Ballingeary
Co. Cork.
Post office, parish of
Inchigeela. The village of Ballingeary
("the place of wilderness") is situated near
Gougane Barra, the source of the Lee, at a
junction of the Bunsheelan river with the Lee.
The district is mountainous, rocky, and of wild
aspect and forms portion of Iveleary
(Ibh-Laoghaire), the ancient territory of the
O'Learys. Gougane Barra (signifying the
gurgling head) occupies a portion of the
mountain recess or hollow about a mile and a
half long, almost entirely environed by tall
precipitious mountains. On the lake,
connected with the shore by an artificial
causeway, is a small wooded island, the greater
portion of which is covered by ruins of
buildings, consisting of some rudely constructed
cells, with portion of a chapel and oratory.
St. Finbarr who founded the school or monastery
around which the city of Cork sprung up,
occupied this lonely isle for many years.
The neighbouring mountains attain a height of
1,700 to 1,800 feet. Near Gougane, on the
road to Bantry, is one of the finest and most
savage defiles in the south, known as the Pass
of Keimaneigh (Ceim-an-eich - the path of
the deer). It is about two miles in
length, lying nearly north and south, and seems
to have been a mountain river from summit to
base by some convulsion of nature. It is
thus described by Windele: "Nothing in
mountain scenery, of glen or dell or defile can
well equal this gloomy Pass. The
separation of the mountain ground at either side
is only just sufficient to afford room for a
road of moderate breadth, with a rugged channel
at one side for the waters, which in the winter
season, rush down from the high grounds. ……..
It is with associations of spoil, adventure, and
daring, - of chasing the red deer, the wolf, or
the boar, with horn and hound, that this place
is properly connected. At its entrance
from the Gougane side the Pass is seen with best
effect; there its high close cliffs are
steepest, and the toppling crags assume their
most picturesque forms, and resemblances of
fantastic piles and ancient ruins. These
receive beauty and variety from the various
mosses which encrust them and the plants, which
lend their mellow hues to soften and give effect
to the whole" During the disturbed year of
1822, a body of Rockites established their
headquarters in this defile. Numerous
interesting pre-historic antiquities in
neighbourhood of village, and remains of several
ancient castles are scattered through the
parish. See also Inchigeela.
Postal Address
- Ballingeary, Cork.
Macroom 15 miles
nearest money order and telegraph office.
Postmaster - James Scriven
Conveyances - Macroom 15
miles nearest railway station.
Poor Law -
Union of Macroom; Dispensary and
Registration district of Inchigeela.
Constabulary district of Macroom.
Schools
National Head teacher - Jerh Twohig.
Carding and Tucking Mill Mrs
Murphy, Kilmore.
Shopkeepers James
Leehane, Daniel Sweeney, Jeremiah Twomey.
Trades Timothy Manning,
Blacksmith.
James Leehane,
Bootmaker.
Vintners John Shorten
Principal Farmers - Parish
Inchigeela:
Cotter Jeremiah,
Kilmore Cotter Richard, Kilmore
Creed Michael, Illauninagh Creedon
Daniel, Aharas
Creedon Daniel,
Rathgaskig Creedon Michael, sen.
Illauninagh
Cronin Cornelius,
Keamcorravooly Cronin Cornelius,
Bargarriff
Cronin Cornelius,
Gorteenakilla Cronin Denis, Gougane Barra
Cronin Daniel, Lyrenageeha Cronin
Denis, Gorteenakilla
Cronin John,
Bargarriff Cronin Patrick,
Inchibeg
Dineen John, Aharas
Horgan Mrs, Keamcorravooly
Leary Jeremiah,
Derreenabourky Leary John,
Inchinossig
Leehane Daniel,
Dromanallig Leehane Daniel,
Ballingeary
Lucey Cornelius, Cahir
Lucey, Cornelius, Gurteenowen
Lucey Denis,
Gurteenowen Lucey John, Cahir
Lucey John, Kilmore Lucey John
Jun. Cahir
Lucey Richard, Cahir
Moynihan Eugene, Currahy
Moynihan
James, Carrig Lodge Moynihan John,
Cahir
Moynihan John, Lackabaun
Scriven James, Ballingeary
Shorten
Benjamin, Currahy Shorten John,
Ballingeary
Sullivan John, Rathgaskig
Walsh Richard, Inchimore
Walsh
Richard, Tooreenduff.
Inchigeela
Sub
post-office, 33 miles north west of Cork,
11 miles from Macroom, and 24 miles from Bantry.
Inchigeela possesses Protestant and Catholic
churches, a constabulary station, two
schoolhouses, hotel, etc. The surface is
mountainous, rocky and of wild aspect, but
towards the east more level, and in a profitable
stage of cultivation. About ten miles west
of the village is the romantic "lone" lake of
Gougane Barra - the source of the Lee.
This lake is situated in a picturesque and
sequestered spot, in a lofty chain of mountains
between Cork and Kerry, the utter loneliness and
stern magnificence of which it is difficult to
conceive; and in whose rugged and
precipitous acclivities the golden eagle is said
still to breed. St. Finbarr - who founded
a large school or monastery, towards the end of
the sixth century, around which the city of Cork
sprung up - lived for some time as a hermit in a
cell on a small islet in the lake. A long
series of ascetics succeeded him here, the last
of whom was named O'Mahony, who lived in this
lonely spot for twenty eight years and died in
1700. This small island, nearly midway in
the lake, is overshadowed by venerable ash
trees. It is connected with the shore by a
rude artificial causeway, and the greater
portion of its surface is covered by the ruins
of a chapel, and a cloister containing eight
cells, rudely constructed of brown stone.
Close to the mountains encircling Gougane Barra
is the celebrated Pass of Keimaneigh (the path
of the deer), through which runs the high road
between Macroom and Bantry. A mountain has
been divided by some convulsion of nature :
precipitous walls of rock, clothed in wild ivy,
ferns and mosses, rise to a height of several
hundred feet on either side of the gorge.
Between the lake of Gougane and Inchigeela the
Lee expands into a broad sheet of water, called
Lough Allua, the eastern extremity of which is
about a mile from Inchigeela. The lake (or
rather series of lakes) is about four miles in
length by one in breadth. All the adjacent
country is called Iveleary, from the sept of the
O'Learys, its ancient owners, and to whom also
belonged the castles of Carrignacurra
(Castle-Masters) and Dromcarra, on the Lee
towards Macroom. Carrignacurra was
garrisoned by Cromwell's troops, and is still in
tolerable preservation, consisting of a square
tower about 100 feet high. About two
centuries ago this locality now almost entirely
destitute of timber, was a vast forest of oak,
birch, ash and yew, abounding with red and
fallow deer. There are vast marshes here,
clothed with heather and aquatic plants, and in
their seasons, frequented by great quantities of
water fowl. Attempts, hitherto abortive,
have been made to drain this extensive quagmire.
Formerly, some metallic cubes, yellow and
shining like gold, were found in this district,
and metallic ores have, from time to time, been
washed out of the adjacent rocks during floods.
About midway between Inchigeela and Gougane is
the village of Ballingeary, with a Catholic
church and National schools.
Fairs -
May 31st , August 31st
, December 3rd.
Postal: Mail arrives at 10.00 a.m. and
leaves at 3.00 p.m.
Postmaster -
Patrick Lehane.
Official:
Parishes - Inchigeela,
Kilmichael.
Poor Law Union
- Macroom.
Registrar
of Births, Deaths and Marriages -
Dr. Timothy Crowley.
Petty
Sessions District - Macroom - every
second Wednesday;
Clerk
- John Grainger.
Quarter Sessions District - Macroom.
Resident Magistrate - Charles
O'Connell.
Sub-Inspector
Constabulary - T.B. Wilson.
Constable - John Timmony.
Clergy: Rev. Jeremiah Holland, P.P.
Cappanaclare,
Rev. John
Lyons, R.C.C.
Rev. Patrick
O'Rourke, A.M. Rector.
Medical
Practitioner: Dr. Timothy Crowley.
National Schools: Eight schools
in the district, with 18 teachers.
Hotel Keeper: William Brophy.
Principal Landholders:
Barrett Edmond,
Carrigbaun Brophy William,
Inchigeela
Browne John, Castlemasters
Buckley Daniel, Canananeclogh
Buckley
Timothy, Carriganeelah Buckley
Timothy, Gorteenadrolane
Cotter Jeremiah,
Coolroe Cotter Timothy, Gortnaloughra
Cotter William, Cloughboola Cotter
William, Gurtnahoughtee
Cronin Daniel,
Inchinaneave