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Lewis's Topographical Dictionary 1837
Towns & Villages
YAGOE, or YAGOESTOWN
YAGOE, or YAGOESTOWN, a parish, in the barony of SOUTH NAAS, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 1½ mile (W.) from Ballymore-Eustace, on the road to Kilcullen; containing 612 inhabitants.
This parish, anciently called St. Jago, from its church being dedicated to St. James, is situated upon the confines of the county of Wicklow. The advowson anciently belonged to the Dean and Chapter of St. Patrick's cathedral, Dublin, and was granted in 1230 to the Earl of Pembroke, in consequence of a compact between him and Archbishop Henry, by which the Earl confirmed to him the church of Moncolumbkill, which had been granted by his father, on the condition that he and his heirs should present to a prebend of the value of fifty marks.
On the failure of issue male in the family of the Earl, it became the property of Agnes De Vesey, from whom it passed to the Earl of Kildare, whose family have ever since presented to it. It had two dependent chapels, Inchebrislane and Brethnockstown; the former, from an extensive grange belonging to the abbey of Baltinglass, obtained the name of Grangia Monachorum; that of Brethnockstown is now within the demesne of R. La Touche, Esq. The seats are Ardenode, the residence of W. Brownrigg, Esq.; Annefield, of F. Homan, Esq.; Enfield, of Capt. Dias; and Bollabeg, of Mr. Kilbee. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Dublin, the rectory being the corps of the prebend of Yagoe, in the patronage of the Duke of Leinster; the vicarage is part of the union of Ballymore-Eustace. The tithes amount to £83.1.6., of which £27.13.10. is payable to the prebendary and £55.7.8. to the vicar. In the R.C. divisions it is also part of the union or district of Ballymore-Eustace. The ruins of the old parochial church, in a burial-ground, are within the demesne or Annefield.