Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

BAL
containing, with part of the post-town of Ballymena,
called the village of Henryville, 3692 inhabitants. This
place, with a district extending many miles around it,
was the property of the ancient and princely sept of the
O’Haras, who settled here during the re`ign of Hen. II.,
and whose ancient mansion still occupies the summit of
a gently rising eminence near the village of Crebilly.
During the insurrection in 1641, Cromwell wrested from
them a considerable portion of the manor of Crebilly,
or the “Kearte,” which he divided among several of his
adherents. Some of the timber about Crebilly is of very
ancient growth; and there are several traces of the
former splendour, and many traditions of the princely
hospitality of the chiefs of the O’Hara sept. The parish
comprises, according to the Ordnance survey, 8268¾
statute acres, about one-fifth of which is brush-wood
and mountain, which is gradually being brought into
cultivation] 150 acres are bog, 30 acres are woodland,
and the remainder is arable and pasture. The soil is
fertile, and the system of agriculture is greatly improved;
the cultivation of wheat, for which the land is well
adapted, has been recently introduced with success.
Fairs are held at Crebilly on the 26th of June and 21st
of August, for horses, black cattle, sheep, and pigs j
they were formerly the largest in the province, but are
now indifferently attended. Courts leet and baron are
held annually; and a manorial court for the district of
Kearte is held monthly by the seneschal, for the re-
covery of debts, with jurisdiction over the whole of this
parish and parts of the parishes of Connor and Rath-
caven. The living is a rectory and vicarage, in the
diocese of Connor, formerly belonging to the chancel-
lorship, but episcopally united to the impropriate curacy
of Kirldnriola on the death of the late Dr. Trail j the
tithes amount to £129. 4, 7½. In the R. C. divisions
this parish is united to Ballymena: the chapel, situated
at Crebilly, was erected in 1810, near the ancient seat
of the O’ Haras. A school was built at Caugherty in
1829, one at Ballavaddan in 1800, and a parochial
school is now being built under the management and
patronage of the rector: there are also two other public
schools, and a private and three Sunday schools. Col.
O’Hara, in 1759, bequeathed £20 per annum to the
poor of this parish, which is regularly distributed ac-
cording to the will of the testator. There are some
remains of the ancient parish church, also of Dunavad-
dan chapel; besides numerous remains of forts, in-
trenchments, and Druidical altars, and several moats
and tumuli, scattered over the surface of this parish.
BALLYCOLLON —See COOLBANAGHER.
BALLYCOLLONBEG.—See MOUNTMELLICK.
BALLYCOMMON, a parish, in the barony of LOWER.
PHILIPSTOWN, KING’S county, and province
TER, 3½ miles, (W.) from Philipstown, on the road from
Dublin to Tullamore, containing 1226 inhabitants. It
comprises about 6730 statute acres, of which 4244 are ap-
plotted under the tithe act: about 2503 acres are pasture,
and 1743 arable land; and there are 2430 acres of bog, 50
of waste, and 5 or 6 of woodland. The living is a rectory,
in the diocese of Kildare, and in the patronage of the
Crown; the tithes amount to £138. 9. 2¾. The church
has been lately repaired by a grant of £335 from the Ec-
clesiastical Commissioners. The glebe-house was built
by aid of a gift of £450 and a loan of £160, in 1817,
from the late Board of First Fruits; the glebe com-
130
BAL
prises 3a. lr. 15p. In the R. C. divisions the parish
forms part of the union or district of Philipstown.
There is a school aided by private subscriptions,
also a hedge school, in each of which are about 40
children.
BALLYCONNELL, a market and post-town, in the
parish of TOMREGAN, barony of TULLAGHAGH, county
of CAY AN, and province of ULSTER, 12½ miles (N, W.
by W.) from Cavan, and 68 miles (N. W. by W.) from
Dublin; containing 453 inhabitants. This place had
its origin in the English settlement in the time of Jas.
I., when Capt. Culme and Walter Talbot received 1500
acres, on which, at the time of Pynnar’s survey in 1619,
was a strong hawn 100 feet square and 12 feet high,
with two flanking towers and a strong castle, three
stories high, the whole occupying a site well adapted for
the defence of the surrounding country. The town is
situated on the road from Belturbet to Swanlinbar, and
consists of two streets, together containing about 80
houses. The market is on Friday, and is well supplied
with corn and provisions; and fairs are held on Jan.
3rd, Feb. 13th, March 17th, April 18th, May 16th,
June 24th, July 29th, Aug. 29th, Sept. 26th, Oct.
25th, and Dec. 3rd, chiefly for cattle, pigs, and corn.
It is a constabulary police station; the Easter and
October sessions for the county are held here, and petty
sessions every alternate Monday. The court-house is a
handsome stone building; and attached to it is a bridewell
containingthree cells, with separate day-rooms and airing-
yards for male and female prisoners. Here is the parish
church, which has been lately repaired by a grant of
£106 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. A school-
house has been built at an expense of £227, defrayed
partly by the incumbent, partly by the proprietor of the
Ballyconnell estate, and partly by Government. Bally -
connell House, the residence of J. Enery, Esq., is beauti-
fully situated in a fine demesne on the Woodford river,
which winds through the extensive and well-wooded
grounds in its course to Lake Annagh and Lough Erne,
the house was erected in 1764, by the late G. Mont-
gomery, Esq., on the site of the castle of Ballyconnell,
which was entirely destroyed by an accidental fire.
There is a chalybeate spring in the demesne.
BALLYCONNICK, a parish, in the barony of BARGY,
county of WEXFORB, and province of LEINSTER, 7½
miles (S, W.) from Wexford, on the road to Banuow;
containing 510 inhabitants. In a return to a royal visi-
tation held in 1615, it was designated Ballycormick, and
returned as a chapel to the prebend of Taghmon. The
parish comprises 1445 statute acres, as applotted
under the tithe act, and is chiefly in tillage. It is a
rectory, in the diocese of Ferns, and is part of the union
and corps of the prebend of Taghmon, in the cathedral of
Ferns: the tithes amount to £95. 1.7. In the R. C.
divisions it is included in the union or district of Rath-
angan and Clarestown. A parochial school, in which are
about 30 boys and 20 girls, is supported by subscrip-
tion.
BALLYCONREE, a hamlet, in the parish of DROM-
CREHY, barony of BURREN, county of CLARE, and pro-
vince of MUNSTER; containing 9 houses and 60 inhabi-
tants.
BALLYCONRY, a parish, in the barony of IRAGHTI
CONNOR, county of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER
3½ miles (N. W. by W.) from Listowel: the population