Balrathboyne

RATHBOYNE, or BALRATH Boy NE, a parish 24 miles south by east of Kells, and partly in the barony of Lower Navan, but chiefly in that of Upper Kells, co. Meath, Leinster.  Length, west by southward, 34 miles; extreme breadth, 2.  Area of the Lower Navan section, 599 acres, 2 roods, 23 perches; of the Upper Kells section, 3,392 acres, 1 rood, 27 perches. Pop. of the whole, in 1831, 1,271 ; in 1841, 1,235. Houses 190. Pop. of the Upper Kells section, in 1831, 1,031 ; in 1841, 1,069. Houses 164.

The surface consists, in general, of good land; and is traversed, across the west end, by the road from Kells to Athboy.  The seats are Cortown castle, Ballybeg house, and Charlesfort, the last the residence of John Tindall, Esq. Adjoining Ballybeg is the oldest and most extensive tree nursery in Ireland.

This parish is a rectory, and part of the benefice of Kells, in the dio. of Meath.  Tithe composition, £277.  The Roman Catholic chapel has an attendance of about 1,000; and, in the Roman Catholic parochial arrangement, is united to the chapels of Bohermeen and Boyerstown, in the parish of Ardbraccan.  In 1834, the Protestants amounted to 94, and the Roman Catholics to 1,176; and 2 daily schools—one of which was salaried with £16 a year from Mr. Tysdall—had on their books 50 boys and 68 girls.

Source: Irish Parliamentary Gazzette, 1845