GRANGE, OR MONKSGRANGE This was anciently a distinct Parish, the church of which is still to be seen, in ruins, between those of Killabban and Sletty having an ancient burial-ground attached. The name is sometimes written Grangemonk; and in the Inquisitions it is given as Monksgrange, alias Kilmagobbock. Within a short distance of the ruinous Church of Grange, there is another ancient cemetery and, most probably also, the site of a church. It immediately adjoins Shrule Castle, and is still occasionally used for interments; the remaining tomb-stones, - the dates on which range from 1737,- show no incription calling for notice. Sir Jonah Barrington, in his Personal Recollections, makes reference to this graveyard. In this district and probably on this site, one of our earliest Monasteries stood; it was known as that of Sruthair, (a word signifying a Stream) or Sruthaire-Guaire, now changed into Shrule. According to Archdall, who errneously places it in the County of Wicklow, this Monastery was presided over by St. Mogoroc, the brother of St. Canoc, who flourished about the year 492; he was the patron of the church of Derge, or Dergne, in Huidh-bruin-chualan. His festival was observed on the 23rd of December. It is entered in the Martyrology of Tallaght at that date:- "Mogoroc Diergne." Whether Sruthair be the same as the abbey of Dergne, Colgan cannot determine. The name Kilmagobbock appears to be a corruption of Killmogoroc, i.e. the Church of St. Mogoroc. A.D. 864. Sruthair, Sletty, and Achadh-Arglais (Agha) were plundered by the Ossorymen. (Four Masters.) A.D. 901. Maelpoil, Abbot of Sruthair-Guaire, died. (Id.) A.D. 952. Caenchomhrac, Abbot of Cill-Easpuig, Saintain, and Sruthair, died. (Id.) A.D. 1355. The Abbot of Sruthair, McCathail, died. (Annals Donegal.) In the partition of the property of the native Irish, massacred at Mullaghmast in 1577, that portion lying in this neighbourhood fell chiefly to the lot of the Hartpoles. By an Inquisition taken at Maryborough, the 22nd of May, 1632, it appears, that George Hartpole of Monksgrange was seized in fee tail to himself and his heirs male, of the town and land of Shrowell, of which the hamlets of Ballehorner, Rossenalgan, Ballyrahan, Rathduffe, Ballycollin, Garrybrickin, Aghetinan, and Cappiscribedore are parcel, all of which contain 1 castle, 10 messuages, and 22 acres of land of the small measurement, in the country called Slewmargagh. The aforesaid George was also seized in fee of the lordship of ____, and of the town and land of Newcastle alias Castlenoe, Ballynegall, Ardlisse alias Narlissse, Clonevacan, Clowlenowle, Farnans, Garrans alias Negarran alias Clonecangarran, Kilcloghe, Cossan, Rathtillge, Garrendenny, Killgore, Clonebrocke, Killnemore, Rossenamount, Rosseconse, Emelaghe, Bareneslattye, Ballynekillye, Garrowghe, Aghenecrosse, Tenesraghe, Cargin, farrminabee, Killcollykin, Killagin, and Garrymore, which are all parcels of the said lordship, and contain 1 castle, 20 messuages, and 50 acres of land of the said small measure; 2 messuages in the town of Maryborough, and the town and land of Le Grange of Killmagobbock alias Monksgrange, with the tithes of same, containing 1 castle, 1 water-mill, and 40 acres, with the rectories of Killabban and Corclone, and all the tithes belonging to them, together with the advowson and right of presentation to the vicarage of Killabban aforesaid. The said George Hartpole died on the 24th of January, 1631. Robert Hartpole is his son and heir, was then of the age of 25 years, and married. The remains of an old castle at Grange have lately been incorporated with a modern dwelling-house. There is another castle at Shrule, built in the reign of Elizabeth by Sir Robert Hartpole, Constable of Carlow Castle and Governor of the Queen's County. This castle has also been fashioned into a modern residence. In the Aphori,smical Discovery, vol. 1, c. 5, it is related that "Robert Harpold, in the Queene's Countie, did (in 1641) make up a troupe, and maned his own casshell of Shrule, for the Irish, within two miles of Caterlogh, soe did Walter Bagnall make a troupe, and tooke Laghlin Bridge; Edward Butler, of Tulloe, mad up men, and James Birne, all those proved verie curagious and earnest in those primer times, and so did all the Irish severally in the respective provinces, that I am confident a 100 English would not face ten Irish in these beginnings, for God did fight for them then, having, as they had, religion as their onely objecte of warfare, and allsoe the English was mightie discouraged, seeing the multitude of Irish in eache province, and how they thrived, that they thought strange where we are soe manie all the while, and persuaded themselves that they rose from porgatorie (which until then they never beleeved) in so much that verie many of the rankest Protestants, nay of theire chiefe ministers, was verie earnest for reconcilement to holy churche, and being received, showed extraordinarie devotion." There is a local tradition that a priest named Moore, a member of the princely family of O'Moore, who officiated in the parish, was seized at the time of the Cromwellian persecution, and hanged at the cross-roads of Bohernassere, from an oak tree which is still standing. It is further stated that the body of the priest was buried beneath the tree on which he suffered martyrdom. Source: Irish Midlands Ancestry http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/index.html

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