Ballyvourney
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Main otherScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Main other Ballyvourney (Template:Langx Script error: No such module "IPA"., meaning 'Town of the Beloved', also spelled Script error: No such module "Lang".)[1] is a Gaeltacht village in southwest County Cork, Ireland. Ballyvourney is also a civil parish in the barony of Muskerry West, and an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne.[2]
Location and access
The village stretches along the N22 road which links Cork city (48 km to the southeast) with Killarney (to the northwest). The nearest large town is Macroom (14 km), while the nearest international airport is Cork Airport. As of 2015, there has been a proposal to construct 22 km of dual carriageway from Coolcour at the eastern side of Macroom, bypassing Macroom to the north and finishing west of Ballyvourney.[3] Bus Éireann Expressway Route 40 between Rosslare Europort and Tralee runs through Ballyvourney.[4]
Physical geography and political subdivisions
The village lies on the River Sullane:
"The river Sullane has its source in the parish, in the mountains bordering on the county of Kerry, and after intersecting it longitudinally pursues an eastern course through the parish of Clondrohid to the town of Macroom, to the east of which, at the distance of a mile, it discharges itself into the river Lee;"[5]
In this part of Cork, the rivers mainly drain longitudinally from west to east; this is true of the Lee and the Munster Blackwater. Between these rivers lies the valley of the Sullane. To the north of the parish, the Derrynasaggart Mountains and the Boggeragh Mountains separate the valley from the Blackwater valley. To the south, the upland area of Reananerree and the Shehies separate it from the Lee valley. The surrounding district of Muskerry straddles the counties of Cork and Kerry. The highest point in the parish, at 694m, is Mullaghanish (Template:Langx) located just northeast of the village.
Ballyvourney is one of the 24 civil parishes in the barony of Muskerry West. The barony is the namesake of Baron Muskerry. There are 47 townlands in the civil parish.
| Townlands in the civil parish | |
|---|---|
| Name in Irish | Name in English |
| Baile Mhic Íre | Ballymakeery |
| Barr Duínse | Bardinch |
| Cathair Chearnaigh | Cahercarney |
| An Cheapach Thiar | Cappagh West |
| An Cheapach Thoir | Cappagh East |
| Na Cillíní | Killeen |
| Cnoc an Iúir | Knockanure |
| Com an Ghadhair | Coomnagire |
| Com na Cloiche | Coomnaclohy |
| Com Uí Chlúmháin | Coumaclovane |
| Cúil an Bhuacaigh | Coolavokig |
| Cúil an Mhothair | Coolavoher |
| Cúil Aodha | Coolea |
| An Chúil Iarthach | Coolierher |
| Cúil na Cathrach | Coolnacaheragh |
| Daingean na Saileach | Dangansallagh |
| Doire an Chuilinn | Derreenaculling |
| An Doire Leathan | Derrylahan |
| Doire na Sagart | Derrynasaggart |
| Na Doirí | Derree |
| An Doirín Álainn | Derreenaling |
| Na Foithrí | Fuhiry |
| Gort an Acra | Gortanacra |
| Gort na Fuinseann | Gortnafunshion |
| Gort na gCros | Gortnagross |
| Gort na Scairte | Gortnascarty |
| Gort na Tiobratan | Gortnatubbrid |
| Gort Uí Raithile | Gortyrahilly |
| An Inse Mhór | Inchamore |
| An Lománach Bheag | Lumnagh Beg |
| An Lománach Mhór | Lumnagh More |
| Magh Réidh | Flats |
| Na Millíní | Milleeny |
| An Muirneach Beag | Murnaghbeg |
| An Ráth Thiar | Rath West |
| An Ráth Thoir | Rath East |
| An Rathúnach Thiar | Rahoonagh West |
| An Rathúnach Thoir | Rahoonagh East |
| Ré na bPobal | Reanabobul |
| Screathan na nGabhann | Scrahanagown |
| An tSeanchluain | Shanacloon |
| An Seantóir | Glebe |
| An Sliabh Riabhach | Slievereagh |
| An Tóchar | Togher |
| Tonn Láin | Toonlane |
| Na hUláin Thiar | Ullanes West |
| Na hUláin Thoir | Ullanes East |
The parish is in the electoral division (ED) of An Sliabh Riabhach in the former rural district of Macroom. The ED is part of the Dáil constituency of Cork North-West.[6]
History
Historically, the people of Múscraige had the Corcu Loígde as their overlords. However, they switched allegiance to the Eóganachta and facilitated their rise to power as Kings of Munster. In "Griffith's Valuation of Ireland (1837)", 548 unique records are recorded in the civil parish. Of these, the top 11 surnames accounted for over half over the entries. The townlands with the most recorded surnames, from greatest to least, are: Coolavokig, Derrylahan, Slievereagh, Ballymakeery, Gortnatubbud, Dangansallagh, Derreenaling, Knockanure, Milleeny and Coolea.[7]
During the Irish War of Independence, the IRA ambushed a British rations lorry just south of Ballyvourney on 18 July 1921, resulting in the deaths of two British soldiers, including James Airy.[8]
Tourism and culture
Language
Today, the district gives its name to the Muskerry Gaeltacht which is an officially designated Irish-speaking area. While the inhabitants of the area know Irish well, English has been the predominant household and community language since the 1920s. According to the 2016 Census about 21% of the population of the "An Sliabh Riabhach" electoral division (where Ballyvourney is located) speak Irish on a daily basis outside the education system.[9] The area's Gaeltacht status draws visitors—as does its architectural heritage.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Religion
The town is associated with Saint Gobnait and is the site of her abbey, cells and St Gobnait's well. Her Pattern Day, 11 February, is still celebrated by the community. During a Mass at the well, everyone takes water from it. According to legend, Gobnait was born in County Clare in the 6th century. Fleeing from Clare, she took refuge in the Aran Islands, where she encountered an angel who instructed her to go on a journey. The angel told her that when she came upon nine white deer, that would be her place. Travelling south, she came to Clondrohid where she found three white deer. She followed them to Killeens, Ballymakeera where she saw six more. When she found the nine white deer in Baile Bhuirne, she stayed and founded a convent.[10] The remains of the convent are still the locus of pilgrimage, which while it is ostensibly Christian, may well be pagan in origin.[11]
The abbey contains an example of a Sheela na Gig[10]and there are a number of stone circles, stone rows and fulachtaí fia in the area.
Music and dance
The composer Seán Ó Riada is buried in the cemetery there.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". The sean-nós singer Elizabeth Cronin spent her whole life in the area.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
The village gives its name to an Irish dance figure—the Baile Bhuirne Set[12] The town is the home of Ionad Cultúrtha, a regional cultural centre for the traditional and contemporary arts. It holds many music and visual art events.[13]
Amenities and attractions
St. Gobnet's Wood is an old 30 ha woodland mainly planted in old Sessile Oak. The local national school is called Scoil Aban Naofa and is named after Aban, a saint associated with the area. The secondary school, Coláiste Ghobnatan, was formed in 1989 following the merger of Coláiste Iosagáin (opened Template:Circa) and Scoil Ghobnatan (opened 1950).[14] According to the school principal, the school is "named in honour of Saint Gobnait, patron Saint of Baile Bhúirne and indeed we place all our work under her protection".[15]
The grounds of Coláiste Íosagáin, a former De La Salle college, were used as a filming location for Song for a Raggy Boy. The film The Wind That Shakes the Barley was also filmed in nearby locations.
The bars and restaurants in the village are "The Mills Inn", "The Abbey Hotel", "The Hibernian", "The Crúiscín Lán"and "The Village Takeaway & Diner". The Mills Inn is built on the site of the former police barracks. Cultural events include:[16]
- Patron Saint's Day (Template:Langx), 11 February.
- Whit Sunday feast day.
- Ballyvourney - Coolea Annual Show (Template:Langx), College Field.
- Cultural & Heritage Centre (Template:Langx) which also holds educational programmes and traditional music concerts.
- Irish language courses organised by Gael-Linn in the Irish College (Template:Langx).
Economy
Employment opportunities in Ballyvourney range from agricultural, industrial to hospitality sectors. Údarás na Gaeltachta provide grants for businesses, many of which are situated in Ballyvourney's industrial estate.
Sport
The Senior Gaelic football club, Naomh Abán GAA, has a number of championship titles to its name.Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Anthony Lynch, a native of Ballyvourney and a player on the local football team also plays for the Cork senior football team.
The local association football (soccer) club, Sullane F.C., fields teams in the West Cork league in senior and underage divisions.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
Notable people
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See also
References
Template:Gaeltacht Template:Authority control
- ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ Official website of the Diocese of Cloyne. List of 46 parishes
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland", 1837, Ballyvourney
- ↑ Template:Cite Irish legislation
- ↑ Griffith's Valuation of Ireland (1837)
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- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Siofra Geoghegan, "Gobnait: Woman of the Bees"
- ↑ The Baile Bhuire Set
- ↑ "onad Cultúrtha an Dochtúir Ó Loinsigh". Ionad Cultúrtha. Retrieved 20 February 2021
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Coláiste Ghobnatan official website Template:Webarchive
- ↑ Visitor Guide to Gaeltacht Mhúscraí