Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/810

MAYO. 802 MAYO. it, and the Rov. Thomas Hussey was called on to superin- tend the plan of education. (See Pelham's Speech, February 26th, 1798.) Lord Camden, on succeeding toLordFitz- william, found the government pledged to carry this measure into operation. Accordingly, on 23rd April, leave was given to bring in a Bill for applying the sum of 10,000, granted to his Majesty, or part thereof, for establishing a college for the better education of persons professing the Popish or Roman Catholic religion. Next day a bill was introduced, and Dr. Hussey was ordered to attend the committee ot the House, when it should come under consideration. When the Bill was read a second time, it was found that no clause existed limiting the College to the admission of those only who were candidates for the clerical ministry. It was then with- drawn, and fresh leave given in an amended form, and the Bill was introduced on the 1st May. By this Act (35 Geo. III. c. 21) twenty-one trustees (the Chancellor and three Chief Judges, six Roman Catholic laymen, ten bishops, and Dr. Hussey) were appointed for the purpose of establishing, endowing, and maintaining one academy for the education of persons professing the Roman Catholic religion only. The original parliamentary grant for building and endowing this College was 8,000 ; it was afterwards raised to 13,000 ; again lowered to 8,928 ; and is now about '28,000 per annum. When first opened, in 1795, 50 students were admitted. In 1800, an increase of 50 more took place. The number was augmented to 200 in 1802, and, in 1809, to 250. There are now on the rolls about 480 students, 270 of whom, in addition to free commons, are in receipt of 20 per annum, paid out of the parliamentary grant. Attached to the College is an establishment for the support of a limited number of senior scholars of distinguished merit, called, from its founder, the " Dunboyne." Lord Dunboyne, at one time Catholic Bishop of Cork, having embraced Protestantism, again recanted, and, dying, bequeathed the sum of 500 for this purpose. Government afterwards added 700. It has a library, containing 12,000 volumes. The town also contains a police station, and petty and quarter ses- sions are held in the court-house. Fairs are held on May 4th, September 19th, and October 9th. MAYO, a maritime co. of the prov. of Connaught, Ireland. It is situated in the N.W. part of the island, and is bounded by the cos. of Sligo and Roscommon on the E., the ocean on the N. and W., and co. Galway on the S. It lies between 63 28' to 54" 21' N. lat., and 8 25' to 10 5' W. long., and extends over an area of 2,131 square miles, or 1,363,882 statute acres, of which 497,587 are arable, 66,976 are under water, 8,360 in plantation, 800,111 uncultivated, and 848 are occupied ty the sites of towns, roads, &c. Its length from N. to S. is 58 miles, and its extreme breadth from E. to W. is 72 miles. The coast is rugged and forbidding, but is broken by numerous indentations, the principal of which are, the Bay of Killala, with its extensive fisheries, Broadhaven, Blacksod, Tulloghane Bay, Clew Bay, an expanse of water with numerous islands, Bullan Bay, Westport, &c. The principal promontories of the coast are, Belmullet, Benwee Head, with the Stag's rocks, Eagle island, with its lighthouse, Erris Head, Mullet peninsula, Achill Head, with its lofty cliffs, Achillbeg, Clare island, with lighthouse, Innisgort, with light, Runa Head, Innisturk, Bofin Bank, where cod are taken, the Killeries, and Inistegil. The surface of the county is very various, comprising a large proportion of bog, alternated with fertile soil, mountainous and lake districts. The principal summits are, Mulrea, 2,683 feet ; Benbery, 2,610; Croaghpatrick, 2,510; Bengorm, 2,224; Fermnamne, 2,210; Bengorriff, 2,038; Slieve Bohaim, 1,294, rising S. of Clow Bay, in the S.W. of the county ; Achill Head, 2,222 ; Slieve More, 2,21 7 ; Slieve Cor, 2,368, Curraun Achill, 1,786 ; Nephin Beg, 2,012 ; Cushcam- curragh, 2,262; Nephin, 2,646; Buckoogh, 1,922; Be- reen Curragh, 2,295 ; Slieve Turk, 1,322, rising to the N. of Clew Bay. The Croagh Moyle mountains are in the interior. Slieve Gamph, 1,321 feet, rises towards the E. ; Rnocklettercass, 1,208 feet; Maumakeogn, 1,243 ; Slieve Fyough, 1,090, in the N. The principal lakes are, loughs Corrib and Mask, Conn and Cu Carra, Beltra, Cairo wmore, Lavalla, Feagh, and ] nace. There are numerous other lakes of less importano within the limits of the county. The chief rivers o Mayo are, the Moy, navigable to within a short distant, of Ballina, and the only navigable stream of the county ; the Owen, Oweninny, Owenmore, Deel, Robe, Ayli (partly subterranean), Amoy, Trimogne, and Shaddugh, with numerous other small streams, chiefly tributary to these. The climate of the county, owing to its exten- sive line of sea-coast, is damp, and subject to frequent rains and humid fogs, but is not considered unhealthy. The geological formations of the county consist chicily of red sandstone, an extensive belt of which stretches between the N. side of Clew Bay and Lough Conn, and round Beltra, mica slate, granite, and quartz. The mica slate and quartz occur nearly all through the mountains of the W. To the N. of Lough Conn, and away to the river Oweninny, the surface consists of mountain lime- stone, and limestone forms the principal subsoil in the level districts. Several valuable marble and slate quarries are worked. Iron ore exists to some extent, but is not worked. Manganese and potters' clay are found in abundance. There are indications of coal at Slieve Garnon. The inhabitants of the county are chiefly employed in agriculture and in the fisheries. The salmon fishery of the Moy and other streams is an im- portant branch of industry, and on the coast ling, sole, turbot, herring, cod, oysters, lobsters, and seals, are taken. Greater attention is paid to pasturage and the rearing of cattle than to agriculture, which is in a back- ward state. The arable soils are mostly fertile, and much enriched by plentiful manurings of sea- weed. The cotton trade has greatly declined of late years, but there are still some manufacturers, chiefly at Ballyclare, who produce goods for domestic use. The fences of the country are constructed of stone or turf. Owing to the scarcity of wood, the peasants occupy huts of a wretched description. The farm labourer is paid at the rate of about 8d. a day, without rations of any kind. This county is divided into nine baronies, viz. Burrishoole, in the W. ; Carra, in the midst ; Clanmorris, in the S.E. ; Costello, in the E. ; Erris and Tirawley, in the N. and N.W. ; Gallen, in the N.E. ; Kilmaine, in the S. ; and Murrisk, in the S.W. These baronies include 73 parishes. The principal towns are, Castlebar, the county town, Westport, Ballinrobe, Ballina, Ballagha- dirreen, Swinford, Claremoms, Crossmolina, Newport, Killala, and Foxford. The first four, with Swinford, are Poor-law Unions. The assizes are held at Castlebar, and quarter sessions are held at six of the above-named towns. This county is within the military district of Dublin, and has barracks at Castlebar, Ballinrobe, Westport, Foxford, and Ballaghadirreen. Along the coast there are 22 coastguard stations, and 45 police stations in the county. It is in the Connaught cir- cuit, and the dioceses of Tuam, Killala, and Achonry. Mayo returned four members before the Union to the Irish parliament, and now returns two to the imperial parliament. Constituency in 1859, 3,779. The popu- lation of the county in 1851 was 274,830 ; in 1861, 254,796. It is governed by a custos rotulorum, lieute- nant, high sheriff, 27 deputy lieutenants, magistrates, &c. Mayo was the ancient territory of the Magnata:. It appears to have been constituted a county in the time of Edward III. It was granted to the family of Do Burgho by Henry II., who revolted in 1333, when William dn Burgho, Earl of Ulster, was assassinated ; and various parts of the county have at subsequent periods, especi- ally during the troubled times of 1641, been the scene of rebellion and conflict, which will be more appropriately noticed under the names of the various localities in which they transpired. The principal objects of antiquity to be found in Mayo are, round towers at Killala, Mcliick, Aughnagowcr, Balla, and Turlough ; Druidical stones at Westport ; abbey ruins at Burrishoole, Ballyhaunis, Bal- lintubber, Moyne, Rosserk, and Ballysakecry ; castle ruins at Doona, Dunbriste, Bally lahen, Ballinglen, 1 : Castle Island, Portuakally, Shrule, Carrig a Hooly, and