SLIGO

SLIGO, the assize town of the county, became a place of importance by the building of a castle there, by the earl of Kildare, soon after the English settlement: its consequence was increased by the subsequent foundation of a Dominican monastery; but its progress was subsequently much impeded by fires, and by the hostilities produced by the struggles for superiority between the English and the natives. It was incorporated and invested with the privileges of a parliamentary borough in 1613, and in 1621 obtained a charter of the staple. In the early period of the war of 1641, it was taken by the parliamentarians, under Sir Charles Coote, but after some time evacuated by them, and thence continued in the possession of the royalists till the termination of the war. In 1688 it declared in favour of King James, was taken for King William by the Enniskilleners, who, in turn, were driven out by General Sarsfield; but the place ultimately surrendered to the earl of Granard. The town is

Sligo, situated on both sides of the mouth of the Garvogue, where it discharges itself into the bay. The river is crossed by two bridges. The streets are narrow, winding, and irregularly built. Its public buildings are, two protestant churches, a Roman Catholic chapel, a Dominican friary, Presbyterian, Independent, and Methodist meeting-houses. The existing remains of the ancient monastery of Sligo still exhibit a fine specimen of the architecture of the period in which it was erected. Near its high altar is the tomb of the O'Conor Sligo, embellished with effigies. The town contains the county infirmary and fever hospital, two dispensaries, cavalry barracks for a hundred men, a library, and a small theatre. There is a mendicity association, which has been for some time in existence, but will shortly be closed, as Sligo is selected for the site of the workhouse for a union that extends over the whole county, except a few detached parts on its borders that are annexed to unions in the adjacent counties. The town is divided, under the poor law act, into three wards, with two guardians to each; the rest of the union being divided into twenty wards, with thirty-three guardians. The markets, which are held daily, the principal being on Thursday and Saturday, are well supplied with grain, meat, fish, and vegetables. Fairs are held five times in the year. The town is a chief station for the constabulary, and for the coast-guard. The paving, lighting, and other departments of the municipal police, are under the direction of commissioners, appointed by several acts of parliament; their jurisdiction extends a mile in every direction from the market cross. Previously to the union, the borough returned two members to parliament; subsequently the number was reduced to one, the right of franchise being vested in the mayor and twenty-seven burgesses and freemen, till the passing of the reform act, when it was extended to the L.10 householders. The number of electors in 1832 was 418; and in 1834, 694. The assizes and sessions of the peace for the county are held here in the court-house, an elegant modern building, and petty sessions are likewise held weekly. The county prison is commodious, well arranged, and under a good system of discipline. It has a tread-mill.

Sligo bay, in its more extended bearings, stretches from Rinoran to Gessige point, at its opening, a distance of about six miles, and is divided into three branches, the central, largest, and deepest of which terminates at the town of Sligo. The entrance of this branch is screened from the violence of the ocean waves by two small islands, Oyster island and Coney island. There are three lighthouses at the mouth of the harbour. Across its main entrance is a bar, with but ten feet depth at low water. Though the entrance of ships of deep draught is thus prevented, yet vessels of 300 tons can come up to the quays in the turn of spring tides. The increase of trade has been very considerable of late years. The number of vessels that entered in 1800, was 65; in 1830, 540, but in 1834 the number fell to 391. The export of oats in 1831, was 130,000 quarters; in 1832, 134,000; and in 1833, 154,000. That of wheat trebled itself in the three years ending with 1833, but the quantities were still small as compared with the oats, amounting in 1833 to no more than 3127 quarters. The export of butter and pork is also increasing rapidly, and steadily; no fewer than 150,000 casks of the former, and 8547 barrels of the latter, having been shipped in 1833. The increased demand in Great Britain for grain and provisions, has produced a considerable change in the cultivation of the soil, both in enlarged extent, and superior skill applied to tillage-land. The exports in 1835 amounted to L.309,490, estimated value, the principal being of grain, 504,803 cwts., value L.25,240; and provisions, 55,389 cwts., value L.181,836. The imports of the same year amounted to L.124,692, of which the principal were, tobacco, 101,066 lbs., L.16,450; salt, 90,640 bushels, L.6,728; British spi-

rits, 33,000 gallons, L.11,000; and tea, 20,186 lbs., L.4037. Both exports and imports are chiefly confined to the cross-channel trade. The revenue of customs and excise duties has not increased in the same proportion. The amount of each, at various periods, is as follows:

The regulations of the port and harbour are placed under the commissioners of the town police, already noticed, who are authorised to assess a tax at a maximum of 2s. 6d in the pound, on all houses of L.5, and upwards, annual value, for all the purposes under the acts.

The population of Sligo town, and of the only other town of any note in the country, was in 1831, Sligo, 15,152; Ardmore, 2,47.