COOLCRAHEEN, or COOLCRAGHIN, a parish, in the barony of FASSADINING, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (N. N. E.) from Freshford; containing 668 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the road from Kilkenny to Castle-Durrow, and contains 2768 statute acres, mostly under tillage. Limestone is abundant, and is used for building and burning for manure. Foulksrath Castle is of some antiquity, but has been converted into a comfortable dwelling by T. Wright, Esq., an eminent agriculturist and grazier. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Ossory, and is part of the union of Odogh: the tithes amount to £200. In the R. C. divisions it forms part of the unions or districts of Conahy and Muckalee. The ruins of Inchmore castle, opposite Inchmore island in the Nore, are in this parish: it consisted of a strong square keep of considerable antiquity, united to a splendid mansion in the Elizabethan style, and was erected by Robert Grace, baron of Courtstown, and member of parliament for the county of Kilkenny, who died about the year 1640.

(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.)