Ballyhea Bealach Átha Ballyhay | |
|---|---|
Civil parish | |
  Ballyhea Location in Ireland | |
| Coordinates:52°19′36″N8°40′01″W / 52.32675°N 8.66707°W /52.32675; -8.66707 | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Munster |
| County | County Cork |
| Irish Grid Reference | R544177 |
Ballyhea orBallyhay (Irish:Bealach Átha, meaning 'way of the ford')[1] is atownland andcivil parish in northCounty Cork,Ireland. Located near to theCounty Limerick border, the village of Ballyhea lies on the mainN20Cork–Limerickroad, 3.5 km south ofCharleville. It lies approximately 110 m above sea level.[2]
Ballyhea covers a wide area and has five graveyards. These relate to the five parishes of Aglishdrinagh, Ardskeagh, Ballyhea (Ballyhay), Cooline, and Imprick which make up the broad area. It borders Newtownshandrum, Charleville, Ardpatrick, Effin, Churchtown, Liscarroll, Doneraile and Buttevant. Previously named as Ballyhaura in early 19th century publications such as the Union Gazetteer for Gt. Br. & Ireland.[3]
Ballyhea means "place of Aodb or Aedh". Aodb had his residence in the 900s in the townland known as Lios Baile Aodb/Lisballyhea (circular stone homestead of Aodb). His clan was said to be one of the earliest to settle in the area.[citation needed]
The main estate in the area was one of a group owned by theFitzGerald family. Known as "Castle Dodd" or "Castle Dod", the estate's main house incorporated the structure of an earlier castle, and became the home of the Harrison family from the mid-18th century.[citation needed] Becoming known asCastle Harrison, the house fell into disuse after the estate was acquired by theIrish Land Commission in 1956. Castle Harrison was subsequently demolished.[4][5]
A Ballyhea man, called William Burke (brother of one of the accused) from Ballyhea, played a role in theDoneraile Conspiracy of 1829, by riding fromDoneraile toDerrynane in County Kerry, to retainDaniel O’Connell as legal counsel. Willian Burke died on 7 April 1876, and was buried in Shandrum Cemetery, near Charleville.[citation needed]
Con O'Brien (1883-1946), known as Bard of Ballyhea, wrote numerous poems about Ballyhea, and the surrounding area. These were published in a 1981 book calledThe Poems of Con O'Brien the Bard of Ballyhea, published by Charleville (County Cork) Oriel Press.[citation needed]
There is oneRoman Catholic church, St. Mary's, and a relatively modern cemetery, linked to an older cemetery off the Limerick Road. There is an older Catholic church in the graveyard in Ballyhea (Ballyhay), built circa 1200 by the Norman family, the De Cogans. It ceased religious service circa 1800 and has fallen into ruin since then. In 1831, the population was judged to be 7,400 Catholics and 340 Protestants,[6] with only 15 members belonging to the Church of England.[7]
Ballyhea GAA club was formed in 1884. The club has won County Championships in Senior, Intermediate, Junior and Juvenilehurling. In later years a Camogie Club was set up and three County Titles have been won by this club. The hurling team regraded to intermediate at the end of 2003. It took them until the 2015 season to return to senior.[8]
Ballyhea is on the main Limerick–Cork bus route with a stop near the parish church.
The nearby town of Charleville has a station on Cork-Dublin railway line (formerly the Great Southern Line).
Ballyhea has a series of marked mountain walk ways at Ballinboola and is part of the Ballyhoura Trail. There is a large artificial lake (40 acres), created by the extraction of gravel, with a range of wildlife; it is privately owned.[citation needed]
The greater Ballyhea area has a number of businesses, including aLidl warehouse on the N20 at Pike Cross, and Dawn Meats at Ardnageehy.[citation needed]
Ballyhea Community Council, which evolved in the 1970s from aMunitir Na Tíre group, organises a number of activities locally, including an annual Christmas meal for the elderly of the parish.[citation needed] A group of parents also came together in 2000 to form the Ballyhea Pre-school Group.[citation needed]
Ballyhea residents were noted for their weekly marches, beginning in February 2011, in protest against taxpayer-funded bailouts of Irish banks. ActivistDiarmuid O'Flynn was a spokesperson for the residents, and was involved in documenting bank bailout payments as they happened.[9][10][11] The final march took place on 8 March 2020.[12]