Oldcastle in 1839

Oldcastle is in the barony of Demifore or Half Fowre, 58 miles from Dublin.

The town comprehends 237 houses, and a population of 1,531; the whole parish has 778 houses, and a population of 4,718.

There are a church, a plain modern building; a large but plain Catholic chapel; and a Primitive Methodist chapel.

There is a large school-house for a Lancasterian school, capable of containing 1,000 children. This school has an endowment of £800 a year.

Petty sessions are held here every fortnight; and the market, which is on Monday, is one of the largest yarn-markets in the county.

There are extensive corn-mills near the town.

There are three considerable yearly fairs.

There are considerable limestone quarries and large flour-mills in the parish.

The living is a rectory not united; the parish is included in a Catholic union.