contains 341 acres 30 perches, proprietor A. "mis Esquire, let at 405 per acre. About 16 acres of the west of the north end flood in winter.

Maddydrumbrist, pronounced Maddydrumbriest [stress], contains 182 acres 26 perches. At the south end is about 5 and a half acres of marsh and at the north end is a public house called The Four Mile House, being half-way from Newry to Loughbrickland.

Minnymore, so pronounced, contains 178 acres 2 roods 11 perches, proprietor T. Corry Esquire. It

is in a high state of cultivation, Fraakfort farm being kept in T. Corry Esquire's own hands.

Ringbann, so pronounced, contains 221 acres 2 roods 14 perches. On the south west boundary are 14 acres of Loughom lake in this townland and about 14 acres of bog at the north east boundary.

Ringclare, so pronounced, contains 280 acres 2 roods 15 perches. On the south west boundary is a bog, of which 6 acres are in this townland and on the west boundary about 3 acres of bog.

Ringolish, pronounced Ringgo[short stress]lish, contains 276 acres 2 roods 20 perches. There are detached portions of bog about 18 acres and about 6 acres at the north boundary.

Tullymore, so pronounced, contains 448 acres 3 roods, proprietor A. "mis Esquire, let at 405 per acre.

Tullymurry, so pronounced, contains 184 acres 3 roods 18 perches, about 9 acres of bog at the north point. 

[Signed] George A. Bennett, Lieutenant Royal Engineers, 3rd November 1834.