Name and Locality

The derivation of this parish is supposed to be from drum "back" and agh "a fort." It is sometimes written Dromaragh or Drumara.

Locality: it is situated nearly in the centre of the county of the county of Down and contains nearly equal portions of the 3 baronies of Lower Iveagh, Upper Iveagh and Kinelarty. It is bounded in the north and north west by the parish of Dromore, north and north east by Annahilt, east by Magheradrool, south east by Loughinisland, south by Kilmegan and Drumgooland and west by Garvaghy and Dromore. It's greatest length from Gransha Fort in the western boundary to its junction with Magheradrool and Loughinisland on the east is 8 miles, its mean length is 6 miles. It’s breadth from the junction of Loughinisland and Kilmegan on the south to where it meets Annahilt and Magheradrool on the north is 6 miles, and its mean breadth about 4 miles.

It contains an area of 21,192 acres, of which about 2,729 acres are uncultivated ground. About 656 acres are the remains of turf bog and earth of a peaty nature and about 94 acres are covered with water. The different portions may be seen in their respective townlands by reference to the Field Name Book.

Hills

The country is very hilly, running in parallel ridges from the mountain of Slieve Croob towards Lough Neagh and the sea. The summit of the mountain of Slieve Croob, sometimes called The Twelve Cairns, is on the southern boundary of the parish, 1,755 feet above the level of the sea. It has a rugged and barren appearance: about 1,598 acres of the mountain in this parish is uncultivated, the greatest part of which lies about 2 miles north and west of its summit, but to the east it is cultivated to within three-quarters of a mile of the top. In clear weather the coast of Scotland and the Isle of Man may be distinctly seen from it. It falls away gradually to the south east and west but towards the east the descent is 900 feet in three-quarters of a mile. The mountain is accessible on all sides but very boggy and covered with heath. The highest point of the mountain of the Deer Park is 1,037 feet above the sea. At the south eastern end of the parish is Dunmore hill, 734 feet in height. The Derry rocks in the north western end are 633 feet above the sea.

Lakes

In the north western end of the parish, on the boundary between the baronies of Lower and Upper Iveagh, is Begney lake covering about 5 acres in winter, and in summer it is as low as 31 acres, of which in the townland of Begney are 22 and a half acres in summer and about 30 in winter; and in Crossgar townland 9 acres of water in summer and about 15 in winter.

Another lake, about 1 and a half miles to the east of Begney, at the junction of the townlands of Crossgar, Lower Dunbeg and Munenabane, covers about 12 acres, its height above the sea 541 feet.

The lake in the townland of Burren covers about 11 acres and is 490 feet above the level of the sea. There are besides, several other smaller portions of water in different townlands, the whole amounting to 94 acres. Each portion may be seen by reference to the Name Book under the head of the townland.

Rivers

The only river of any extent in the parish is that of the Lagoan, a branch of which takes its rise in the mountain of Slieve Croob about 1,200 feet above the sea. It is immediately joined by another branch from the mountain of Legananny, from which it takes its name, in the adjoining parish at Drumgooland and runs in a north west direction through this parish for 6 miles. At passing the village of Dromara <Drumaragh> about 4 miles from its source, its height above the sea is 390 feet and 2 miles further it enters the parish of Dromore. In this parish it can hardly be termed anything but a mountain stream and is only used for turning a few mills on its banks.

The Quoile or Ballynahinch river forms the eastern boundary of the parish for about a mile.

There are besides, different rivulets and numerous springs; the only one worthy of remark is a chalybeate in the townland of Crossgar.

Bogs

There are about 656 acres of land of a boggy nature in this parish. That in the north west of Burren townland is the largest, covering about 68 acres; its height above the sea is 457 feet; that around the lake at the junction of Lower Dunbeg, Munenabane and Crossgar covers about 63 acres, height above the sea 541 feet. There are 58 acres at the south of Burren 522 feet above the level of the sea. The remaining detached portions may be seen in their respective townlands by reference to Field Name Book.

Uncultivated Ground

In this parish, besides the bogs already mentioned, there are about 2,729 acres of uncultivated or rocky ground. That round the mountain of Slieve Croob has already been stated to amount to 1,598 acres in this parish. The Deer Park contains 396 acres but the whole of the uncultivated ground on that mountain, including the park, amounts to 483 acres. On Dunmore hill there are about 260 acres of uncultivated land and in the townland of Derry about 182. These are the principal portions of uncultivated ground but there are others throughout the parish, each of which will be found under the head of townlands in Name Book.

Geology

The rocks on the northern side of Slieve Croob are schist; on the east and south side they are a fine, flesh-coloured syenite; and on the west they are hornblende. On the east side is a large whindyke standing vertically and running from south east to north west, and another in the townland of Mulloughdrin. The whole of this county appears to have felt some striking convulsion. There are several good slate quarries but not at present worked.

Villages

The only village is Dromara, of the same name as the parish, situated at the base of Slieve Croob and on the River Lagan. There are 8 fairs held here in the year: one on the first Friday in the months of February, May, August and November and one on the first Friday after the 15^th of the month of March, June, September and December; and a weekly market on every Friday, lately established. The petty sessions are held here once a fortnight.

Houses of Worship

Belonging to the Church of England is the parish church, situated a little west of the village of Dromara. It is able to accommodate about 400. Its site is ancient but it has lately been rebuilt. There is also a chapel of ease in the eastern end of the parish, generally known as Magherahamlet or Templemoyle church, and a Seceding meeting house. There is a large meeting house belonging to the Presbyterians, capable of holding about 700, in the western end of the parish and townland of Artanagh, and there are besides 2 Roman Catholic chapels, one in Finnis townland in the south of the parish and the other in the eastern end of the parish and townland of Dunmore, lately built.

Gentlemen’s Seats

There are none, with the exceptions of the Glebe House and curacy and a few respectable farmhouses.

Mills

There are a few mills on the numerous rivulets throughout this parish for the grinding of corn and dressing of flax but they are very little used at present: 2 in Crossgar townland, 2 in Begney, 2 in Aughneskeagh, 1 in Finnis, 1 in Edendarriff, 1 in Gransha and 1 in Dromara.

Communications

The roads are kept well in repair by the county. The principal are to the adjoining market towns of Banbridge, Dromore, Ballynahinch, Rathfriland, and a variety of by-roads laid out without the slightest judgement.

Ancient Church

The site of the church is ancient. It was burned in the rebellion of 1641 and remained in ruins until 1690.

Cave

In the townland of Finnis, close to the south west boundary of the parish, a curious subterraneous cave has been discovered. Its mouth was sufficiently large to admit the entrance of a boy by sliding down on his back. The Revd E. Boyd, the rector of the parish, caused it to be opened. A regular descent by steps was discovered into a doorway of about 6 feet high, and a large gallery running to the west, 92 feet 4 inches in length, 5 feet 10 inches high and 4 feet 4 inches broad. At about 30 feet from the entrance a branch runs to the right, 27 feet 3 inches long, 4 feet 10 inches broad and 5 feet 3 inches high. At its entrance the breadth was only 2 feet 6 inches and height 3 feet 8 inches. At about 30 feet further on there is another branch running to the right, 25 feet by 5 feet 1 inch high and 4 feet 9 inches broad. There is no appearance of a chamber. It is built up on each side with large blocks of syenite and roofed with large slates laid across. It was partly filled up with earth and stone. This, and a few of the old forts, are all that are worthy of notice.

Drainage of Bogs

Owing to the great change which has taken place in the lands of Ireland, the value of ground in this parish is much altered. The highlands were formerly considered the best and the lowlands, being marshy bog, were little regarded and it was customary for the landlord to give a certain quantity of bog land as a bonus to the tenant without receiving any rent. By degrees the bogs have been drained and are now the most valuable part of a farm.

Local Government

The petty sessions already mentioned are held once a fortnight in the village of Dromara. The magistrates who attend are the Revd E. Boyd of this parish, the Revd Sampson of Magherally and Cowan Herran Esq. From the parish of Dromore.

Poor

There is no provision for the poor, who depend on the voluntary contributions of the people and what they receive collected from the churches and meeting houses on Sunday.

Schools

There are 7 schools throughout this parish, 1 in each of the following townlands: Dunmore, Dree, Drinn, Gransha, Artanagh, Crossgar and Moydalgan; and the people are anxious to send their children to them.

Religion

The religion may be seen from their respective places of public worship. Those of the Established Church are not more than 200. The Presbyterian form of worship prevails.

The glebe lands are in the hands of lay proprietors. The present glebe, consisting of 20 acres rented from the Marquis of Downshire together with the tithes, is the support of the Established Church. The rector is the Revd. E. Boyd. The eastern end of the parish has a perpetual curacy and a resident clergyman near to the chapel of ease. The Presbyterian ministers have the regium donum and the stipends and the Roman Catholics have only the voluntary contributions and dues.

Habits of the People

In general, the houses are stone and thatched with 2 or 3 rooms and a kitchen on the ground floor; but in the mountainous part they are commonly built with sods or loose stones and have a most wretched appearance.

Weaving

Very little weaving prevails in this part of the country.

Agriculture

Their chief employment is agriculture [crossed out: which is the particular business of both men and women]. Their chief product is oats and potatoes. Owing to the great want of lime, which cannot be got nearer than Magheralin <maralin> (at least 10 or 12 miles off), cultivation is greatly retarded. The finest part of the parish for agriculture is the north west, particularly the townland of Drumadooney.

Townlands

[signed] G.A. Bennett, Lieutenant Royal Engineers, 22 Nov 1834.