Ballinlough, County Meath
Ballinlough (Irish: Baile an Locha)[1] is a small village and electoral division in County Meath, Ireland. The area, which includes the townlands of Ballinlough Big and Ballinlough Little,[2] is within the historical barony of Upper Kells.[3] As of the 2022 census, Ballinlough electoral division had a population of 220 people.[4] Ballinlough lies on the R163 regional road between Oldcastle and Kells, County Meath.
History
[edit]Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort and barrow sites in the townlands of Ballinlough Big, Ballinlough Little and Smithstown.[5] The local Catholic church, the Church of the Assumption, was built in 1829.[6][7] The adjoining former school building, now in use as a community hall, was built c. 1850.[8]
Amenities and sport
[edit]In addition to the Catholic church, Ballinlough has a pub, petrol station and shop. The local national (primary) school is Ballinlough National School.[9]
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club in the area, Ballinlough GFC, has won the Meath Intermediate Football Championship on several occasions, including in 1991 and 2014.[10][11]
People
[edit]- Peadar Byrne, Gaelic footballer[12]
- Matthew O'Reilly, politician[12]
References
[edit]- ^ "Baile an Locha / Ballinlough". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Ballinlough Electoral Division, Co. Meath". townlands.ie. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Samuel, ed. (1837). "Ballinlough". A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. Lewis – via libraryireland.com.
Ballinlough, a village, in the parish of Kilskyre, barony of Upper Kells, county of Meath
- ^ "Census Interactive Map - Electoral Divisions: Ballinlough - Population Snapshot". visual.cso.ie. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Archaeological Inventory of County Meath. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. 1987.
- ^ "Catholic Church of the Assumption, Smithstown, Ballinlough, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Kilskyre & Ballinlough Parish - Churches". kilskyreballinlough.ie. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
The Church of the Assumption, Ballinlough was built in 1829
- ^ "Ballinlough National School, Smithstown, Ballinlough, Meath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Ballinlough Primary School, Ballinlough, Kells, Co Meath". ballinloughns.com.
Ballinlough NS [..is..] a mixed Catholic school situated in the village of Ballinlough on the outskirts of Kells, Co Meath
- ^ "Meath GAA - Clubs - Ballinlough". meath.gaa.ie. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ "Ballinlough back in the big time". Meath Chronicle. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ a b Casey, Ann (22 July 2009). "Vibrant Ballinlough community shows full pride for visiting judges". Meath Chronicle. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
53°44′07″N 7°02′03″W / 53.7354°N 7.0342°W
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