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BAL
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of HALF-
BALLYMOE, county of GALWAY, and province of CON-
NAUGHT, 61/4 miles (W.) from Roscommon; containing
4315 inhabitants. This parish is situated near the road
from Roscommon to Dunmore, and comprises about
3000 acres of arable land, about 20,000 acres of moun-
tain pasture, and nearly the same quantity of waste,
mountain, and bog. It is a vicarage, in the diocese of
Elphin, and forms part of the union of Donamon; the
rectory is impropriate in Viscount Ranelagh. The tithes
amount to £230. 10., payable in moieties to the im-
propriator and the vicar. In the R. C. divisions it is
the head of a union or district, called Glinsk and Kil-
croan, which comprises the parishes of Ballynakill,
Clonigormican, Ardclare, Oran, and Kilcroan, and con-
tains two chapels, one of which is situated at Glinsk, in
this parish. There are five hedge schools, in which are
about 270 boys and 70 girls.
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of LEI-
TRIM, county of GALWAY, and province of CONNAUGHT,
71/2 miles (W.S.W.) from Portumna; containing, with
the town of Woodford, 13,103 inhabitants. This parish
is situated on the road from Portumna to Gort, and
comprises 12,006 statute acres, as applotted under the
tithe act; about 800 acres are woodland, and the re-
mainder arable and pasture. Marble Hill, formerly
Gortenacuppogue, the seat of Sir J. Burke, Bart., is
finely situated in a demesne extensively wooded, com-
manding several interesting views, and distinguished by
its great variety of surface; in the grounds is a spring
called Macduff s well, within a few yards of which are
vestiges of a stone altar. The other seats are Shan-
non Hill, the residence of M. Conolly, Esq.; Ballinagar,
of the Hon. A. Nugent; Cloncoe, of Ulick Burke, Esq.;
Moyglass, of J. Burke, Esq.; Eagle Hill, of Capt. H.
Pigott, J. P.; Brook Ville, of Martin White, Esq.;
Ballycorban, of Matthew White, Esq.; and Carroroe
Lodge, of H. Clarke, Esq. Fairs are held on the 1st
of June and 26th of October. It is a rectory, in the
diocese of Clonfert, partly appropriate to the see and
deanery, and partly forming a portion of the union of
Lickmolassy: the tithes amount to £299. 15. 1., of
which £50. 15.41/2. is payable to the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, £13. 18. 111/4. to the dean, and the re-
mainder to the incumbent. The church is at Wood-
ford, and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners have re-
cently granted £213 for its repair; the glebe at Bally-
nakill comprises 6a. 3r. In the R. C. divisions the
greater part of the parish is divided into two entire
benefices, called Ballynakill and Woodford, and the re-
mainder forms part of a third: there are chapels at Cloncoe,
Loughtorick, Marble Hill, Knockadrian, and Woodford;
the last erected in 1837, at a cost of £400. A National
school has been recently built, and there are nine pay
schools, in which are 178 boys and 363 girls. There
are the ruins of an old castle, which appears to have been
of great strength; and numerous forts. In the demesne
of Marble Hill is a subterranean passage, now so choked
up with reeds and other obstructions as to render it
difficult to ascertain its extent; and there are numerous
vestiges of antiquity in the grounds. At Ballinagar,
about a mile and a half from the village, are Mullins
Wells, formerly much visited during the summer, the
grounds around them being tastefully laid out.—See
WOODFORD.
157
BAL
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of COOLES-
TOWN, KING’S county, and province of LEINSTER, 3
miles (S. by W.) from Edenderry, on the road to Tul-
lamore; containing 947 inhabitants. It comprises 3668
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: about
one-fourth part of the profitable land is arable, and the
remainder is partly meadow and partly pasture; there
are large tracts of bog, besides a considerable quantity
that is exhausted; the state of agriculture is good. The
Grand Canal passes through the parish, and there are
limestone quarries within its limits. The gentlemen’s
seats are Ballymorin, that of D. Odlim, Esq.; and Bally-
lekin, of F. Lee, Esq. The living is a vicarage, in the
diocese of Kildare, united to the rectory of Clonsast;
the rectory is impropriate in Richard Garden, Esq., of
Bath. The tithes amount to £157. 16. 11., of which
£92. 6. 1 3/4. is payable to the impropriator, and the re-
mainder to the vicar. In the R. C. divisions the parish
is partly in the union or district of Edenderry, and partly
in that of Clonsast or Clonbollogue. There is a private
pay school, in which about 25 boys and 20 girls are
taught. Here are the ruins of the ancient castle of
Purefoy, one of the numerous small square buildings
erected in this part of the country to protect the Eng-
lish pale.
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of TIRAGH-
RILL, county of SLIGO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 9
miles (S. S. E.) from Sligo; containing 1767 inhabit-
ants. This parish is situated on the road from Sligo to
Ballyfarnon, and is intersected by the small river Dubh-
glass, which at Rockbrook forms several small cas-
cades, and passes under a natural bridge of one arch, 6
feet high and 20 feet in the span. It comprises 2679
statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: the land
is good, and is chiefly under the old unimproved system
of tillage; there is a large extent of bog, and limestone
abounds in the parish. Rockbrook is the residence
of E. H. Cogan, Esq., and Moorfield, of T. Irwin, Esq.
Petty sessions are held at Sowey every third Tuesday.
It is a vicarage, in the diocese of Elphin, and forms
part of the union of Boyle; the rectory is. appropriate
to the prebend of Kilmacallane in the cathedral of Elphin.
The tithes amount to £83. 1. 6 1/2., payable in moieties
to the prebendary and the vicar. The Protestant inha-
bitants resort to the church in the parish of Bally-
sumaghon. In the R.C. divisions it is the head of a
union or district, called Sowey, which comprises also
the parishes of Ballysumaghan and Kilross: the chapel
is a thatched building in very indifferent repair, situ-
ated at Sowey. Two schools, in which about 50 boys
and 30 girls are taught, are supported by private sub-
scriptions. At Carrickcoolla there are some inconsider-
able remains of an old castle. On the lands of Bally-
nakill is a holy well, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin,
to which the peasantry resort on Sept. 8th to perform
certain devotions; and near it is a large rock, in which
there are several natural caverns of very small dimen-
sions.
BALLYNAKILL, a parish, in the barony of GAUL-
TIER, county of WATERFORD, and province of MUNSTER,
2 miles (E. S. E.) from Waterford; containing, with Lit-
tle Island in the river Suir, 609 inhabitants. This parish
is pleasantly situated on the road from Waterford to
Passage and Dunmore, commanding a beautiful view of
the city, with the vessels on the river Suir, which encir-