Ballymena

Ballymena (Irish: An Baile Meánach, "middle town") is a town in County Antrim, in Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council.

Early history

The first recorded history of the Ballymena area dates to the Early Christian period from the 5th to the 7th century. Ringforts found in the townland of Ballykeel and a site known as Camphill Fort in the townland of Ballee may also have been of this type. There are a number of souterrain sites within a 2 km radius of the centre of Ballymena.

Related Topics:
Early Christian - 5th - 7th century - Ringfort - Townland - Souterrain

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Two miles north of Ballymena in the townland of Kirkinriola, the ancient parish church and graveyard possess several indicators of Early Christian settlement including a souterrain. Also in 1868, a gravedigger found a large stone slab on which was carved a cross with the inscription oa do degen. This refers to Bishop Degen, who lived in Ireland during the 7th century.

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At the end of the 5th century, a church was founded in Connor, 5 miles south of Ballymena. This was followed by a monastery at Templemoyle, Kells. In 831, however, the Norse invaded the Ballymena area, burning the church.

Related Topics:
831 - Norse

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In the 12th century, the Anglo-Normans conquered much of County Antrim and County Down and created the core of the Earldom of Ulster. During this campaign they built great mounds of earth topped by wooden towers, referred to as mottes, as defensive structures. Harryville's motte-and-bailey is one of the best examples of this type of fortification in Northern Ireland. Some sources, however, credit the O'Flynns with building the mid-Antrim mottes and baileys in imitation of the invaders; the O'Flynns defeated and repelled the Earl of Ulster, John de Courcy, in 1177 and 1178.

Related Topics:
12th century - Anglo-Norman - County Antrim - County Down - Earldom of Ulster - Mottes - Motte-and-bailey - John de Courcy - 1177 - 1178

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In 1315, Edward Bruce (brother of King Robert I of Scotland, known as "Robert Bruce") invaded Ireland. On September 10, 1315, at the Battle of Tawnybrack (5 miles south of Ballymena at Kells), Edward conquered the army of Richard De Burgo, the Anglo-Norman Earl of Ulster.

Related Topics:
1315 - Edward Bruce - King Robert I - Scotland - September 10 - Battle of Tawnybrack - Richard De Burgo

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In 1576, Queen Elizabeth I granted land, including the town of Ballymena, to Sir Thomas Smith. The lands had been forfeited to the crown after Shane O'Neill's rebellion in the 1560s. Smith brought English settlers to the area. In 1581, Smith's settlement failed; the lands reverted to the crown.

Related Topics:
1576 - Queen Elizabeth I - Sir Thomas Smith - Forfeit - Shane O'Neill - 1560s - 1581

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On May 10, 1607, King James I granted the native Irish chief, Rory Og MacQuillan the Ballymena Estate. The estate passed through several owners, eventually passing into the possession of William Adair, a Scottish laird from Kinhilt in southwestern Scotland. The estate was temporarily renamed "Kinhilstown" after the Adair's lands in Scotland. The original castle of Ballymena was built in the early 17th century, situated to take advantage of an ancient ford over the River Braid. In 1626 King Charles I confirmed the grant of the Ballymena Estate to William Adair, giving him the right to hold a market at Ballymena on every Saturday.

Related Topics:
May 10 - 1607 - King James I - Rory Og MacQuillan - William Adair - 17th century - River Braid - 1626 - King Charles I

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In 1641, the local Ballymena garrison fought against the rebels but had to retreat to Carrickfergus. Ballymena's first market house (on the site of the present town hall) was built in 1684.

Related Topics:
1641 - Carrickfergus - 1684

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In 1690, the Duke of Würrtemburg, a Williamite general, used Galgorm Castle as his headquarters. Sir Robert Adair raised a Regiment of Foot for King William III and fought at the Battle of the Boyne.

Related Topics:
Duke of Würrtemburg - Sir Robert Adair - King William III - Battle of the Boyne

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By 1704, the population of Ballymena had reached 800. In 1707, the first Protestant (Church of Ireland) parish church was built. In 1740, the original Ballymena Castle burned down. The Gracehill Moravian settlement was founded in 1765. During the 1798 rebellion, Ballymena was occupied from June 7 to June 9 by a force of around 10,000 United Irishmen, who stormed the Market House (now the Town Hall) killing three of its defenders.

Related Topics:
1704 - 1707 - Protestant - Church of Ireland - 1740 - Gracehill - Moravian - 1765 - 1798 rebellion - June 7 - June 9 - United Irishmen

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The first Roman Catholic church in Ballymena was not consecrated until 1827. By 1834 the population of Ballymena was about 4,000. In 1848 the Belfast and Ballymena Railway was established. In 1865 Robert Alexander Shafto Adair started building Ballymena Castle, a magnificent family residence, in the Demesne. The Castle was not completed until 1887.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic - 1827 - 1834 - 1848 - Belfast and Ballymena Railway - 1865 - Robert Alexander Shafto Adair - 1887

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