St. Marys (Newtownbarry)

"ST. MARY'S, (or Newton Barry), a parish, post and market town, in the barony of Scarawalsh, county Wexford, province of Leinster, Ireland, 24 miles N.N.W. of Wexford, and 61 from Dublin. The parish is 6 miles long, and its extreme breadth is 3. The surface is hilly and well wooded, consisting of part of the valley of the river Slaney. The roads from Dublin to New-Ross and to Wexford pass through the parish.

The living is a rectory and vicarage in the diocese of Ferns, value £304, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is near a century old, but has been recently enlarged. The Roman Catholic chapel is united to that of Clonegall. Woodfield, the seat of Lord Farnham, Ryland Villa, and Millview Cottage are the principal seats. The town lies near the foot of the Blackstairs mountains and Mount Kennedy, at the point where the Clody river joins the Slaney. It was founded by the Barry family in 1577, and came from them to the Maxwells, and was occupied by the rebels in 1798. It contains a police station, barracks, schools, dispensary, and fever hospital, which last is in the Enniscorthy poor-law union. Petty sessions are held at intervals. Saturday is market day. Fairs are held on 4th January, 29th April, 17th and 18th June, 20th August, 14th September, 4th and 30th November.

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868