•  Grean, County Limerick

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In 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described Grean like this:

GREANE, a parish, partly in the barony of CLANWILLIAM, but chiefly in that of COONAGH, county of LIMERICK, and province of MUNSTER, on the new line of road from Limerick to Tipperary; containing, with the post-town of Pallasgreane, 4923 inhabitants. At Sulchoi pass, near Pallas, an important battle was fought in 960 between the Irish and the Danes, in which the latter were defeated and pursued to Limerick. ...

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It was formerly an incorporated town, and had a collegiate church. The parish comprises 4207 statute acres, about one-fifth of which is under tillage, three-fifths are meadow, and the remainder principally pasturage on Knock-na-greine, or the "hill of the sun." Basalt is found in Knock-na-greine, where it rises to the height of 864 feet, and appears to have been forced up by a violent convulsion, as the limestone on which it is based is very much shattered and dislocated. Near this hill is Lynfield, the fine mansion of D. O'Grady, Esq., through a wood in the neighbourhood of which is seen a magnificent facade of basaltic rock, consisting of numerous lofty columns closely joined, and forming a miniature resemblance of Fair Head, in Antrim. Dork, the handsome residence of Heffernan Considine, Esq., commands a charming view of a rich and undulating country as far as the celebrated rock of Cashel. Near the house passes the old road by which Wm. III. marched from Golden-Bridge to the siege of Limerick. The other principal mansions are Mount Catherine, the seat of H. Smithwick, Esq.; Pallas, of T. Abjohn, Esq.; Sunville, of T. Kearney, Esq.; and the glebe-house, of the Rev. W. Scott. Petty sessions are held on alternate Mondays at New Pallas. There is a constabulary police station in the village of Nicker. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Emly, and in the patronage of the Archbishop of Cashel: the tithes amount to £450. There is a glebe-house, with a glebe of seven acres and another of 32 acres, which is subject to a rent of £30. The church, which was built in 1808, is in a dilapidated state. In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union or district, called Pallasgreane, including the parishes of Greane and Ballyclough, and part of Drumkeen, and containing a large plain chapel at Nicker. The parochial school, for which there is a large and handsome house at New Pallas, are on the foundation of Erasmus Smith, and endowed with £30 per ann. and two acres of land. There is also a private school of 100 children. Eastward of the church is a moat, and about a mile from it is the ancient castle of Kilduff. Near Lynfield are the remains of Kilcolman church, which was founded in the 7th century.

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