Ardcarn
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Ardcarn or Ardcarne () is a
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in
County Roscommon County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...
, Ireland, 8 km north-west of
Carrick-on-Shannon Carrick-on-Shannon () is the county town of County Leitrim in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. A smaller part of the town located on the west bank of the River Shannon lies in County Roscommon and is home to th ...
.


Name

The name "Ardcarn" is derived from
Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic (, Ogham, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ; ; or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic languages, Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive written texts. It was used from 600 to 900. The ...
. means "height" or "high" (as in "of land"). broadly refers to natural phenomenon such as a "hill", "mound", "natural stone pile", but also artificial features such as "stone piles", sepulchral monuments, and
Megalithic tomb A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging geographically f ...
s. The
townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
of Ardcarn lies 91 metres above sea level. The Mound and Ringfort on this townland are national monuments in
County Roscommon County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...
.


Historical description

''A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland'' (1840) describes Ardcarn thus:''A topographical dictionary of Ireland'' 1840
p. 43
/ref>
ARDCARNE, a parish, in the barony of Boyle,
County Roscommon County Roscommon () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is part of the province of Connacht and the Northern and Western Region. It is the List of Irish counties by area, 11th largest Irish county by area and Li ...
, province of
Connaught Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine ...
, 3½ miles (E.S.E.) from Boyle, on the road to
Carrick-on-Shannon Carrick-on-Shannon () is the county town of County Leitrim in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. A smaller part of the town located on the west bank of the River Shannon lies in County Roscommon and is home to th ...
; containing 7673 inhabitants. An abbey of
Regular canon The Canons Regular of St. Augustine are Catholic priests who live in community under a rule ( and κανών, ''kanon'', in Greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious ...
s was founded here, probably in the early part of the 6th century, of which, according to the
Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
, Beaidh died bishop in 523 : its possessions were granted, in the 89th of Elizabeth, to the Provost and Fellows of
Trinity College, Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Univ ...
. Here was also a
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
nunnery, a cell to the abbey of Kilcreunata, in the
county Galway County Galway ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region, taking up the south of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. The county population was 276,451 at the 20 ...
; and at
Knockvicar Knockvicar () is a village in County Roscommon, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the R285 road, R285 Regional road (Ireland), regional road, between Boyle, County Roscommon, Boyle and Carrick-on-Shannon near Lough Key Forest Park ...
. Knockvicar was a monastery of the
third order of Franciscans The Third Order of Saint Francis, or Franciscan Tertiaries, is the third order of the Franciscan tradition of Christianity, founded by the medieval Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi. Francis founded the Third Order, originally called th ...
which at the suppression was granted with other possessions on lease to Richard Kendlemarch. The parish is situated on the shores of
Lough Key Lough Key () is a lake in Ireland. It is in the northwest of County Roscommon, northeast of the town of Boyle. The lough is believed to be named after a mythical figure named Cé. Name The name ''Lough Key'' comes from the Irish ''Loch Cé''. ...
: it is partly bounded by the Shannon on the east, and comprises 460
statute acre The acre ( ) is a unit of land area used in the British imperial and the United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of ...
s, as applotted under the tithe act. The land is principally under an improving system of tillage; there is a considerable extent of reclaimable bog, and part of the plains of Boyle is included within the parish, Limestone and freestone of the best description for architectural purposes abound; indications of coal have been discovered on the lands of Ballyfermoyle, the property of W. Mulloy, Esq, where shafts have been sunk, but the operations are discontinued. The Boyle River runs through the parish, and a project is in contemplation to render it navigable from its junction with the Shannon, near Carrick, to
Lough Gara Lough Gara () is a lake in Counties Sligo and Roscommon, Ireland. It is an Important Bird Area protecting 1,788 ha of which most (1,742 ha) is designated as a Ramsar Site (a wetland having international importance under the Ramsar Convention). ...
. This river is crossed by a bridge at Knockvicar, where its banks are adorned with some pleasing scenery. Rockingham House, the elegant mansion of
Viscount Lorton Viscount Lorton, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 28 May 1806 for General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nati ...
, is beautifully situated on the south-east side of Lough Key, in a gently undulating and well-wooded demesne of about 2000 statute acres, tastefully laid out in lawns and groves descending to the water's edge: it is of Grecian
Ionic architecture The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite o ...
, built externally of marble, with a portico of six Ionic columns forming the principal entrance, on each side of which are corresponding pillars ornamenting the facade, and on the north side is a colonnade supported by six Ionic columns: adjoining the house is an extensive orangery, and numerous improvements have been made in the grounds by the present noble proprietor. Oakport, the seat of W. Mulloy, Esq., is a large edifice in the ancient or Gothic style of architecture, occupying a beautiful situation on the margin of a large expanse of water formed by the Boyle river: the demesne comprises about 1200 statute acres, beautifully wooded, and from the inequality of its surface presents many picturesque and commanding views. The other seats are Knockvicar, the residence of C. J. Peyton, Esq., and Mount Francis, of W. Lloyd O'Brien, Esq.
Petty session Courts of petty session, established from around the 1730s, were local courts consisting of magistrates, held for each petty sessional division (usually based on the county divisions known as hundreds) in England, Wales, and Ireland. The session ...
s are held every Tuesday at Cootehall. That place was formerly called Urtaheera, or O'Mulloy's Hall, and was, early in the 17th century, together with the manor attached to it, the property of William, styled "the Great O'Mulloy"; but in the war of 1641 it came into the possession of the Hon. Chidley Coote, nephew of the first Earl of Mountrath, and from that family took its present name. The parish is in the diocese of Elphin, and the rectory forms part of the union of Killuken: the tithes amount to £280. The church is an ancient structure, which was enlarged by a grant of £600 from the late
Board of First Fruits The Board of First Fruits () was an institution of the Church of Ireland that was established in 1711 by Anne, Queen of Great Britain to build and improve churches and glebe houses in Ireland. This was funded from taxes collected on clerical inco ...
, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have lately granted £234 for its further repair. The glebe-house was built by aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £300 from the same Board, in 1807: the glebe comprises , subject to a rent of £8. In the Roman Catholic divisions the parish is also called Crosna, and comprises the parish of Ardcarne and part or that of Tumna, containing two chapels, situated at Cootehall and Crosna. The parochial free school is supported by Lord Lorton, who built the school house at an expense of £120; and a school for girls is supported by Lady Lorton, and is remarkably well conducted: At Derrygra is a school aided by the Elphin Diocesan Society, to which the bishop gave a house and an acre of ground; and three Sunday schools are held in the parish, two under the patronage of Lady Lorton, and one under that of the Misses Mulloy, of Oakport. A
dispensary A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...
is maintained by Lord Lorton for the benefit of his tenantry; and another has been lately established at Cootehall, by the exertions of the Messrs. Mulloy, by whom and the other principal landed proprietors it is supported.


Bishopric

As stated above, the only bishop of the monastic centre whose name is known is "Beaidh" (lit. Aedus Vivus), who died circa 518AD-523AD. Before the 12th century, the territory under the monastery's pastoral care was incorporated into the
diocese of Elphin The Diocese of Elphin () was established following the Synod of Rathbreasail in the year 1118. In that year the see for east Connacht was moved from Roscommon. Elphin was the traditional site of a monastic house established by St Patrick , althou ...
. No longer a residential bishopric, ''Árd Carna'' is today listed by the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
as a
titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbi ...
.


References


Citations


Primary sources

* *


Secondary sources

* * * * * *


External links

*{{cite web , last=Leitrim-Roscommon Genealogy , url=http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/MAPS/ardcarn.html , title=Map of the civil parish of Ardcarn Townlands of County Roscommon Civil parishes of County Roscommon