Ballyroan

The parish and town of Balliroane are represented on Sir William Petty's Map of Cullenagh barony. A few houses mark the site of the town; and a considerable strip of bog is marked. Its town is represened by a group of seven detached houses near its celebrated moat (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 1907, vol. 1, 187). On the Old Map of Leix and Ophaly Ballyrone is marked, as Tolouer, now Tullore, and Dromselege, now Drimashellig, a townland in this parish. Coulinleigh and Koulingh is marked on the old Map of Leix and Ophaly (O'Hanlon and O'Leary 19807, vol. 1, 186). 17th-century house (LA024-059) running parallel to the main street may be all that survives above ground of the seventeenth century town of Ballyroan. Church and graveyard at the N end of the village of Ballyroan may be located on site of earlier church (LA024-06001-) and graveyard (LA024-06002-). Area of possible medieval settlement was archaeologically tested by Martin Byrne in 1998 under excavation licence no. 98E0460. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 December 2007