Local History

Angel’s Bed

During the 20^th century in Ballyneale, if you ever felt pain in your head or stomach, you could go to the Angel’s Bed to be healed. You would have to say a prayer for your wounds to recover. The Angel’s Bed doesn’t exist anymore but is replaced with a house with the same name. There comes and goes a legend that says during the Famine, a dying baby was laid on a hollow stone. When the baby died it was reborn into an angel.

By Luke Broxson and Lenny Murray.

Angel’s Bed

In the nineteen twenties and thirties in Ballyneale, if you ever had a headache or a pain in your stomach the angel’s bed was the place to go. If a prayer was said near the stone it apparently cured you of your pain. The angel’s bed is not there anymore but the house is still called the angels bed and the Powers live there.

The story goes that during the famine a woman and a dying baby visited Angel’s bed. She laid the baby in the hollow stone. Sadly, the baby died and now it is believed the baby is an angel.

By Jack Kinsella and Conor Hayes.

Ballyneale Placename

The name Ballyneale comes from ‘Baile uí Néill’ which means home of the O’ Neills. Remains of the O’ Neill castle still stands today. The O’Neills were pre-Norman Irish who were forced to leave their land in 1180. In the north of Ballinacluna the O’Neills owned a mill. At the end of the 16^th century Conn O’Neill built the Ballyneale castle. In 1629 Hugh O’ Neill took over the land.

By Jack Bourke and Kyle Carberry.

Education in Ballyneale

Imagine going to school in a barn, well if you went to school in Ballyneale during the 18^th – 19^th century that’s where you would be! This was the first school in Ballyneale.

The second school was established in 1800 and built on the site of the present community hall. In 1958 the third and final school was built and was extended twice in 2008 and 1994. Now there are 96 pupils and 10 working staff in our school.

By Annie O Keeffe and Kate O’Hora.

Education in Ballyneale

The first school in Ballyneale was a hedge-school. In 1800, a few years later the present hall was built. It was a two teacher school with 65 students. During the school years Thomas F. Kiely was educated in Ballyneale. In 1958 a new school was built in Ballyneale. During the early 1980s the numbers rose. Today there are 97 pupils and 5 teachers in the school principal is the amazing Mr Michael McHale.

By James Harte and Shane Flynn

G.A.A in Ballyneale Village

There is no shortage of GAA history in Ballyneale village. Our names are Thomas and Callum and we will guide you through this historical trip of GAA history in the village, both past and present. Let us begin with the first ever Gaelic football match which was played only a few meters across from our current school. The match was 21 a side and was played between a Callan team and the former Ballinamona cricket team, which was refereed by Pat Davin. The nickname of our club is ‘The Parish’ and our club colours are green and white. The u16s recently made club history by winning the clubs first ever ‘A’ title. So that concludes our report on GAA in the village. I hope this gave you some newfound knowledge on our GAA history in the village which began in 1885.

By Callum McFadden and Thomas Smith.

G.A.A in Ballyneale

Opposite Ballyneale school there is a field that was used to hold events. In 1884 the first gaelic football match was played here. Ballinamona and Callan participated in the game. The game was 21 a side and Maurice Davin was the referee. The monument is on the boundary of the car park and is opposite the school.

By Ava Meaney and Cian Flynn

John O’ Mahony

John O’ Mahony was a young Irelander who lived in Ballycurkeen. In 1848 John O Mahony was involved in the clash at the McCormack farmhouse outside Ballingarry.

A close friend of John O’ Mahony was Thomas Francis Meagher, the founder of the Irish flag. His rivals came to find him. He heard about the news and fled in an underground cave, then later fled to America where he died and was brought overseas to Glasnevin to be buried.

When John left he did not have time to harvest his crop so members of the village did it for him. This was known as the ‘Reapers of Mullough’.

By Lucy Hanrahan and Conor Bourke

John O’ Mahony

John O’ Mahony was a vital member of the Young Irelanders. In 1848 British Troops were looking for John O’ Mahony, but he escaped. He had a large crop of corn to be harvested and the villagers came to harvest the crop for him. The troops came to ask if John O’ Mahony was there and the villagers declined. Later that night the villagers celebrated and John O’ Mahony showed up to thank them all. John O’ Mahony’s birth place was Ballycurkeen House.

By Sophie McGrath and Genevieve Marshall

Teacher’s House

The original teacher’s house is beside Ballyneale Church. Houses such as these were built to a standard plan for the Department of Education by the Office of Public works in the 1920s. The first person to live there was Mr. Joe Mangan whose wife was the second school teacher. Dr. Patrick Power was the final principal to live there.

By James O’ Meara and Dylan Kirby