Ballyroan
Encyclopedia
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Laois
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
, 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,...
, on the R425
R425 road
The R425 road is a regional road in County Laois in Ireland. From south to north to runs from Abbeyleix to Ballyroan to the hamlet of Cashel and then crosses over the M7 before joining it east of Portlaoise....
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...
. It is part of the parish of Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix is a town in County Laois, Ireland about from Portlaoise and located on the N77 national secondary route. Formerly the N8 National Primary Route ran through the centre of the town, making Abbeyleix an infamous bottleneck on the Dublin-Cork corridor with up to 15,000 vehicles passing...
. It has two churches (one of which is Roman Catholic and the other Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
), two school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s (a boys school and girls school), three pubs, Whelan's, Delaney's & Scully's. Also two shops.
History
There was a DruidDruid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
s Altar in Cashel. St. Faolan founded a church in Cashel in 468, and between that time and the ninth century, seven bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s are said to have been interred in Tullore, an ancient cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
, one of the oldest in Ireland.
The Motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
was built by the Normans towards the end of the 12th century. Conall O’Moore built a castle in the 14th century. In the stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
days the castle was an inn known as The Bull’s Head.
The Brigidine Sisters
Brigidine Sisters
The Brigidine Sisters are a global Roman Catholic congregation, founded by Bishop Daniel Delany in Ireland on February 1, 1807...
came to the village in 1877. Three sisters
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
from the Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix is a town in County Laois, Ireland about from Portlaoise and located on the N77 national secondary route. Formerly the N8 National Primary Route ran through the centre of the town, making Abbeyleix an infamous bottleneck on the Dublin-Cork corridor with up to 15,000 vehicles passing...
Community took up residence in their newly built convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
on September 25, that year. Their convent and school closed in 1974 drawing the final curtain as it appeared then on Brigidine residency in Ballyroan, but not on their involvement with education.
Sport
Ballyroan is well known for its local Gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
club, Ballyroan Abbey GAA
Ballyroan Abbey GAA
Ballyroan Abbey GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club in County Laois, Ireland.The original Ballyroan GAA club was founded in 1887...
. A former club was Ballyroan GAA
Ballyroan GAA
Ballyroan GAA was a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club in Ballyroan, County Laois, Republic of Ireland.Founded in 1887, the club colours were sky blue and navy having originally been royal blue with a dominant white V on the front...
.
Ballyroan was the first village in lenster to play football in 1889.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland