Galway - 1881 Directory of Athenry
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Galway Index
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File contributed by: C.L.
1881 DIRECTORY OF ATHENRY
Slater'S Commercial Directory Of Ireland
Is a small incorporated market and post town and
parish, partly in the baronies of Clare, Dunkellin and
Kilconnell, but chiefly in that of Athenry, county of
Galway, 121 miles w. by s. from Dublin and 14 E. from
Galway, ans is on the Midland Great Western railway. This
place, anciently called Athneri, is said to have derived its
name from Athna-Raigh, 'the King's Ford,' or 'the abode of a
king.' Sir James Ware considers it to have been the chief
town of the Anteri; and at a remote period it was
surrounded by walls, with round towers fifty yards apart,
which indicate it to have been a place of considerable
importance. The ruins of the walls and towers, together with
a castle, called the 'King's Court,' as it is considered to
have been the residence of one of the provincial kings, and
which was a building of great defence, are still to be seen.
The ruins of a Dominican abbey here, from its antiquity and
style of architecture, are the admiration of all strangers.
It was founded by Myler De Birmingham, second baron of
Athenry, in 1241, and was dedicated to St. Peter and Paul. A
Franciscan friary was also founded here by the Earl of
Kildare, in 1464. In 1577 the two sons of the Earl of
Clanricarde, renouncing their submission to Elizabeth,
assembled their partisans, and succeeded in reducing the
town to a state of complete ruin. In this state it continued
till the year 1584, when it was to a great extent re-built;
but in 1596 the northern Irish invested it, and again it was
reduced to ashes. From this time, though it had formerly
held a second rank in the county, it never recovered its
ancient importance. The Dominican friars, who, under the
protection of the O'Dalys, of Caronkelly, took up their
abode at Eskee, about three miles from the town, still
continue to flourish there. They have built a very neat
chapel and a college. There are also National schools there,
wherein 800 of the children of the poor are daily educated,
100 of whom are provided with food. The town is situated in
the midst of a tolerably fruitful soil, though there is a
considerable quantity of unreclaimed bog in the
neighbourhood. The magistrates regulate the affairs of the
town, for which purpose they held a petty sessions once a
fortnight. The places of worship are a Protestant Episcopal
church, a remarkably neat building and one belonging to the
Roman Catholics, a plain slated edifice. There is a
constabulary barrack, a dispensary and a National school. A
chalybeate spring is much resorted to. The markets are held
on Fridays and Mondays, and the fairs (which are but poorly
attended), are May 5th, July 2nd, and October 20th. In 1861
the population of the parish was 3,881 and in 1871, 3,639,
of which number the town contained 1,194.
POST OFFICE. Athenry, Ann Rush, Post Mistress -
Letters from Dublin, England, Scotland, &c. arrive at twelve
night and half-past one afternoon, and are dispatched
thereto at twenty minutes past twelve night and twelve noon.
Letters from Tuam, Hollymount, Castlebar and Westport,
arrive at twelve night and are dispatched thereto at the
same time. Money Order and Telegraph Office and Savings
Bank.
GENTRY AND CLERGY
Blake Rev. M Athenry
Blake Peter, Esq, J.P. Hollypark
Bodkin Robert, Esq, Annagh
Clarke James, Esq, J.P. Graig Abbey
Cullinan Mr. John, Mount Brown
Irvine Robt, Esq, Town House, Athenry
Joyce John, Esq, Athenry
Lambert Francis E, Esq, Moor park
Lambert Giles Eyre, Esq, Knocbrack
Lambert Walter, Esq, J.P. Castle-Ellen
Lopdell John J, Esq, J.P. Raheen Park
M'Cay Mr. Hector, Mulpit
M'Donagh Denis M, Esq, Athenry
O'Brien Rev. John Patrick, Athenry
Persse Burton , Esq, D.L. &J.P. Moyode Castle
Richardson Nicholas G, Esq, J.P. Tyaquin
Smyth Lawrence, Esq, Caherfinsker
Trousdell William B.P., Esq, Aughrim park
Walker Rev. Samuel,M.A. Athenry
SCHOOL
NATIONAL SCHOOL - Thomas O'Reilly,
master; Sarah Dolan, mistress
BAKERS
Brodrick Margaret
Kelly Michael
M'Kean Michael
Ryan John
BANK
ULSTER BANK (Branch) - Draws on
Prescott & Co. London - James Corry,
manager
BLACKSMITHS
Madden Thomas
Murphy Michael
BUTCHERS
Connor Michael
Fallon Patrick
CARPENTERS
Brodrick Peter & John (builders)
Mannion Thomas (& cartwright)
Walsh Michael
DRAPERS
Brodrick Margaret
Dillon John S
M'Donoagh Matthew
FARMERS
In the Parish of Athenry
Barrett Joseph ; Mitchel Edward
Hennelly Michael ; Mitchel Patrick
Irvine Robert ; Mitchel Anthony
Kelly Raymond ; O'Connor Gerald
M'Cay Hector ; Porteous David
M'Donagh Denis ; Smyth William
FIRE &c. OFFICE AGENTS
PRUDENTIAL (life) - Morgan Fahy, Athenry
THE EDINBURGH (life) - Denis M. M'Donagh, Athenry
GROCERS
Barrett Joseph
Brodrick Margaret
Brodrick Michael
Blackall & M'Donagh (& flour dealers)
Dillon John S
Fahy Morgan
Gill William
Kelly Bridget
Kelly Thomas R
Nolan Bernard
Smyth Samuel
Sweeny Joseph
Watson Francis T
HOTELS & PUBLIC HOUSES
Barrett Joseph
Blackall & M'Donagh (wine & spirit
merchants)
Brodrick Michael
Cloonan James
Dillon John S
Dooley Patrick
Dunleavy Patrick
Fahy Morgan
Joyce Peter
Kelly Bridget
Kelly Thomas R
Kinneen Patrick
Kinneen's Hotel (posting house),
Timothy Kinneen
Larner Lawrence
Nolan Bernard
Nolan Richard
Railway Hotel, Anne Kavanagh
Ryan James
Smyth Samuel
Sweeny Joseph
Wheelan Bridget
IRONMONGERS
Blackall & M'Donagh (& hardware dealers)
Brodrick Michael
Sweeny Joseph
MISCELLANEOUS
Blackall & M'Donagh, agents for Goulding's manures
Burke Edward, saddler
Burke Maria, glass & china dealer
Cannon Patrick, shopkeeper
Dillon John S, shopkeeper
Irvine Robert, oatmeal, &c, miller,
Athenry, & chemical manure works, Galway
Jordan Mark, bootmaker
Kinneen Timothy, high constable for barony of Athenry
Mahon Patrick, shopkeeper
PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OFFICES, &c.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
And Their Ministers
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH - William D.Roe, rector
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (temporary) -Rev. Samuel Walker, M.A.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - Rev. John Patrick O'Brien, P.P.
Constabulary Barrack - Edward Hayden, sergeant
Deputy Registrar of Births, Deaths &
Marriages - Hector M'Cay
STATIONERS
Blackall & M'Donagh
SURGEON
Leonard Henry J.W.
TAILORS
Caulfield Patrick
Flannigan Stephen
Dispensary - Henry J.W. Leonard, surgeon
Dominican Convent, Esker - The Very Rev. M. Blake, prior
Registers of Births, Deaths, & Marriages -Henry J.W. Leonard
Sessions House - Hector M'Cay, clerk
CAR
To WESTPORT, a Mail Car, at half-
past one morning, goes through
Tuam, Hollymount & Claremorris
CONVEYANCE BY RAILWAY
On the Midland Great Western Line.
Station close to the town (on the north
side) - James Thompson Garven,
station master.