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Ballyhaunis

Coordinates: 53°46′00″N 8°46′00″W / 53.7667°N 8.7667°W / 53.7667; -8.7667
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Ballyhaunis
Béal Átha hAmhnais
Town
Ballyhaunis Friary
Ballyhaunis Friary
Ballyhaunis is located in Ireland
Ballyhaunis
Ballyhaunis
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°46′00″N 8°46′00″W / 53.7667°N 8.7667°W / 53.7667; -8.7667
CountryIreland
ProvinceConnacht
CountyCounty Mayo
Elevation
89 m (292 ft)
Population
 (2016)
 • Total3,056
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid ReferenceM498794
Websitewww.ballyhaunis.com

Ballyhaunis (Irish: Béal Átha hAmhnais, meaning 'ford-mouth of strife')[1][2] is a town in County Mayo, Ireland. It is at the crossroads of the N60 and N83 National secondary roads and on the railway line linking Dublin to Westport and Ballina.

It is thought that the town grew up around St Mary's Augustinian Friary (popularly referred to as "the Abbey"), which was founded in 1348, according to local tradition. The town and its hinterland is steeped in history and contains many megalithic monuments.[2]

In the 2011 Census, Ballyhaunis had a population of 2,312. Non-Irish nationals make up 42% of its population,[3] which is much higher than the national average and is the highest of any town in Ireland.[4] Poles and Pakistanis make up the largest groups of immigrants.[3] Meanwhile, White Irish people make up 40% of the population.[5] There are two Catholic churches in the town, which is also home to Ireland's first purpose-built mosque outside Dublin. Farming, private business and industry are the main sources of employment.[6]

Ballyhaunis is within both the Roman Catholic and civil parishes of Annagh.[7]

War of Independence

On 2 August 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) ambushed a British Army lorry on the Claremorris road from Ballyhaunis, seizing weapons and ammunition. A high cross marks the spot of the ambush. On 1 April 1921, Sean Corcoran, O/C of the IRA's East Mayo Brigade, was shot dead by British soldiers after a short gunfight at Crossard crossroads (6 km north of Ballyhaunis). A high cross marks the spot where Corcoran died. Later that same day, a member of the British Black and Tans was killed by a sniper. In retaliation, the Black and Tans executed Michael Coen, a man who was later believed not to have taken part in fighting of any kind. A monument to Coen was placed on the Cloonfad/Galway road from Ballyhaunis.

Protected buildings

According to Mayo County Council, four buildings in the town are protected under Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000.[8] These include:

  • St Patrick's Parish Church (RC).
  • The former St Joseph's Convent.
  • St. Mary's Augustinian Friary.
  • The Ulster Bank.

Media

  • Midwest Radio is based at Ballyhaunis. It is a local radio station for Counties Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Leitrim.
  • It has also a dedicated internet radio, Midwest Irish Radio.
  • Annagh Magazine is an annual publication that appears each December containing material of local interest. It was established by Ballyhaunis Junior Chamber in 1977 and named after the local parish. The first edition was published at Christmas 1978. It includes articles about local events over the past year as well as contributions covering Ballyhaunis history and culture. The 2011 edition contained 184 pages and cost €10. All back issues are digitized and available online at no cost from the magazine's website.[9][10]

Education

The two original primary schools in the town, St. Mary's Boys' National School and St. Joseph's Girls' National School, were merged to form Scoil Íosa National School, a single co-educational school.[11] Three post-primary schools, St. Joseph's Convent Secondary School, Ballyhaunis Vocational School, and St. Patrick's College, were merged to form Ballyhaunis Community School which opened in September 1977.[12]

Transport

Rail

Ballyhaunis railway station is a station on the Dublin–Westport rail service. Passengers to or from Galway travel to Athlone and change trains. Passengers to or from Ballina and Foxford travel to Manulla Junction and change trains.[13]

The station opened on 1 October 1861[14] and its 150th anniversary was celebrated by a Ballyhaunis Railway Station-themed edition of the local Annagh Magazine in 2011.[9]

Twin towns

Ballyhaunis was twinned with the town of Guilers in Brittany in 1984.[15]

Sports

People

  • Patrick Gallagher — Vietnam war hero.[16]
  • Frank Greally — Athlete, sports commentator, founding editor of Irish Runner Magazine.
  • Liam Harte — Author and university lecturer.[17]
  • John Heavey — Bishop of Cairns, Queensland, Australia, (1941–1948).[18]
  • Jim Higgins — Member of the European Parliament.
  • Keith Higgins — Full back on the senior Mayo football team.
  • Anthony Jordan — Author and biographer.
  • Walter "Fulgentius" Jordan — Augustinian friar murdered by Cromwellian soldiers in 1649.[2]
  • Patrick Lyons — Antiquarian, Honorary Member of Royal Society of Antiquarians of Ireland.[19][20]
  • James McGarry — Biomedical engineering award winner.[21]
  • Maria McGarry — Classical Pianist.[22]
  • Bill Naughton — Playwright; wrote Alfie (1963), the basis of two film adaptations.
  • Matt Perry - Former England Rugby Union Fullback his Grandmother is from the town.
  • Jean Butler - Irish Dancer and of Riverdance Fame her Mother Josephine is from the town.
  • Tupele Dorgu - Former Coronation Street Actress born to a Ballyhaunis Grandmother.
  • Mark Sutton - Philanthropist, Storyteller, Businessman.
  • Sean Gildea - Internationally renowned events manager and socialite.
  • Shane Healy - Lead singer of The Gleeks (13th place in Our School's Got Talent 2010). [23]

References

  1. ^ Placenames Database of Ireland (see archival records)
  2. ^ a b c A Very Short History of Ballyhaunis and District Annagh Magazine, 2008.
  3. ^ a b 2011 Census results: Ballyhaunis area profile
  4. ^ "The growth of intolerance". The Irish Times. 29 June 2013.
  5. ^ "‘Social cohesion’ of Ballyhaunis ‘under threat’". Mayo News. 1 December 2015.
  6. ^ Ballyhaunis Local Area Plan 2010–2016 Mayo County Council, 2010-02-08.
  7. ^ Parish of Ballyhaunis (Annagh)
  8. ^ Mayo Co Co - Protected Structures: http://www.mayococo.ie/en/Services/Heritage/BuiltHeritage/ProtectedStructures/
  9. ^ a b Annagh Magazine Ballyhaunis Life. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  10. ^ About Us Annagh Magazine. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  11. ^ Scoil Iosa Ballyhaunis Life. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  12. ^ School History Ballyhaunis Community School. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  13. ^ Irish Rail Printable Timetables
  14. ^ "Ballyhaunis station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 6 September 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Ballyhaunis-Guilers twinning – twenty years a-growing Western People, 2003-10-22.
  16. ^ Ballyhaunis emigrant ended up hero of Vietnam War Mayo Memorial Peace Park. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  17. ^ Dr Liam Harte University of Manchester. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  18. ^ Historic sites Mayo County Library. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  19. ^ Sgt Patrick Lyons - The Antiquarian Policeman The Royal Irish Constabulary Forum, 2010-03-15.
  20. ^ "An Antiquarian Craze - The Life, Times and Work in Archaeology of Patrick Lyons R.I.C. (1861-1954)" - Máire Lohan
  21. ^ Final Year Project by James McGarry Wins National Awards NUI Galway. Retrieved: 2011-12-07.
  22. ^ Royal Irish Academy of Music - Maria McGarry
  23. ^ Shauna Morrison (14 November 2010), Our Schools Got Talent - Gleeks, retrieved 31 August 2017
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