Ballinalee
Encyclopedia
Ballinalee, formerly St Johnstown , is a village in north County Longford
, Ireland
. It is situated on the River Camlin
, and falls within the parish of Clonbroney.
The village name in Irish means "Mouth of the Ford of the Calves". The name "St Johnstown" came from the name of the Church of Ireland
Church of St. John. There are two fine Roman Catholic churches in the parish: the Church of the Holy Trinity in the village and the uniquely styled Church of St James in Clonbroney. Ballinalee was the site of the first convent in Ireland at Old Clonbroney. Its remains are still to be seen.
The Parochial hall on the Granard
road, opened in 1939, is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Ashe
, the Irish patriot. The local National School adjacent to the hall is named after St Samhthann, a direct descendant of St Patrick.
in a field now called Bully's Acre
.
During the Irish War of Independence
(1917-1919), the town was the scene of the Battle of Ballinalee
, where local leader Sean Mac Eoin
(sometimes known as the Blacksmith of Ballinalee) was the leader of a well-equipped battalion
of 300 men. They held off 900 RIC/British Army for three days. It was the only successful defence of an Irish town against the British
forces. Within the parish is the ruins of Old Clonbroney; it was reportedly the home of the first convent in Ireland, which was founded by St Patrick around 440 AD.
There are two scenic lakes in the parish. Corbeagh lake, or Currygrane Lough, is situated in the middle of the parish and is located within the townlands of Drumeel Corbeagh and Currygrane. It has four small islands on it and one, called "Round Island," is thought to be a Crannog or ancient settlement. The other lake is called Gurteen and is situated near the village and adjacent to the Maguire Park.
It was also the birth place of Henry Hughes Wilson, who was the British
Chief of the Imperial General Staff before his assassination by Irish Republicans. He was born in Currygrane near the village
sport of Gaelic football
. The name of the local team is "Sean Connolly's". The Club is named after Sean Connolly, the Irish freedom fighter who was born near the pitch in the townland. France Connolly was shot in an ambush at Selton Hill, Co Leitrim in 1921. Their grounds, James McGuire Park, are located on France Road.
The club grounds also hosts an 18-hole Pitch-and-Putt course, which is known as "The Acres" and a Basketball and Tennis Court concrete walkway, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium and meeting room. The underage section of the Club goes under the name of the parish, Clonbroney.
The Club won the Senior Football Championship for the only time in 1917. The Captain of that team was Sean Connolly. Over the years, the club has a proud tradition of supplying officers at Community Board level, including three Co-Chairmen and four Co-Secretaries, as well as a number of other officerships and also a long list of officers at Co Minor board level. Community Games and Soccer are also participated in at parish level, and they have a good tradition of success at the county level.
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford 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 situated on the River Camlin
River Camlin
The River Camlin is a tributary of the River Shannon. Rising near Granard, it flows through Clonbroney, Ballinalee, and Longford Town before its two branch distributaries enter the Shannon....
, and falls within the parish of Clonbroney.
The village name in Irish means "Mouth of the Ford of the Calves". The name "St Johnstown" came from the name of the 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...
Church of St. John. There are two fine Roman Catholic churches in the parish: the Church of the Holy Trinity in the village and the uniquely styled Church of St James in Clonbroney. Ballinalee was the site of the first convent in Ireland at Old Clonbroney. Its remains are still to be seen.
The Parochial hall on the Granard
Granard
Granard is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland and has a traceable history going back to 236 A.D.. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 national secondary road and the R194 regional road...
road, opened in 1939, is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Ashe
Thomas Ashe
Thomas Patrick Ashe born in Lispole, County Kerry, Ireland, was a member of the Gaelic League, the Irish Republican Brotherhood and a founding member of the Irish Volunteers...
, the Irish patriot. The local National School adjacent to the hall is named after St Samhthann, a direct descendant of St Patrick.
History
In 1798, the town was the scene of a massacre of Irish prisoners of war after the Battle of BallinamuckBattle of Ballinamuck
The Battle of Ballinamuck marked the defeat of the main force of the French incursion during the 1798 Rebellion in Ireland.- Background :The victory of General Humbert at Castlebar, despite gaining him c. 5,000 Irish recruits had not led to a renewed outbreak of the rebellion as hoped...
in a field now called Bully's Acre
Bully's Acre
Bully's Acre is the site in Ballinalee in County Longford, Ireland where insurrectionists were executed by Lord Cornwallis.The 1798 rebellion was inspired by the United Irishmen against British rule...
.
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...
(1917-1919), the town was the scene of the Battle of Ballinalee
Battle of Ballinalee
The Battle of Ballinalee took place during the Irish War of Independence on 3 November 1920. The Irish Republican Army , led by Seán Mac Eoin, drove a force of British Army and Royal Irish Constabulary from the village of Ballinalee in County Longford....
, where local leader Sean Mac Eoin
Seán Mac Eoin
Seán Mac Eoin was an Irish Fine Gael politician and soldier. He was commonly referred to as the "Blacksmith of Ballinalee".-Early life:...
(sometimes known as the Blacksmith of Ballinalee) was the leader of a well-equipped battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of 300 men. They held off 900 RIC/British Army for three days. It was the only successful defence of an Irish town against the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces. Within the parish is the ruins of Old Clonbroney; it was reportedly the home of the first convent in Ireland, which was founded by St Patrick around 440 AD.
There are two scenic lakes in the parish. Corbeagh lake, or Currygrane Lough, is situated in the middle of the parish and is located within the townlands of Drumeel Corbeagh and Currygrane. It has four small islands on it and one, called "Round Island," is thought to be a Crannog or ancient settlement. The other lake is called Gurteen and is situated near the village and adjacent to the Maguire Park.
It was also the birth place of Henry Hughes Wilson, who was the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
Chief of the Imperial General Staff before his assassination by Irish Republicans. He was born in Currygrane near the village
Sport
The village has a strong tradition in the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
sport of Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
. The name of the local team is "Sean Connolly's". The Club is named after Sean Connolly, the Irish freedom fighter who was born near the pitch in the townland. France Connolly was shot in an ambush at Selton Hill, Co Leitrim in 1921. Their grounds, James McGuire Park, are located on France Road.
The club grounds also hosts an 18-hole Pitch-and-Putt course, which is known as "The Acres" and a Basketball and Tennis Court concrete walkway, as well as a fully equipped gymnasium and meeting room. The underage section of the Club goes under the name of the parish, Clonbroney.
The Club won the Senior Football Championship for the only time in 1917. The Captain of that team was Sean Connolly. Over the years, the club has a proud tradition of supplying officers at Community Board level, including three Co-Chairmen and four Co-Secretaries, as well as a number of other officerships and also a long list of officers at Co Minor board level. Community Games and Soccer are also participated in at parish level, and they have a good tradition of success at the county level.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland