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are held oil Feb. 1st, March 16th, May 21st, June 24th,
Aug. 22nd, and Oct. 25th.—See DRIMTEMPLE.
BALLYMONEY, a market and post-town, and a
parish, partly in the north-east liberties of COLERAINE,
county of LONDONDERRY, and partly in the barony of
KILCONWAY, but chiefly in that of UPPER DUNLUCE,
county of ANTRIM, and province of ULSTER, 35 miles
(N. W.) from Belfast, and 119 miles (N. by W.) from
Dublin; containing 11,579 inhabitants, of which num-
ber, 2222 are in the town. This place was anciently
the head of one of those Irish districts called Tuoghs,
which were similar to the present baronies; and in a
grant from the crown, by which it was given to Alexan-
der Mac Donnel, it was designated Tuogh Ballymoney,
that is, “the district of the town in the bog,” part of it
at present being situated on a bog several feet in depth.
The parish is bounded on the west by the river Bann,
which passes within three miles of the town, and is inter-
sected by the road from Belfast to Derry. The town is
built upon an eminence, and from its situation is con-
sidered healthy: a new line of mail coach road is now
being constructed to pass through it, and in every res-
pect it is rapidly improving. A new road has been
opened across the Garry bog leading to Bally castle and
the Giant’s Causeway, and a bridge has been lately
erected over the river Bann at Agivey, about three miles
distant, opening a direct communication with the county
and city of Derry, Tyrone, and other places. Races
were formerly held here and were in high repute; but
they have been discontinued for some years, and a
steeple chace for a gold cup has been substituted, which
takes place in the middle of December. The trade con-
sists principally in the sale of linens manufactured in
the neighbourhood, for which this town is, next to Bally-
mena, the chief depot. The linen market has long been
established, and is eminent for the superior quality of the
goods sold here. Though much less extensive than it was,
it is still very considerable; from 15,000 to 20,000 double
pieces are annually sold, and on the first Thursday in
every month large quantities of seven-eighths linen, of
various qualities, are sold here, principally for the
London market, under the name of “Coleraines,” being
purchased and bleached by the persons engaged in that
trade. Some years since, the finer pieces sold at very
high prices, generally from 7s. to 8s, per yard, and some
of the finest webs at 10s. 6d. per yard. There are
two markets every month for low-priced brown linens,
three quarters of a yard wide, which are sent to Eng-
land and America: but the demand for these latter
goods have decreased. A very extensive trade is car-
ried on in grain, butter, pork, and general provisions.
The market for grain was first established in 1820; but
for want of encouragement it languished for a time
and was discontinued; in 1831 it was revived, and the
new market-place was appropriated to its use, and stores
were built by Messrs. M c Eldeny & Co., for the use of
which and for weighing they are entitled to one penny
per sack; a considerable quantity of oats is sent to Liver-
pool, London, and other English markets, and some are
consumed in a distillery near the town. The market
for provisions was established about the year 1790, and
has since been gradually increasing and is now largely
supplied: about 4000 carcases of pigs are generally sold
during the season, which are principally cured at home
for the Liverpool and other English markets; they
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were formerly all sent to Belfast, and a considerable
number are still purchased by the curers of that place.
A public crane was established under the provisions of
an act of the 52nd of Geo. III. In the market for but-
ter about 10,000 casks are generally disposed of during
the season, the greater part of which is shipped off from
Portrush, about 9 miles distant, for Liverpool. There
are a soap and candle and a tobacco manufactory, a
tanyard, and a large brewery in the town; and at Moore
Fort, about 3 miles distant, is a very extensive distillery
belonging to James Moore, Esq., in which from 50,000
to 60,000 gallons of whiskey are annually made: there
is also a mill for spinning flax, and a very extensive
flour-mill. A branch of the Belfast banking company
has been established here. The trade of the town is
susceptible of great increase, from its favourable situa-
tion in the centre of a rich tract of country, without any
markets nearer to it than Ballymena on the one side,
and Coleraine on the other. There is, however, but
little facility of water carriage, the river Bann not being
navigable above Coleraine, nor below Portna. The general
market is on Thursday; and fairs are held annually on
May 6th, July 10th, and Oct. 10th. A chief constabulary
police station has been fixed here. The manorial court
for the barony of Dunluce is held in the town on the
first Friday in every month; petty sessions are held
every alternate Thursday; and the quarter sessions for
the county are held here and at Ballymena alternately.
The court-house or town-hall, the property of Lord
Mark Kerr, is situated in the centre of the town; and
the bridewell, recently built, contains seven cells, with
day-rooms and airing-yards adapted to the classification
of prisoners, and apartments for the keeper.
The parish comprises, according to the Ordnance
survey, 23,108¾ statute acres, of which 21,736½| are in
Upper Dunluce, and 753¼ in Kilconway; 18,367 are
applotted under the tithe act; about 500 acres are
woodland, 2225 bog, 59½ water, and the remainder
principally arable land. The soil is fertile, and the
system of agriculture greatly improving: the principal
crops, till within the last few years, were barley and
oats, of which last great quantities are still grown in the
neighbourhood; but the cultivation of wheat has been
recently introduced, and is rapidly increasing; abundant
crops are now raised, and begin to form a material portion
of the corn trade. Coal and iron-stone are found in abun-
dance at O’Hara Brook; and there are medicinal springs
on several parts of the estate. The principal seats are
O’Hara Brook, that of C. O’Hara, Esq.; Leslie Hill, of
J. Leslie, Esq.; Ballynacree, of Sampson Moore, Esq.;
Moore Fort, of J. Moore, Esq.; Greenville, of J. R.
Moore,Esq.; Stranocum, of J.Hutchinson,Esq.; and Vine
Cottage, of J. Thompson, Esq. The parish comprises the
ancient parishes of Ballymoney, Dunlap, Kilmoil, and
Tullagore; it is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor, and
is the corps of the precentorship in the cathedral of
Connor, which is in the patronage of the Bishop: the
tithes amount to £1015. 7. 7½, and the gross income
of the precentorship is returned by the Commissioners
of Ecclesiastical Inquiry at £1073. 10. 8. per annum.
The church, a large plain edifice with a tower and cupola,
was built in 1782, near the site of an ancient church,
of which there are still some remains. The glebe-house
is situated on a glebe of 20 acres. In the R. C. divisions
the parish is the head of a union or district, comprising