ROSSNOWLOUGH, an ecclesiastical district, in the barony of TYRHUGH, county of DONEGAL, and province of ULSTER, 3 miles (N. W.) from Ballyshannon, on the west of the road to Donegal and on the sea coast; containing 1006 inhabitants. In the year 1830, nine townlands, comprising 2403 ½ statute acres, were separated from the parish of Drumholm and constituted the ecclesiastical district parish of Rossnowlough. It is a perpetual curacy, in the diocese of Raphoe, and in the patronage of the Vicar of Drumholm: the gross value of the benefice is £108. 8. 9., of which £75 is paid by the vicar, and £25 from Primate Boulter's fund; the remainder is the annual value of the glebe. The church was erected in 1831, by aid of a gift of £800 from the late Board of First Fruits. In the R. C. divisions it is in the district of Drumholm. About 360 children are educated in six public schools, of which one is supported by the trustees of Erasmus Smith's charity, one from Col. Robertson's endowment, and the remainder chiefly by subscription. There are also two private schools, in which are about 130 children; and two Sunday schools.

(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.)