Ballybay
Encyclopedia
Ballybay, County Monaghan is a town in County Monaghan
in Ireland
, centered on the crossroads of the R183
and R162
regional road
s. The name in English
means "The Mouth of the Ford of the Birches".
, Castleblayney
, Carrickmacross
and Clones
. The town grew up from the convergence of the roads. The town is built beside a large lake, Lough Major (In Irish "Lough Mór") and the smaller Lough Minor. The Dromore River also runs through the south of the town, past Pearse Brother's Football Grounds, and past the Riverdale Hotel.
ambush led by Stephen Wise killed one Royal Irish Constabulary
man, one civilian and three Auxiliaries
were wounded during the Irish War of Independence
and Christopher McGuinness. Finlay has gone on to represent his country
wrote a lighthearted song about the town, "In the Town of Ballybay." The prominent Jackson family in Ballybay were also involved with and married into other members of the United Irishmen movement such as Oliver Bond.. One Ballybay Jackson and United Irishman, James Jackson, fled to the United States where he became a prominent politician, horseman, and owner of the Forks of Cypress Plantation. He is also a white ancestor of author Alex Haley
and is a character and subject of his book Queen: The Story of an American Family
and miniseries Alex Haley's Queen
.
/ Bavaria
who were dressed in traditional Bavarian costume. The visit was organised in celebration of the 50th visit to the town by Karl Heinz Herzegger.
Karl Heinz had been instrumental in the setting up of the twinning agreement between Ballybay and Osterhofen, had visited Ballybay on a regular basis and had brought friends with him and introduced them to Ballybay.
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, centered on the crossroads of the R183
R183 road
The R183 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Clones Town to Castleblayney in County Monaghan. The route is long.File:NewblissNorth.JPG|thumb|left|400px|Direction sign approaching the R183 in Newbliss...
and R162
R162 road
The R162 road is a regional road in Ireland, linking Monaghan Town to Navan, County Meath. The route is long.-Route:Northwest to southeast the route starts in at a junction with the N54 in Monaghan, County Monaghan...
regional road
Regional road
A regional road in Ireland is a class of road not forming a major route , but nevertheless forming a link in the national route network. There are over 11,600 kilometres of regional roads. Regional roads are numbered with three digit route numbers, prefixed by "R" A regional road in Ireland is a...
s. The name in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
means "The Mouth of the Ford of the Birches".
Town layout
The town is the meeting point for roads going to MonaghanMonaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
, Castleblayney
Castleblayney
Castleblayney or Castleblaney is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town has a population of about 3,000.Castleblayney lies near the border with County Armagh and is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry...
, Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which...
and Clones
Clones
Clones is a small town in western County Monaghan, in the 'border area' of the Republic of Ireland. The area is part of the Border Region, earmarked for economic development by the Irish Government due to its currently below-average economic situation...
. The town grew up from the convergence of the roads. The town is built beside a large lake, Lough Major (In Irish "Lough Mór") and the smaller Lough Minor. The Dromore River also runs through the south of the town, past Pearse Brother's Football Grounds, and past the Riverdale Hotel.
History
The town grew up in the 18th century, gaining its prosperity from the linen industry founded by the Jackson family. The Town council (Ballybay Development Committee) was established around 1870. Later, on 1 January 1921, an Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
ambush led by Stephen Wise killed one Royal Irish Constabulary
Royal Irish Constabulary
The armed Royal Irish Constabulary was Ireland's major police force for most of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. A separate civic police force, the unarmed Dublin Metropolitan Police controlled the capital, and the cities of Derry and Belfast, originally with their own police...
man, one civilian and three Auxiliaries
Auxiliaries
An auxiliary force is a group affiliated with, but not part of, a military or police organization. In some cases, auxiliaries are armed forces operating in the same manner as regular soldiers...
were wounded during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
Transport
Ballybay railway station opened on 17 July 1854, was closed to passenger traffic on 14 October 1957 and finally closed altogether on 1 January 1960.Today
Today the town welcomes a large number of tourists a large proportion of whom are bird watchers who frequent the town to make use of the newly renovated lake district built around the local Lough Minor. The town is also a popular destination for fishermen who travel to the town to take part in various fishing competitions.Sport
The town has a strong GAA presence. It is home to Ballybay Pearse Brothers GAA. The clubs home ground is Pearse Park, located on the outskirts of the town. The club has recently almalgamated with Drumhowan GAA to form St. Pats. Some county footballers from Ballybay include Paul FinlayPaul Finlay
Paul Finlay is a Gaelic footballer from County Monaghan in Ireland. He plays club football for Ballybay Pearses as well as playing for the Monaghan senior team....
and Christopher McGuinness. Finlay has gone on to represent his country
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Miscellaneous
The Irish singer / songwriter Tommy MakemTommy Makem
Thomas "Tommy" Makem was an internationally celebrated Irish folk musician, artist, poet and storyteller. He was best known as a member of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. He played the long-necked 5-string banjo, guitar, tin whistle, and bagpipes, and sang in a distinctive baritone...
wrote a lighthearted song about the town, "In the Town of Ballybay." The prominent Jackson family in Ballybay were also involved with and married into other members of the United Irishmen movement such as Oliver Bond.. One Ballybay Jackson and United Irishman, James Jackson, fled to the United States where he became a prominent politician, horseman, and owner of the Forks of Cypress Plantation. He is also a white ancestor of author Alex Haley
Alex Haley
Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
and is a character and subject of his book Queen: The Story of an American Family
Queen: The Story of an American Family
Queen: The Story of an American Family is a 1993 partly factual historical novel by Alex Haley and David Stevens. It brought back to the consciousness of many White Americans the plight of the children of the plantation: the offspring of black slave women and their white masters, who were legally...
and miniseries Alex Haley's Queen
Alex Haley's Queen
Alex Haley's Queen is a miniseries adaptation of the 1993 Alex Haley/David Stevens novel Queen: The Story of an American Family, directed by John Erman and starring Halle Berry in the title role. The film tells the life story of a young slave girl named Queen, and illustrates the problems faced by...
.
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
On 4 November 2008 an informal reception was held in Ballybay Town Council chambers for a visiting group from OsterhofenOsterhofen
Osterhofen is a town in the district of Deggendorf, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube, 16 km south of Deggendorf.Osterhofen Basilica:,...
/ Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
who were dressed in traditional Bavarian costume. The visit was organised in celebration of the 50th visit to the town by Karl Heinz Herzegger.
Karl Heinz had been instrumental in the setting up of the twinning agreement between Ballybay and Osterhofen, had visited Ballybay on a regular basis and had brought friends with him and introduced them to Ballybay.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Market Houses in IrelandMarket Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...