A Little Bit of Ireland


SLATER'S DIRECTORY OF IRELAND - 1846

CLIFDEN,

Is a sea-port and market town, in the parish of Omey, barony of Ballynahinch, county of Galway, 178 miles w. from Dublin, and 50 w by s. from Galway, situated on an eminence, on the shore of a winding estuary, that empties itself into Ardbear, or Clifden harbour, on the western coast. It is of modern origin, having contained in 1815 only one house, at which time the late John D'Arcy, Esq. settled here, through whose exertions more than three hundred dwellings have since been erected. It is inhabited principally by intelligent shopkeepers and traders, and there are two excellent hotels, Carr's and Hart's, the former of which has recently undergone great improvements, and both are admirably arranged wither for the comfort of families or commercial gentlemen. The scenery round Clifden being composed of mountain, rock and flood, perhaps equals, if not surpassed in rude grandeur, any other that Ireland exhibits. From any of the neighbouring hills the eye may range over the broad surface of the Atlantic on the one side, and over an interminable series of mountains overtopping each other, in Alpine grandeur, on the other. No tourist, indeed, can visit this locality without enjoying unalloyed gratification mingled with wonder. The soil is generally of a boggy nature from three to four feet deep; but a considerable portion of it has been brought into cultivation by the late John D'Arcy, Esq., and it now produces very fine grain-oats in particular, some of which obtain the best market price. The Clifden harbour is considered, by Mackenz'e one of the safest on the western coast and might, with comparatively little labour, be rendered capable of admitting vessels of any class. The quay, commenced by Mr. Nimmo, which is still incomplete, is capable of admitting vessels of two hundred tons burden. The imports comprise pitch, tar, hemp, salt groceries, iron, and timber; the exports, corn and fish. There is an excellent salmon fishery in the Ardbear, and vast quantities of fish are taken on the coast. Two copper mines are in the neighbourhood, but not at present worked; also quarries of green and white marble, which are wrought only on a small scale. The government of the town is vested in the magistrates, who hold a petty sessions once a fortnight, and general sessions of the peace for the district twice a year.
     The places of worship are a church of the establishment, beautiful building, and a commodious Roman Catholic chapel, also a monastery of the order of Saint Francis. The other public buildings and institutions are a handsome new stone court-house, a bridewell, the union workhouse, a good building on an extensive scale, a constabulary barrack, a dispensary, a national school, and a loan fund. On the summit of one of the hills, visible from any part of the town, had been erected a monument, by the contributions of the inhabitants, to perpetuate the memory of the late John D'Arcy, Esq, the founder of the town. New to the town stands Clifden Castle, a noble structure of Gothic style, the property and residence of Hyacinth D'Arcy, Esq., the proprietor of the district. The grounds are tastefully laid out and command a fine view of the ocean. There are several other seats in the neighbourhood, among with are 'Glen Owen', that of Captain William Syer, 'Enislamin', of John Lambert, Esq; 'Ardbear House', Samuel Jones, Esq.; and 'Bay View', Anthony Morris, Esq. The market is on Saturday. Fairs June 25th, September 1st, October 15th and December 17th. The parish of Omey contained, in 1811, 7,953 inhabitants, and the town of Clifden 1,509 of that number.

     POST OFFICE- Catherine Thomas, Post Mistress-Letters from all ports arrive (from Galway) every evening at seven, and are despatched thereto every morning at six.

 

GENTRY AND CLERGY

Morris Anthony, Esq. Bay View

HOTELS

Adamson Mr. Christopher, Paul Renny O'Neill John A., Esq. Bunnowen
     Castle
Carr Paul, (family, commercial and
     posting)
Ash Rev. James, Tully Rossbrough Mr. John, Clifden Hart Martin R (family, commercial, and
    posting. and agent to the London
    Corporation Assurance.)
Blake Henry, Esq, Renvyle House Shea Gartside, Esq. Shinnernagh

PUBLIC HOUSES.

Bodkin Walter, Esq. Omey Smyth John, Esq., Killeries Connegs Matthew     Lydon Michael
Connelly William       Monaghan John
Corbett James           Mullen Francis
Corbett William         Mullen John
Davies Catherine       Mullen Martin
Joyce Redmond        Mullen Patrick
Kearney Henry          O'Dowd Anne
King Stephen             Prendergast, Jas.
King John
Colles Mr. William H., Ferry hill Syer Capt. William (inspector of
     coast guard), Glenowen

SHOPKEEPERS & TRADERS.

Connerys Mr. William, Aughness Thompson General Alex., Salruck Connolly Andrew, draper
D'Arcy Hyacinth, Esq. J.P. Clifden
     Castle
Webb Mr. Arthur, Streamstown
     House.
Connolly James, draper
Devonish Mrs. Eliza, Lough glen Yeates Mr. William, Ballinakill. Connolly John, draper
Duan Mr. Patrick, the Cottage

PROFESSIONAL PERSONS

Corbett John, earthenware dealer
Duncan Rev. Joseph, Roundstone Bodkin Christopher, M.D. & surgeon Creighton Abraham, corn miller
Firmen Mrs. P. Rushnacaragh Bodkin Francis, druggist Cribban Tobias, Tailor
Fitzmorris the Very Rev.Peter, V.G.,
     Clifden
Jones Samuel, county surveyor,
     Ardbear House
Faherty Michael, leather seller
Foster Rev. Mark A., Clifden Mahon Bartholomew, land agent,
     Rock Cottage.
Faherty William, earthenware dealer
Gibson Mrs.__, Ardbear House Morgan Robert J, surgeon Gorham Anthony, hardware dealer
Graham Francis J, Esq. Ballinakill Pierce William, surveyor, Clifden
     House
Grancy James, baker
Griffin Rev. John, P.P., Tully Sarsfield William Henry, M.D. and
     surgeon
Jones Samuel, Esq. Ardbear House

MERCHANTS

Lambert John, Esq. Enislamin D'Arcy James, Clifden
Lester Mr. Richard, Ross Cottage Hildebrand Henry, Clifden and Boffin
     Island
Levington Mrs. Julia, Glenerne Levington William, (corn), Clifden and
     Westport.
Lynch Edward, Esq., Fahey
M'Donnough Mr. Valentine, Manin
     House
Madden Bassil, Esq. Omey
Martin Thomas B., Esq. M.P.
     Balinahinch Castle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SHOPKEEPERS, &C.

Needham James, tallow chandler

PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, &c.

Griffin John, baker Nugent James, shoe maker BRIDEWELL-Dominic Kerrigan,
     keeper.
Griffin Roger, grocer Nolan James, boot and shoe maker CONSTABULARY BARRACK-
     James Ireland, sub inspector.
Healy Patrick, contractor O'Connor Michael, draper COURT HOUSE- Paul Carr, keeper.
Higgin James, hardware dealer O'Meara John, draper DISPENSARY - William H. Suffield,
     physician, Francis Bodkin,
     apothecary.
Higgin Michael, colour dealer Reilly Michl. clothes dealer FREE SCHOOL- William Galaher,
     master
Joyce Austin, boot and shoe maker Robinson John, salmon curer,
     Roundstone
LOAN FUND-  James D'Arcy, Esq.
     treasurer, Glenera; C.A. J. Pierse,
     secretary, William Galaher, clerk.
Joyce Michael, draper Wallace Stephen, draper STAMP OFFICE- Martin H. Hart,
     distributor.
Kean William, earthenware dealer

PLACES OF WORSHIP,
And Their Ministers.

UNION WORKHOUSE - John
     Griffin, clerk.
Linskey Michael, provision seller ESTABLISHED CHURCH- Rev.
Mark A Foster, curate, William Galaher, clerk.

CAR

Lyden Thomas, pawnbroker ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL, The Very Rev. Peter Fitzmorris, parish priest, Rev. Eugene O'Coyne and Rev. Peter Roche, curates. To Galway, Bianconi's Car, from Carr's Hotel, every morning, at six goes through Oughterhard. - Mr. Paul Carr, agent.
M'Cabe John, shoe maker FRANCISCAN MONASTERY- James G. Carroll, Superior.
M'Dermott John, hardware dealer
M'Donnell John, marble polisher
M'Donnell Patrick, marble polisher
M'Guiness John, draper
Mullett Martin, grocer

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