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Ballynacally
Ballynacally is a picturesque village situated approx. 10 miles south west of Ennis, on the coast road to Kilrush. Ballynacally is generally translated as Baile na Cailleadh, the nun's land, because it belonged to the nuns of Killone Convent. The area has been inhabited since the earliest times and there are quite a few forts in the immediate vicinity.
Those at Lisduff and Lisheen are the most prominent of the remaining ones but others can be found on the elevated ground overlooking the Fergus Estuary. In 1837 there was a small quay of rude construction here from which corn, butter, pork and other agricultural products were sent to Limerick in boats of 10 or 12 tons burden.
Limestone and sea-manure were also landed in Ballynacally for the supply of the neighbourhood. In those days it had a daily penny post to Ennis and Kilrush, as well as a public dispensary. Faction fights were one of the principal sports during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Tradition tells of a man named O'Dell who was killed in a faction fight and buried in Kilchriest. Professor Thomas Rice Henn in his memoirs The Five Arches described Ballynacally as "a straggling village, with its one street and five public houses, crossing a bridge over a lesser stream." He also mentioned the school on the village green, later converted into a community centre, and the R.I.C. barracks, which was destroyed during the Troubles of the 1920's Ballynacally is home to many historical structures and monuments.
Both St Brendan and St Senan visited the area and founded churches on the islands. At that time the islands were thickly populated. The churches were later plundered by the Danes travelling up the Shannon on their way to Limerick. In Norman times there was a flourishing community of nuns at Kilchreest.
Norman castles were built in the area including castles at Dangan, Ballycorick and Cragbrien. During famine times the dominant landlords were the Balls of Fortfergus and the Henns of Paradise.The Balls setup a Soup School on the village green and this eventually became the local national school and is now part of the Community Centre. With regard to the local landlords, the Balls are infamous for their eviction of two hundred families from the townland of Inisdia. |
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View of Ballynacally Village from Paradise
The Fair green and view of the range of houses
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Credit union and fair green |
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| The Blessed Well |
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It is the custom of the villagers, and the people of the surrounding areas to make an annual visit to a Blessed Well outside the village, which is dedicated to St. Martin, patron of Gaul in France. St. Martin’s Shrine and Holy Well can be reached by a path from the road in a matter of minutes. The clear spring well is overhung by a concrete alter, on top of which stands, in a niche, a beautiful statue if St. Martin. The well and shrine is located in just the sort of seclusion that had always in his lifetime an irresistible appeal for the Saint. The Shrine, hollowed in a rocky area on the brink of a gently flowing stream, is sheltered by stately cypress trees and flowering shrubs. On St. Martin’s Day 11th November, every year, it is an inspiring sight to see the constant stream of pilgrims make their way to the shrine, some old, many in the full flush of youth, but all with a deep faith in the ability of the Saint to cure their ills.
They kneel on the concrete surface of the sanctuary and pray and light candles. Only the murmur of the waters and an occasional gust of wind through the trees disturbs the silence.
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Before leaving, they drink the refreshing waters from the well, and in a little pool nearby into which there is a constant flow of water from the well, they bathe their eyes. It is widely believed that blindness, rheumatism and many minor ailments can be cured here, and at all times throughout the year people suffering from various complaints make novenas here in supplication to the Saint.
St. Martin was born in Italy in 316, reared in Milan and came to Gaul as a soldier. At the age of eighteen, he was baptised and having become a disciple of St. Hilary, he founded a monastery in Liguage, near Poitiers. Many years later, he was made Bishop of Tours, near which he founded the famous Abbey of Marmontiers or Martin’s Monastery.
His fame was first brought to Ireland by his friend, St. Ninian, who knew and loved St. Martin and who founded a monastery like those in France at Whitburn , in Scotland in 397. The Monastery of Candida Casa had much to do with the spread of monasticism to Ireland. St. Martin lived ‘till he was nearly eighty years old. His death occurred in Candes, near Tours, on November 8th 397. His tomb is famous through many miracles and attracts large numbers of visitors. |
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The History of Ballycorick Church
Ballycorick Church was dedicated on February 17th 1861 by Bishop Flannery of Killaloe. It was built on a site given by Thomas Rice Henn (Barrister at law) of Paradise, together with the sum of £50.The story goes that there was rivalry between the Henns of Paradise and the Balls of Fortfergus and that Mr. Henn gave a site overlooking the Ball estate.
The Church is built of cut stone and is now a listed building. There is a beautiful stained glass window at the rear of the main altar. At the time of it’s dedication, Fr. Dinan was Parish Priest and according to Monsignor Murphy he “was after building within a very short period two elegant churches in his extensive parish”.
According to the local newspaper of the time – The Clare Journal “The reverend gentleman has, although laboring under the greatest disadvantages from the remoteness of the locality from any place where the necessary materials for so great a work could be procured and the want of adequate means, has succeeded by indomitable perseverance in erecting a suitable temple for the Lord in this small and rather poor parish”. The paper goes on to tell us that Fr. Dinan labored at his task for three years and that now (1861) the people of Ballynacally have a handsome and imposing edifice instead of a few wretched cabins knocked together. |
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In 1970 there was much work carried out. The gallery at the back of the church was removed and the Baptistery was taken from the back of the church and placed at the side of the main altar. The bell was taken down from the spirit and a new belfry was built in the church grounds. Central heating was installed at this time and new seats were put in the long aisle.
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| Restoration pics by....... John McNamara, Lisheen |
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Major Renovations to Ballycorick Church
In 2001, the services of Mr. Tom McGahon, (Architect) were engaged to oversee the renovation of our church. Work began under the direction of Mr. Paddy Carmody, Building Contractor, Lissycasey, on Mon. 4th March 2002.
Work to be done on the building included the replacement of the roof, dry lining of the interior of the church, reconstruction and extension of the sacristy, alteration to the existing heating and lighting system, restoration of the stained glass window in the sanctuary, provision of a new crying room in the front porch of the church and a new meeting room overhead the sacristy, utilising existing space. The restoration work took just seven months.
The rededication, of Christ the King Church, Ballycorick, by Bishop Willie Walsh, took place on Sunday October 20th at 3pm. It was an historic occasion.
We now have a beautiful, warm, comfortable church,
one of the most up to date in the diocese.
The church, still retains it’s original character. Being a listed Dúchas building, no changes have taken place to the exterior. It has a new roof while still retaining the old slates. The fine stained glass window, made in Munich in 1840, has been completely restored and still remains the focal point of the sanctuary. The sacristy has been extended and refurbished with a new meeting overhead it and a crying room has also been fitted at the end of the main aisle. A complete new heating and sound system has been fitted. The whole job cost €500,000.00
We have had wonderfully successful fundraising events like our two auctions, a fashion show, barbecues, hack on horseback, golf classic, race-nite, a table quiz and many more organised by groups in our parish like the GAA, the ICA, the local Hunt group, the local golfers and many other groups who formed for the sake of doing the fundraising.
All these events proved to be very rewarding maintenance costs, if we are to maintain the church in it’s present fine state. To meet these ongoing expenses and to provide for any other unforeseen expenditure we plan to have a once yearly event.
Our two auctions were the highlight of our fundraising events. Working with a core group of about twenty people, representing every organisation in the parish, meetings took place once a week for two months prior to auction day. There was tremendous co-operation, determination, excitement, hard work – willingly done, which made both auction days in 2001 and 2002 wonderful community occasions – days that will be remembered and talked about for many years. About fifty people would have been involved working on the actual days, but it was the participation of the entire parish in the preparation that made the events such successes.
Trailers of timber would have been our main auction item we had 113 at our second auction which realised a total of €18,000 We auctioned cars, a caravan, donkeys, sheep, farm produce –hay, silage etc. as well as furniture.
Along with this we has 19 stalls –cake sale, bric-a-brac, books, toys, etc.
The amount raised at our first auction was €47,000 and our second €41,000! financially, but also fantastic social events, where people gave generously and also enjoyed being part of a great community. The response to our weekly collection, as well as donations sent from parishioners who have moved on to new homes outside the area and abroad, has been tremendous. We completed payment for our splendid new church in June 2003, in record Time |
