that its inmates followed the rule of St. Augustine, and that their possessions were granted, at some time subsequent to the dissolution, to Thomas Earl of Ormonde.* The Castle of Tullow was erected late in the twelfth century, by order of the Anglo-Norman government, under the inspection of Hugh De Lacy, Earl of Meath. This fortress was held by Colonel Butler, in 1650, against Oliver Cromwell; but, after a valiant resistance, was taken by the parliament forces under Colonels Hewson and Reynolds. As was usual in the ferocious wars of the seventeenth century, the reduction of the castle was followed by the infliction of detestable cruelties on the subdued garrison.-A monastic establishment exists here, founded within the last thirty years.

The following seats are conspicuous in the vicinity of the town of Tullow.-Adristan, the residence of Mr. Finlay. Mountwollesley, the handsome seat of Sir Richard Wollesley, Bart; adjoining which is Castlemore, formerly a seat of the Kavanaghs, now of the family of Eustace.-Rathrush, a manor belonging to Viscount Frankfort de Montmorency, is distant from Tullow three miles; and, within one mile of that demesne, is Balynunnery, the seat of Mr. Swift.+ Some ruins of Castle-Grace are still to

Theobald, the grandson and heir of Sir Edmund Butler, of Rosera and Cloughrenan Castles, was created, in 1603, Viscount Tulleophelim. The titles of Ormonde and Ossory were likewise secured to him, but his lordship dying in 1613, without issue by his wife, the Lady Elizabeth Butler, only child of Thomas, tenth Earl of Ormonde, K. G. his line became extinct. Richard, the fifth son of the first Duke of Ormonde, was in 1639, created Baron of Cloughrenan, Viscount Tullow and Earl of Arran, but died without issue male in 1685. These titles were in 1693, again revived in the person of Charles, the second and youngest son of the justly celebrated Thomas Earl of Ossory, and brother of the unfortunate Duke of Ormonde, who was attainted in 1716. This Earl of Arran also died without issue male in 1758, when these titles became a second time extinct.

+ This seat would appear, from its name, to have been originally a convent of nuns. It is not improbable that this is the place called by Dr. O'Halloran Killiadan (the dowry-church) and which was unknown to the author of the Monasticon. The foundation is said to have been made

be scen, which building was, probably, founded by the Grace family, who were among the earliest landed proprietors in this county. This antient structure, and a considerable estate around it, have been, however, for a very long period in the possession of the Earls of Ormonde. In the years 1268 and 1275, we find two persons named William le Gras governors of Carlow for the Roger Bigots, the fourth and fifth Earls of Norfolk, lords palatine.

LEIGHLIN, usually termed OLD LEIGHLIN, now a small village, was formerly a place of considerable importance, and is still an episcopal see, but united to the diocess of Ferns. A monastery was established here, early in the 7th century, by St. Gobban, which was surrendered, according to Archdall, by the founder to St. Laserian, first bishop of Leighlin; who "at one time had 1500 monks under his jurisdiction." Here was, also, a Priory, dedicated to St. Stephen; which, as we are told by the annalist Thady Dowling, "was founded by Burchard, a Norwegian captain."* This foundation was dissolved in 1432, by consent of Pope Eugene IV. and its estates were annexed to the deanery of Leighlin.

by St. Kieran, before the arrival of St. Patrick, and the nunnery to have been the oldest in the island. MSS. of the Chev. De Montmorency.

* Dowling, the friar and annalist, adds further that, in his time, the tomb of this Burchard, or Bouchard, was remaining, with his effigies reposing upon it, and an inscription in Latin, of which that writer preserves a copy. It would appear to be extremely probable that the whole of the particulars presented by Dowling, respecting" Burchard, the son of Gormondus," are founded in error, proceeding from misinterpreted tradition. It must be nearly superfluous to observe that the monument to which he alludes, if ornamented with the effigies of the deceased person whom it was designed to commemorate, could not, according to all rational conclusion, be of greater antiquity than the latter part of the twelfth century. The Chevalier De Montmorency, in some learned and ingenious MS. remarks upon the subject, is of opinion that the tomb in question" had been raised in honour of an Anglo-Norman chief, named Bouchard, seated at Wexford, which place by the Irish was called Lough Gormond; according to which hypothesis the inscription preserved by Dowling may be thus translated: "Here lieth interred the ducal founder of Leighlin.

Behold, Bouchard of Gormond (Wexford) a man grateful to the church."

The ecclesiastical institutions of Leighlin speedily led to the formation of a populous town; but various calamities, arising from intestine warfare, interfered with the prosperity of the inhabitants. Amongst these it may be noticed that the town was attacked and wasted, by the people of Ossory, in the year 978, and was destroyed by fire in 1060. Many advantages were obtained for the inhabitants by the exertions of Bishop Herlewin. In 1216, this prelate, writes Dr. Ledwich, "had the town incorporated, and obtained for the burgesses privileges similar to those enjoyed by the people of Bristol, with liberties extending about a mile and a half round the town. Large stones define the extent of these liberties, and on them were these words; "Terminus Burgens: Lechlinen. hic lapis est." One of these stones stands near Leighlin bridge, another near Wells, and a third in the mountains."

In 1389, the town was again destroyed in party warfare; but was so far recovered in the year 1400, as to possess eighty-six burgage tenements. Amongst its buildings, at the same time, are mentioned an episcopal palace, a deanery-house, and a monastery. The erection of a bridge over the river Barrow, in the fourteenth century,* by giving a new direction to the great southern road, obviously accelerated the decay of this town, which now retains no vestige of its former importance, except the cathedral.

The Cathedral Church of Leighlin is a small, but decent, structure, of cruciform arrangement, and in the pointed style. We are told by Ware that the antient cathedral having been destroyed by fire, the whole was rebuilt by Bishop Donat, who died in 1185. This structure falling to decay, the choir was again re-edified by bishop Saunders, who was advanced to this see in 1527. The work of the latter prelate constitutes the chief part of the present cathedral, which also acts as the parochial church. Several bishops were here interred, but without existing monu

See article Leighlin Bridge.

ments. At a small distance from the church is a well, dedicated to St. Laserian, now shaded by trees; in the vicinity of which is a stone cross, of rude workmanship.

Leighlin was constituted an episcopal see about the year 632, by St. Laserian, otherwise called Molissa, who was consecrated a bishop by Pope Honorius, and appointed by that pontiff legate of Ireland. The interests of the see experienced great injury from the frequent wars which harassed this district, but these evils were as constantly repaired by the active exertions of several spirited and able prelates, until the latter years of the sixteenth century, at which time bishop Daniel Kavanagh (who succeeded to this see in 1567, and died in 1587,) by granting long leases, and other unjustifiable acts, committed irremediable damage on the episcopal property. In the year 1600, after a vacancy of nearly three years, this see was united to the bishopric of Ferns; which union has ever since subsisted. For a list of the prelates who sat at Leighlin we refer to the "History of the Bishops of Ireland" by Sir James Ware. An enumeration of the bishops who have held this see in conjunction with Ferns, is presented in our account of the latter place.

- The diocess of Leighlin, according to Dr. Beaufort, "is of a very irregular form; in some places but six, and in none above thirteen miles broad, though it is thirty-nine miles long, from north to south." It comprises eighty-nine parishes; seven of which are in the county of Wicklow; forty-nine in Carlow; twenty-seven in the Queen's County; and six in the county of Kilkenny.

There are, however, in this recluse cathedral church, numerous sepulchral inscriptions to members of several families long seated in neighbouring districts, including the distinguished family of Kavanagh. The most antient inscription is to-Kavanagh, daughter to Maurice, son of Donat, who died A. D. 1500. On the tomb of Mary, wife of Richard Vigors, who died A. D. 1703-4, are the following lines:

Thou dust and clay, tell me I say,

Where is thy beauty fled?

Was it in vain? or doth it gain

The favour of the dead?

The Chapter is composed of a dean; precentor; chancellor ; treasurer; archdeacon; and four prebendaries.

Leighlin-BridgGE is the name given to a small post and fair town, distant about two miles from Old Leighlin, and situated on the banks of the river Barrow. The origin of a settlement at this place may be traced to the twelfth century.-About the year 1181, a castle was erected here by John de Clahul, or de Claville, with the sanction of Earl Hugh de Lacy. The remains of this building, chiefly consisting of a square tower, richly clothed with ivy, are still to be seen, in the immediate vicinity of the bridge. This was usually termed the Black Castle. A second fortress was built at "New Leighlin", in the year 1408, by Gerald, fifth Earl of Kildare, on which the founder bestowed the appellation of White Castle, in contradistinction to the name of the structure erected by De Claville.-In 1577," the castle of Leighlin" was taken by Rory-Oge O'More, the turbulent dynast of Leix, who, at the same time, destroyed the town by fire. The same fortress was again taken by Colonel Hewson, for Oliver Cromwell, in 1649.

A monastery for Carmelite friars was founded on a spot near the Black Castle, upon the east bank of the Barrow, by De Carew, baron of Idrone, towards the close of the reign of Henry III. After the suppression of religious houses this monastery, then in the hands of the government, was occasionally occupied by Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who, in the year 1547, surrounded the abbey with a wall, and built here a fort. It is worthy of remark that Sir Edward Bellingham established at this place (as likewise at Abbey-Leix) harras, or studs of horses, of an improved and better breed than had before been known in Ireland, for the use of his own household, and for the public service.

The most curious vestige of antiquity in this neighbourhood consists in a Rath, exhibiting the extensive remains of an earth work, formerly a place of inhabitation. Some funeral urns have been found here, composed of earthen ware, and containing. nothing more than a small portion of dust.

The Bridge of Leighlin, comprising ten arches, was built by