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BAL
£450 was a gift and £50 a loan from the late Board of
First Fruits, in 1816; and there is a glebe of seven
acres. In the R. C. divisions it is the head of a union
or district, which also comprises the parish of Bally-
culter, and contains three chapels, situated respectively
at Ballycrottle, in Bailee, and at Strangford and Cargagh,
in Ballyculter. There is a large meeting-house for
Presbyterians in connection with the Remonstrant Synod,
of the second class. The parochial school, in which 40
boys and 28 girls are taught, is supported conjointly by
the rector and Hugh Johnson, Esq., of London, and there
are two others. There are also four private schools, in
which are 113 boys and 90 girls. J. Dunn, an eccentric
itinerant dealer, by will in 1798, gave £100 in trust to
A. Gracy, Esq., who purchased with it a chief-rent at
Ballymote, in the parish of Downpatrick, which is divided
annually between the Presbyterian poor of Down and
Ballee. R. Glenny left £100, the interest to be equally
divided among the poor Catholics, Protestants, and Pres-
byterians of the parish, but it is not now available; and
Mrs. Kelly, of Loughkeland, by will in 1805, gave £100
in trust to Mr. Gracy, with which he purchased a house
in Downpatrick, now let on lease at an annual rent of
£10, which is distributed among the poor at Christmas.
Near the mountain of Slieve-na-Gridel, which, according
to the Ordnance survey, rises 414 feet above the level of
the sea, is a remarkable druidical altar, the table stone
of which is 11 feet long and 9 broad; and on the town-
land of Ballyalton is an ancient burial-ground, in which
are some curiously inscribed stones. A splendid golden
torques, richly ornamented and set with gems, was found
near the glebe in 1834.
BALLEEN, a parish, in the barony of GALMOY,
county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER, 2 miles
(W. N. W.) from Freshford: the population is returned
with the parishes of Coolcashin and Sheffin. It com-
prises about 1409 statute acres, and is a vicarage, in the
diocese of Ossory, forming part of the union of Fresh-
ford and prebend of Aghoure; the rectory is appropriate
to the Dean and Chapter of St. Canice, Kilkenny. The
tithes amount to £101. 7. 4., of which £67. 11. 6½. is
payable to the appropriators, and £33. 15. 9½. to the
vicar. In the R. C. divisions it is included in the union
or district of Lisdowney. Here are the picturesque
ruins of a castle, on a stone of which is inscribed the
date 1455.
BALLIBAY, a market and post-town, and a parish,
partly in the barony of MONAGHAN, but chiefly in that
of CREMORNE, county of MONAGHAN, and province of
ULSTER, Smiles (S. by E.) from Monaghan, and 50 miles
(N. W. by N.) from Dublin; containing 6685 inhabitants,
of which number, 1947 are in the town. This place,
which is situated at the intersection of the roads from
Castle-Blayney to Cootehill and Clones, and from Car-
rickmacross to Monaghan, derives its name from a pass
between the lakes at the southern extremity of the town.
A battle was fought in the vicinity, at a place called
Ballydian, between De Courcy, first Earl of Ulster, and
the Mac Mahons and O’Carrols, Prior to the introduc-
tion of the linen manufacture the town was of very little
importance; but since the establishment of its linen
market about the middle of the last century, it has ra-
pidly advanced, and now contains about 400 houses,
many of which are respectable and comfortably built,
and has become the principal mart for the inhabitants
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BAL
of the surrounding country. The manufacture of linen,
of a texture from nine to fourteen hundreds, is extensively
carried on throughout the parish. The market is on Sa-
turday, and is amply supplied; great quantities of butter
are sold, and from October to February inclusive not less
than from 8000 to 12,000 stone of flax is sold weekly:
there are also extensive markets for grain on Tuesday
and Friday. Fairs are held on the third Saturday in
every month, and are remarkable for large sales of
horses, horned cattle, and pigs. A reading society was
established in 1816, and is supported by a proprietary
of annual subscribers; the library contains nearly 1000
volumes. Petty sessions are held in the market-house
irregularly: and here is a constabulary police station.
The parish comprises, according to the Ordnance
survey, 8741¼ statute acres, of which 181 are in the
barony of Monaghan, and 8560¼ in that of Cremorne;
180 acres are under water. It was formed by act of
council in 1796, by separating from the parishes of Tul-
lycorbet and Aughnamullen several townlands, ap-
plotted under the tithe act and valued at £6957 per
annum. Its surface is studded with lakes and boldly
diversified with hills and dales. About four miles from
the town is the mountain of Bunnanimma, at the base
of which are bleach-greens and mills. The approach to
the town opens upon an extremely beautiful and pictu-
resque tract of country. To the east are seen, at the
distance of 20 miles, the deep blue summits of the lofty
Slievegullion, with the village, about a quarter of a mile
beneath, apparently embosomed in hills and situated on
the margin of a lake a mile in diameter, which forms
its boundary on the east and south, and is itself
bounded by a rich amphitheatre of woods. The soil is
of a fair average quality, but agriculture is not in a very
forward state: the growth of flax has been much en-
couraged, and large quantities of very good quality are
raised. There is no waste land. Very extensive tracts
of bog supply the inhabitants and the various works
with abundance of fuel; so great is the quantity con-
sumed that many of the manufacturers employ from 60
to 100 persons for three months every year to dig and
prepare it. The draining of these bogs, and the numerous
population around the works, have caused a great change
in the climate of the Bunnanimma mountain, which
formerly was liable to be enveloped in thick fogs for
ten or twelve days successively; but now the drying of
the turf is seldom interrupted for a single day. The
mountain lands, though naturally very poor, have on
this side been nearly reclaimed. The prevailing sub-
stratum is whinstone; slate also exists, and was formerly
quarried for roofing; and there are extensive quarries of
greenstone, called “Ribbil,” of which the town is built.
A. lead mine was opened at Laragh, about half a mile from
the town, but it has not been worked since 1826; it is
very rich in ore, and from silver found in it has been
manufactured some plate in the possession of Col. C. A,
Leslie. About half a mile from the town is Ballibay
House, the seat of that gentleman, on whose estate
the town is built; it is a handsome and spacious man-
sion beautifully situated on the border of a lake, and
backed by some extensive plantations. The other prin-
cipal residences in the parish are Derry Valley, the seat
of T. McCullagh, Esq.; Aghralane, of T. Lucas, Esq.;
and Lake View, the residence of the Rev. Hercules
Langrishe, the incumbent.