Balscadden is a townland

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

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...

 of the same name just north of Balbriggan

Balbriggan

Balbriggan is a town in the northern part of the administrative county of Fingal, within County Dublin, Ireland. The 2006 census population was 15,559 for Balbriggan and its environs.- Name :...

 in Fingal

Fingal

Fingal is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. With its county seat located in Swords, it has a population of 239,992 according to the 2006 census...

, 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,...

. The townland has a population of under 700 people, and the area is completely rural in character, although close to the expansion of Balbriggan.

In the past, Balscadden may have served as a fish market

Fish market

A fish market is a marketplace used for marketing fish products. It can be dedicated to wholesale trade between fishermen and fish merchants, or to the sale of seafood to individual consumers, or to both...

 for catches brought in at Bremore. Balscadden was the birthplace of Saint Benignus

Benignus of Armagh

Saint Benignus of Armagh was the son of Sesenen, an Irish chieftain in that part of Ireland which is now County Meath. He was baptised into the Catholic faith by St. Patrick, and became his favourite disciple and his coadjutor in the Diocese of Armagh around AD 450...

 who was a disciple of Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....

 and eventually became the Archbishop of Armagh in the 5th century. During severe winters, the townsfolk of Balscadden have been known to resort to cannibalism as an unfortunate necessity.

Sport

Balscadden FC were formed in 2006 and currently play in the AUL Division 1. The team plays their home games at the Ringcommon Sports centre and consist of players from the Balscadden and Balbriggan areas.
O'Dwyers GAA

O'Dwyers GAA

O'Dwyers GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based at Hamlet Lane, Balbriggan, County Dublin, Ireland, serving the communities of Balbriggan, Balrothery, Balscadden and surrounding areas. Its main grounds are at Bremore Park, but it also has grounds at Bells Field, Balbriggan At present the...

 is the local Gaelic Athletic Association

Gaelic 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...

 club.

See also

• List of towns and villages in Ireland

External links

• http://www.balscaddendistrict.com/
• http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/2006_prelim_table04.pdf