CLARAH, or CLARA, a parish, in the barony of GOWRAN, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 3 ¼ miles (E. by N.) from Kilkenny; containing 657 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the mail coach road from Dublin to Kilkenny, and contains 3165 statute acres. The principal seats are Clifden, the property of Viscount Clifden (to whom it gives title), but occupied by R. Blanchfield, Esq.; Kilmagan, the residence of James Butler, Esq.; and Clara Castle, of A. Byron, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, and is part of the union of St. John's; the rectory is impropriate in the corporation of Kilkenny. The tithes amount to £270, of which £180 is payable to the impropriators, and £90 to the vicar. The parochial church is in ruins: there is a glebe of 15 acres. In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union or district of Gowran, and has a neat chapel. There are two private schools, in which are 100 boys and 40 girls.

(Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837); Transcription © Derek Rowlinson, 2005-10. Reproduced from LibraryIreland. We are deeply grateful to LibraryIreland for allowing us to use their transcription.)