Naas
An incorporated market and assize town and parish (formerly a parliamentary borough), is partly in the barony of South Salt, but chiefly in that of North Naas, county of Kildare, 19 miles S.W. from Dublin; situated at the junction of the Cork and Limerick mail roads, and about a mile and a half from the River Liffey. This place was anciently the residence of the kings of Leinster, and the name signifies “the Place of Elders,” for here the states of that province assembled during the sixth, seventh, and eight centuries: and the ruins of various religious edifices still exist, as evidence of the importance once enjoyed by Naas. The town consists principally of one good street, which is chiefly inhabited by respectable tradesmen. The business of the place is mainly of a general retail character. There are four principal inns, of which the “Queen’s Arm’s,” at the southern extremity of the town, and the “Globe,” at the northern, are family, commercial, and posting establishments of the finest respectability. A branch of the Grand Canal, which comes up to the town, opens a ready communication with the metropolis; and the Dublin and Cashel line of Railway will come within about a mile and three quarters of the place. The municipal affairs of Naas are regulated by a bench of magistrates, who sit in petty sessions every Monday; quarter sessions are held for the district in October and April, and the general assize is held alternately with Athy. The public buildings are a court-house, a modern stone building, facing the main street; a handsome new gaol, situated at the south-western end of the town; a constabulary barrack (formerly the gaol), in the centre of the main street, and a fine military barrack, situated on the Limerick road. There are two dispensaries and a well regulated union poorhouse-one of the former is at Ballymore Eustace, a few miles from the town; they are both valuable institutions, and their benefits skilfully administered.
The places of worship are the parish church, a neat stone building, with a large but unfinished tower, and a handsome new Roman Catholic chapel. A convent of the Sisters of Mercy, established here, is a valuable foundation, and the pious and exemplary members are actively engaged in the instruction of poor children, and administering consolation and relief to the indigent sick. In the cemetery of the parish church stands St. David’s castle, now the residence of the vicar, and near to it is the diocesan school, instituted in the reign of Elizabeth. The other public schools are the parochial and national, both of which appear to be efficiently conducted. The markets are held on Monday and Thursday. Fairs January 15th, February 16th, March 17th, April 15th, May 1st, Whit-Monday, July 11th, August 10th, September 20th, October 20th, November 22nd, and December 15th. Population 3, 580.
POST OFFICE, Jane Parsons, Post Mistress. – Letters from DUBLIN arrive every day at twenty minutes before one and night at ten minutes past ten, and are despatched every afternoon at one and morning at twenty minutes before two.- Letters from CORK arrive every afternoon at one and morning at two, and are despatched thereto at twenty minutes before one at noon and night at ten.
Letters from LIMERICK arrive every morning at half-past two, and are despatched thereto every night at ten. – Letters from WATERFORD arrive every morning at twenty minutes before two, and are despatched thereto every night at ten minutes past ten.
PLACES OF WORSHIP,
And their Ministers.
PARISH CHURCH- Rev. Walter Burgh, vicar; Rev. Paule Walker, curate.
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL- Reverend Gerald Doyle, parish priest; Reverend George Hume, curate.
CONVENT (Sisters of Mercy)- Mrs. Maher, superioress; sisterhood nine.
Public Institutions, &c.
BARRACKS (constabulary), Captain James Crawford, county inspector; Robert Gardener, sub-inspector.
BARRACKS (Military), Fisher, barrack sergeant.
COURT HOUSE- Richard Densmer, clerk of sessions; Mrs. Lapier, keeper.
DISPENSARY, Naas- Patrick Walsh, medical attendant; Andrew Currin, apothecary.
DISPENSARY, Ballymore-Eustace-Jos. D. O’Brien M.D., medical attendant.
GAOL- Rev. Walter Burgh, house inspector; William Clarke, Esq. governor; Rev. Walter Burgh, protestant chaplain; Rev. Gerald Doyle, Roman catholic chaplain; Mr. Patrick Walsh, medical attendant; Mr. Robert Hayes, apothecary.
SAVINGS’ BANK – Rd. Densmer, actuary.
STAMP OFFICE- Catherine Morrison, distributor.
UNION WORKHOUSE – James Butler, master; Susan Quin, matron; Rev. W. Burgh, protestant chaplain; Rev. John Delany, Roman catholic chaplain; Patrick Walsh, Esq., medical attendant; Mr. James Betteridge, clerk.
COACHES AND CARAVANS
Calling at the Mail Coach Office-Hugh Miller, agent.
To DUBLIN, the Royal Mail (from Waterford), every morning at twenty minutes before two- the Royal Mail (from Cork), at five minutes before three, and the Day Mail, at ten minutes past one afternoon; all go through Rathcool.
To DUBLIN, a Coach (from Waterford), every evening at half-past six- a Caravan (from Dunleven), every morning at seven, and one (from Carlow), every forenoon at eleven; all go the same route as the mails.
To CARLOW, a Caravan (from Dublin), every afternoon at half-past four; goes through Kilcullen and Castle-Dermot.
To CORK, the Royal Day Mail (from Dublin), every day at twenty minutes before one; goes through Kilcullen, Athy, Stradbally, Abbeyleix, Rathdowney, Templemore, Thurles, Cashel, Caher, Mitchelstown, Fermoy & Rathcormic-& the Night Mail, every night at ten; goes through Kilcullen, Simolin,(T?) Castle-Dermot, Carlow, Leighlin, Kilkenny, Callan, Clonmel, Clogheen, Fermoy and Rathcormic.
To DUNLAVIN, a Caravan (from Dublin), every evening at twenty minutes past five; goes through Kilcullen.
To WATERFORD, the Royal Mail (from Dublin), every night at twenty minutes past ten, and a Coach, every morning at half-past ten; both go through Kilcullen, Athy, Castle-Comer, Kilkenny, Koncktopher and Ballyhale.
Coaches &c. which call at the LIMERICK COACH OFFICE, unless otherwise expressed- Andrew Dempsey, agent.
To DUBLIN, the Royal Mail (from Limerick), every morning at half-past two; goes through Rathcool.
To DUBLIN, a Coach (from Monastereven), every morning at nine-one (from Parsonstown), every afternoon at three, and one (from Limerick), every evening at half-past seven; all go the same route as the mail.
To DUBLIN, a Caravan (from Nenagh), every afternoon at half-past four-one (from Thurles), at a quarter before five, and one from the Black Bull Tavern, every morning at seven; all go the same route as the mail.
To BALLYMORE, a Car, from the Black Bull, every morning at six.
To LIMERICK, the Royal Mail (from Dublin), every night at ten, and a Coach, every morning at a quarter past ten; both go through Newbridge, Kildare, Monastereven, Maryborough, Monteith, Roscrea and Nenagh.
To MONASTEREVEN, Coach (from Dublin), every evening at five; goes through Newbridge and Kildare.
To NENAGH, a Caravan (from Dublin), every morning at half-past nine; goes the same route as the LIMERICK mail.
To PARSONSTOWN, a Coach (from Dublin), every morning at a quarter before ten; goes through Newbridge, Kildare, Monastereven, Portarlington, Mountmellick and Kinnity.
To THURLES, a Caravan (from Dublin), every morning at half-past nine; goes through Newbridge, Kildare, Monastereven, Maryborough, Montrath, Rathdowney and Templemore.
CONVEYANCES FOR GOODS
To DUBLIN, there are Boats, as occasion require, but they have no fixed periods of departure.
There are Cars, for the conveyance of goods, which pass through Naas, on their route to DUBLIN and other towns, but they are irregular, and have no office.
Description of Naas in 1846 from Slater’s Trade Directory
[compiled and edited by Mario Corrigan and Niamh McCabe]
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