Ballyvourney
Encyclopedia
Baile Bhuirne anglicised as Ballyvourney is a Gaeltacht
village in south-west County Cork
, Ireland
. It is a civil parish
in the barony
of Muskerry West
and is also one half of the Ecclesiastical parish of Baile Bhuirne agus Cúil Aodha in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne
which links Cork
city (to the south east) with Killarney
(to the north west). The nearest large town is Macroom
while the nearest international airport is Cork Airport. There is a proposal to construct 22 km of dual carriageway from Coolcour at the eastern side of Macroom, bypassing Macroom to the north and finishing west of Ballyvourney. The project's status, as of September 2011, is still "Preliminary Design"
:
In this part of Cork, the rivers mainly drain longitudinally from west to east; this is true of the Lee and the Munster Blackwater
. In between these rivers lies the valley of the Sullane. To the north of the parish, the Derrynasaggart Mountains
and the Boggeragh Mountains
separate the valley from the Blackwater valley. To the south, the upland area of Reananerree and the Shehies
separate it from the Lee valley. The surrounding district of Muskerry
straddles the counties of Cork and Kerry
. The highest point in the parish, at 694m, is Mullaghanish
located just northeast of the village.
While it is the western part of the county, it would not be considered to be part of the area informally known as West Cork
because it lies north of the river Lee. Neither would it be part of the Golden Vale
unlike the rich pasture towns to the north of the Boggeragh mountains (e.g. Charleville
). The mountainous terrain and poor quality of the land has instead made it a virtual enclave within the county, best expressed in the old Gaelic tuatha of Muskerry. As the tuatha was relatively less desirable from an economic viewpoint, it may explain why the Gaelic way of life persisted into the 20th century and why Muskerry attained Gaeltacht status.
Bantry Bay
is the district's nearest point to the sea. It is accessed by bad minor roads over the Reananerree uplands to the neighbouring Gaeltacht parish of Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh
where the R584 regional road
crosses the Lee, passes the Shehy mountains via the Pass of Keimaneigh (meaning the "pass of the deer's leap") and thence to Ballylickey
.
More specifically, it is one of the 24 civil parishes in the barony of Muskerry West. The barony is the namesake of Baron Muskerry
. There are 47 townlands
in the civil parish.
For electoral purposes, the parish lies in the Rural District of Macroom, in the District electoral division
(DED) of An Sliabh Riabhach. Other DEDs within that rural district include Aghinagh, Aglish, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Cannaway, Ceann Droma, Cill na Martra, Claonráth, Clondrohid, Clonmoyle, Doire Fhínín, Gort na Tiobratan, Greenville, Inchigeelagh, Kilberrihert, Macloneigh, Magourney, Mashanaglass, Na hUláin, Rahalisk and Warrenscourt. The DED is part of the Cork North West
constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann
.
as their overlords. However, they switched allegiance to the Eóganachta
and facilitated their rise to power as Kings of Munster. In "Griffith's Valuation of Ireland (1837)", 548 unique records are recorded in the civil parish. Of these, the top 11 surnames accounted for over half over the entries. The top 15 surnames (after aggregating for common mis-spellings) recorded, from greatest to least, are: Lynch
, Keleher
, Twomy
, Healy
, Lucey
, Quill
, Leehane
, Murphy, Riordan
, Sweeny
, Herlihy
, Buckley
, McCarthy
, Creedon, Dinneen
. The townlands with the most recorded surnames, from greatest to least, are: Coolavokig, Derrylahan, Slievereagh, Ballymakeery, Gortnatubbud, Dangansallagh, Derreenaling, Knockanure, Milleeny and Coolea
.
which is an officially designated Irish-speaking area. While the inhabitants of the area know Irish well, English has been the predominant household and community language since the 1920s. The area's Gaeltacht status draws visitors - as does its architectural heritage.
The town is associated with Saint Gobnait and is the site of her abbey, cells and St. Gobnait's Well. Her Pattern Day
, February 11, is still celebrated by the community. During a Mass at the well, everyone takes water from it. According to legend, Gobnait was born in County Clare in the 6th century. Fleeing from Clare, she took refuge in the Aran Islands, where she encountered an angel who instructed her to go on a journey. The angel told her that when she came upon nine white deer, that would be her place. Travelling south, she came to Clondrohid
where she found three white deer. She followed them to Ballymakeera
where she saw six more. When she found the nine white deer in Baile Bhuirne, she stayed and founded a convent. The remains of the convent are still the locus of pilgrimage, which while it is ostensibly Christian, may well be pagan in origin.
The composer Seán Ó Riada
is buried in the cemetery there. The abbey contains an example of a Sheela na Gig
and there are a number of stone circles, stone rows and fulachtaí fia
in the area.
The poet Seán Ó Ríordáin
was born in the town.
Ballyvourney is also the home of Ionad Cultúrtha which is a regional cultural centre for the traditional and contemporary arts. It holds many music and visual art events.
The village gives its name to an Irish dance figure - the Baile Bhuire Set
is an old 30 ha woodland mainly planted in old Sessile Oak
.
The local national school is called Scoil Aban Naofa and is named after Aban a saint associated with the area.
The secondary school, Coláiste Ghobnatan, was formed in 1989 following the merger of Coláiste Iosagáin and Scoil Ghobnatan. According to the school principal, Breandán O Lionáird,
college, was where Song for a Raggy Boy
was filmed.
The bars and restaurants in the village are "The Mills Inn", "The Abbey Hotel", "The Hibernian" and "The Crúiscín Lán". The Abbey Hotel is built on the site of the former police barracks, an area known as "The Mills" due to the millrace on the Sullane.
Cultural events include:
provide grants for businesses, many of which are situated in Ballyvourney's industrial estate.
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
village in south-west County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, 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,...
. It is a civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the barony
Barony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
of Muskerry West
Muskerry West
Muskerry West is one of the baronies of Ireland, an historical geographical unit of land. Its chief town is Macroom. It is one of 24 baronies in the county of Cork. It may also be viewed as a half barony because some time before the 1821 census data, it was divided from its other half - Muskerry East...
and is also one half of the Ecclesiastical parish of Baile Bhuirne agus Cúil Aodha in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne
The Diocese of Cloyne is a Roman Catholic diocese in southern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The diocese is in the secular province of the same name - Munster...
Location and access
The village stretches along the N22 roadN22 road
The N22 road is a national primary road in Ireland which goes through counties Kerry and Cork, from Tralee in the west through Killarney, Macroom and Ballincollig to Cork City in the east....
which links Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
city (to the south east) with Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
(to the north west). The nearest large town is Macroom
Macroom
Macroom is a market town in Ireland located in a valley on the River Sullane, a tributary of the River Lee, between Cork and Killarney. It is one of the key gateways to the tourist region of West Cork. The town recorded a population on 3,553 in the 2006 national census...
while the nearest international airport is Cork Airport. There is a proposal to construct 22 km of dual carriageway from Coolcour at the eastern side of Macroom, bypassing Macroom to the north and finishing west of Ballyvourney. The project's status, as of September 2011, is still "Preliminary Design"
Physical geography and political subdivisions
The village lies on the River SullaneRiver Sullane
The River Sullane runs from the mountains between County Cork and County Kerry in southern Ireland. It runs through the centre of Macroom, to which it provides drinking water , joins the River Launa one kilometre east of the town, before joining the River Lee a further kilometre east...
:
"The river Sullane has its source in the parish, in the mountains bordering on the county of Kerry, and after intersecting it longitudinally pursues an eastern course through the parish of Clondrohid to the town of Macroom, to the east of which, at the distance of a mile, it discharges itself into the river LeeRiver Lee (Ireland)The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the...
;"
In this part of Cork, the rivers mainly drain longitudinally from west to east; this is true of the Lee and the Munster Blackwater
Munster Blackwater
The Blackwater or Munster Blackwater is a river which flows through counties Kerry, Cork, and Waterford in Ireland. It rises in the Mullaghareirk Mountains in County Kerry and then flows in an easterly direction through County Cork, through Mallow and Fermoy...
. In between these rivers lies the valley of the Sullane. To the north of the parish, the Derrynasaggart Mountains
Derrynasaggart Mountains
The Derrynasagart Mountains are a mountain range in County Cork, Ireland. They are situated from mid-Cork to the border with County Kerry, and can be seen on the N22 road in the Kerry direction. They are also viewable from towns like Clondrohid, Macroom and Ballyvourney - Highest point –...
and the Boggeragh Mountains
Boggeragh Mountains
The Boggeragh Mountains are located in County Cork, Ireland, the Munster Blackwater is north and the River Lee south of the hills. With an elevation of 643m , the highest peak is Musheramore ....
separate the valley from the Blackwater valley. To the south, the upland area of Reananerree and the Shehies
Shehy mountains
The Shehy Mountains are a range of low mountains situated on the border between County Cork and County Kerry, in Ireland.-Geography and geology:...
separate it from the Lee valley. The surrounding district of Muskerry
Muskerry
Muskerry is a central region of County Cork, Ireland which incorporates the baronies of Muskerry West and Muskerry East. It is located along the vallley of the River Lee and is bounded by the Boggeragh Mountains to the north and the Shehy Mountains to the south. The region is named after the...
straddles the counties of Cork and Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
. The highest point in the parish, at 694m, is Mullaghanish
Mullaghanish
Mullaghanish is a mountain located just northeast of Ballyvourney in County Cork, Ireland. It is home to one of RTÉ's main transmitters, as well as some other mobile phone and independent radio stations....
located just northeast of the village.
While it is the western part of the county, it would not be considered to be part of the area informally known as West Cork
West Cork
West Cork refers to a geographical area in south-west Ireland, lying within Ireland's largest county, County Cork. Traditionally a popular tourist destination, the area is seen as being distinct from the more populated northern or eastern parts of the county, as well as the more urban area of...
because it lies north of the river Lee. Neither would it be part of the Golden Vale
Golden Vale
The Golden Vale is an area of rolling pastureland in the civil province of Munster, southwestern Ireland. Covering parts of three counties, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork, it is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming....
unlike the rich pasture towns to the north of the Boggeragh mountains (e.g. Charleville
Charleville
Charleville can refer to:* Charleville, County Cork, a town in Ireland**Charleville railway station**Charleville GAA**Charleville * Charleville, Queensland, a town in Australia...
). The mountainous terrain and poor quality of the land has instead made it a virtual enclave within the county, best expressed in the old Gaelic tuatha of Muskerry. As the tuatha was relatively less desirable from an economic viewpoint, it may explain why the Gaelic way of life persisted into the 20th century and why Muskerry attained Gaeltacht status.
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay is a bay located in County Cork, southwest Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km wide at the head and wide at the entrance....
is the district's nearest point to the sea. It is accessed by bad minor roads over the Reananerree uplands to the neighbouring Gaeltacht parish of Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh
Ballingeary
Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh is a village in the Shehy Mountains in County Cork, Ireland.The village is within the Gaeltacht and has an active Irish-language summer school, Coláiste na Mumhan...
where the R584 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...
crosses the Lee, passes the Shehy mountains via the Pass of Keimaneigh (meaning the "pass of the deer's leap") and thence to Ballylickey
Ballylickey
Ballylickey or Ballylicky is a village on the N71 national secondary road near Bantry, County Cork, Ireland. The River Ovane flows into Bantry Bay at Ballylickey.-Tourism:* The area is notable for the Seaview Hotel....
.
More specifically, it is one of the 24 civil parishes in the barony of Muskerry West. The barony is the namesake of Baron Muskerry
Baron Muskerry
Baron Muskerry is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1781 for Sir Robert Deane, 6th Baronet. He had previously represented County Cork in the Irish House of Commons. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, sat in the House of Lords as an Irish Representative Peer from 1892 to 1929....
. There are 47 townlands
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in the civil parish.
| Townlands in the civil parish | |
|---|---|
| Name in Irish | Name in English |
| Baile Mhic Íre | Ballymakeery |
| Barr Duínse | Bardinch |
| Cathair Chearnaigh | Cahercarney |
| An Cheapach Thiar | Cappagh West |
| An Cheapach Thoir | Cappagh East |
| Na Cillíní | Killeen |
| Cnoc an Iúir | Knockanure |
| Com an Ghadhair | Coomnagire |
| Com na Cloiche | Coomnaclohy |
| Com Uí Chlúmháin | Coumaclovane |
| Cúil an Bhuacaigh | Coolavokig |
| Cúil an Mhothair | Coolavoher |
| Cúil Aodha | Coolea |
| An Chúil Iarthach | Coolierher |
| Cúil na Cathrach | Coolnacaheragh |
| Daingean na Saileach | Dangansallagh |
| Doire an Chuilinn | Derreenaculling |
| An Doire Leathan | Derrylahan |
| Doire na Sagart | Derrynasaggart |
| Na Doirí | Derree |
| An Doirín Álainn | Derreenaling |
| Na Foithrí | Fuhiry |
| Gort an Acra | Gortanacra |
| Gort na Fuinseann | Gortnafunshion |
| Gort na gCros | Gortnagross |
| Gort na Scairte | Gortnascarty |
| Gort na Tiobratan | Gortnatubbrid |
| Gort Uí Raithile | Gortyrahilly |
| An Inse Mhór | Inchamore |
| An Lománach Bheag | Lumnagh Beg |
| An Lománach Mhór | Lumnagh More |
| Magh Réidh | Flats |
| Na Millíní | Milleeny |
| An Muirneach Beag | Murnaghbeg |
| An Ráth Thiar | Rath West |
| An Ráth Thoir | Rath East |
| An Rathúnach Thiar | Rahoonagh West |
| An Rathúnach Thoir | Rahoonagh East |
| Ré na bPobal | Reanabobul |
| Screathan na nGabhann | Scrahanagown |
| An tSeanchluain | Shanacloon |
| An Seantóir | Glebe |
| An Sliabh Riabhach | Slievereagh |
| An Tóchar | Togher |
| Tonn Láin | Toonlane |
| Na hUláin Thiar | Ullanes West |
| Na hUláin Thoir | Ullanes East |
For electoral purposes, the parish lies in the Rural District of Macroom, in the District electoral division
District Electoral Division
A district electoral division is a former name given to a low-level territorial division in Ireland. In 1994, both district electoral divisions and wards were renamed as electoral divisions...
(DED) of An Sliabh Riabhach. Other DEDs within that rural district include Aghinagh, Aglish, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh, Cannaway, Ceann Droma, Cill na Martra, Claonráth, Clondrohid, Clonmoyle, Doire Fhínín, Gort na Tiobratan, Greenville, Inchigeelagh, Kilberrihert, Macloneigh, Magourney, Mashanaglass, Na hUláin, Rahalisk and Warrenscourt. The DED is part of the Cork North West
Cork North West (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Cork North–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 3 deputies...
constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
.
History
Historically, the people of the Múscraighe district had the Corcu LoígdeCorcu Loígde
The Corcu Loígde , meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centered in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Munster, the Dáirine, of whom they were the principal royal sept...
as their overlords. However, they switched allegiance to the Eóganachta
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...
and facilitated their rise to power as Kings of Munster. In "Griffith's Valuation of Ireland (1837)", 548 unique records are recorded in the civil parish. Of these, the top 11 surnames accounted for over half over the entries. The top 15 surnames (after aggregating for common mis-spellings) recorded, from greatest to least, are: Lynch
Lynch (surname)
Lynch is a surname of Irish origin.-Gaelic-Irish families:In Gaelic, its original forms included* Ó Loingsigh – now Lynch, Lynchy Lynskey, Lindsey.* Mac Loingsigh – Clynch, Lynch, Mac Glinchy, MacClintock, McClinton...
, Keleher
Kelleher
People named Kelleher:* Billy Kelleher* Byron Kelleher – New Zealand rugby player; former All Black* Colm Kelleher* Dermot P. Kelleher* Garrett Kelleher - an Irish real estate developer and football club owner* Humphrey Kelleher* James Kelleher...
, Twomy
Twomey
Twomey is a surname of Irish origin, and may refer to:*Ann Twomey , American labor union leader*Anne Twomey , American stage, film, and television actress*Bill Twomey, Sr. , Australian rules football player...
, Healy
Healy (surname)
The English-language surname, Healy, is currently in use by three separate ancestral lines of people from Ireland.When Irish people began to anglicise their names, two separate clans adopted the English surname of "Healy"...
, Lucey
Lucey
Lucey is an Irish, an American and a Canadian surname.Lucey has two distinct possible origins: of Norman origins derived from Latin personal name Lucius; of Gaelic origins derived from Old Gaelic Ó Luasaigh, anciently Mac Cluasaigh. Alternative spellings are: Lucy, Lucie, Luci, Luce...
, Quill
Quill (surname)
Quill or Quille is an anglicised version of the Irish surname Coll, Coill, and O'Coill , all of which mean wood, forest or shrub. The Coill clan are believed to be a bardic family from Munster, particularly Kerry and Cork. The Irish surname has also been Anglicised as Woods....
, Leehane
Lehane
Lehane is an uncommon Irish surname, typically from County Cork. Ó Liatháin is more frequently anglicized as Lane or Lyons.Most people with this surname derive from the ancient Munster kingdom of Uí Liatháin, which was powerful in the early to mid 1st millennium, and one of the few important Irish...
, Murphy, Riordan
Riordan
Riordan is a surname of Irish origin; "Rearden" is a variant of it. It may refer to:Persons*Ann Fienup-Riordan , American cultural anthropologist*Bill Riordan , Australian politician from Queensland; minister for the Navy 1946–1949...
, Sweeny
Sweeney (name)
Sweeney is a surname that is in most cases, of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Suibhne meaning "son of Suibhne". The Gaelic personal name, Suibhne, was originally a byname meaning "pleasant" or "well-disposed"...
, Herlihy
Herlihy
Herlihy may refer to:*David Herlihy , American historian*Ed Herlihy , American newsreel narrator*Gavan Herlihy , New Zealand politician*James Leo Herlihy , American writer...
, Buckley
Buckley (surname)
Buckley is a surname originating from either England or Ireland. It is particularly common throughout parts of England and Ireland, as well as Canada and the United States....
, McCarthy
McCarthy (surname)
The MacCarthy dynasty was one of Ireland's greatest medieval dynasties. It was and continues to be divided into several great branches. The MacCarthy Reagh, MacCarthy of Muskerry, and MacCarthy of Duhallow dynasties were the three most important of these, after the central or MacCarthy Mór...
, Creedon, Dinneen
Dinneen
Dinneen is a surname of Irish origin. The family was famous for having supplied generations of court poets to their overloards in the ancient kingdom of Corcu Loígde.-List of people with the surname Dinneen:*Bill Dinneen, baseball player...
. The townlands with the most recorded surnames, from greatest to least, are: Coolavokig, Derrylahan, Slievereagh, Ballymakeery, Gortnatubbud, Dangansallagh, Derreenaling, Knockanure, Milleeny and Coolea
Coolea
Cúil Aodha is a townland and village in the Gaeltacht region of Muskerry in County Cork, Ireland. It is near the River Sullane's source, high in the Derrynasaggart Mountains.-Townland:Most of the inhabitants live on the south side of the valley...
.
Tourism and culture
Today, the district gives its name to the Muskerry GaeltachtGaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
which is an officially designated Irish-speaking area. While the inhabitants of the area know Irish well, English has been the predominant household and community language since the 1920s. The area's Gaeltacht status draws visitors - as does its architectural heritage.
The town is associated with Saint Gobnait and is the site of her abbey, cells and St. Gobnait's Well. Her Pattern Day
Pattern (devotional)
Pattern is an Irish term meaning either a saint's feast day, or the various devotional activities that take place on the feast day at sites associated with the saint's life. It is thought to derive from the word patron, as in a patron saint....
, February 11, is still celebrated by the community. During a Mass at the well, everyone takes water from it. According to legend, Gobnait was born in County Clare in the 6th century. Fleeing from Clare, she took refuge in the Aran Islands, where she encountered an angel who instructed her to go on a journey. The angel told her that when she came upon nine white deer, that would be her place. Travelling south, she came to Clondrohid
Clondrohid
Clondrohid is a small village in County Cork, Ireland, four miles north of Macroom. Population is estimated as 55 people living in the village, with a further 45 living nearby. The name of the village means 'the meadow of the bridges'...
where she found three white deer. She followed them to Ballymakeera
Ballymakeera
Baile Mhic Íre is a small Gaeltacht village in the valley of the River Sullane in County Cork, Ireland. It is on the N22 national primary road and forms part of the twin villages of Ballymakeery and Ballyvourney...
where she saw six more. When she found the nine white deer in Baile Bhuirne, she stayed and founded a convent. The remains of the convent are still the locus of pilgrimage, which while it is ostensibly Christian, may well be pagan in origin.
The composer Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada , was a composer and perhaps the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s...
is buried in the cemetery there. The abbey contains an example of a Sheela na Gig
Sheela Na Gig
Sheela na gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are found on churches, castles and other buildings, particularly in Ireland and Britain, sometimes together with male figures. One of the best examples may be found in the Round Tower at Rattoo, in County...
and there are a number of stone circles, stone rows and fulachtaí fia
Fulacht fiadh
A fulacht fiadh is a type of archaeological site found in Ireland. In England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man they are known as burnt mounds. They commonly survive as a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat shattered stone with a slight depression at its centre showing...
in the area.
The poet Seán Ó Ríordáin
Seán Ó Ríordáin
-Life:He was born in Baile Mhúirne, County Cork, the eldest of three children of Seán Ó Ríordáin of Baile Mhúirne and Mairéad Ní Loineacháin of Cúil Ealta....
was born in the town.
Ballyvourney is also the home of Ionad Cultúrtha which is a regional cultural centre for the traditional and contemporary arts. It holds many music and visual art events.
The village gives its name to an Irish dance figure - the Baile Bhuire Set
Amenities and attractions
St. Gobnet's WoodSt. Gobnet's Wood
St Gobnet's Wood is an area of oak woodland at Baile Bhuirne, County Cork, south-western Ireland. The wood, according to the National Parks and Wildlife Service's survey, is about 30 ha in extent....
is an old 30 ha woodland mainly planted in old Sessile Oak
Sessile Oak
Quercus petraea , the Sessile Oak, also known as the Durmast Oak, is a species of oak native to most of Europe, and into Anatolia.-Description:...
.
The local national school is called Scoil Aban Naofa and is named after Aban a saint associated with the area.
The secondary school, Coláiste Ghobnatan, was formed in 1989 following the merger of Coláiste Iosagáin and Scoil Ghobnatan. According to the school principal, Breandán O Lionáird,
"The College is named in honour of Saint Gobnait, patron Saint of Baile Mhúirne and indeed we place all our work under her protection.".The grounds of "Coláiste Íosagáin", a former De La Salle
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
college, was where Song for a Raggy Boy
Song For a Raggy Boy
Song For a Raggy Boy is a 2003 film directed by Aisling Walsh. It is based on the book of the same name by Patrick Galvin and is based on true events.-Plot:...
was filmed.
The bars and restaurants in the village are "The Mills Inn", "The Abbey Hotel", "The Hibernian" and "The Crúiscín Lán". The Abbey Hotel is built on the site of the former police barracks, an area known as "The Mills" due to the millrace on the Sullane.
Cultural events include:
- Patron Saint's Day , February 11.
- Whit Sunday feast day.
- Ballyvourney - Coolea Annual Show , College Field.
- Cultural & Heritage Centre which also holds educational programmes and traditional music concerts.
- Irish language courses organised by Gael-Linn in the Irish College .
Economy
Employment opportunities in Ballyvourney range from agricultural, industrial to hospitality sectors. Údarás na GaeltachtaÚdarás na Gaeltachta
Údarás na Gaeltachta , abbreviated ÚnaG, is a regional state agency which is responsible for the economic, social and cultural development of nominally Irish-speaking regions of the Republic of Ireland...
provide grants for businesses, many of which are situated in Ballyvourney's industrial estate.
Sport
- The Senior Gaelic footballGaelic footballGaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
club, Naomh Abán GAANaomh Abán GAANaomh Abán GAA is a Gaelic football club based in Baile Bhuirne, County Cork, Ireland. It participates in games of the Muskerry division of the Cork GAA.The club has contributed a number of players to the Cork gaelic football team...
, has a number of championship titles to its name. Anthony LynchAnthony LynchAnthony Lynch is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Naomh Abán and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999.-Club:...
, a native of Ballyvourney and a player on the local football team also plays for the Cork senior football team. - Sullane F.C. is the local soccer club. The team competes in the West Cork league in senior and underage divisions.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- List of civil parishes of County Cork