Ballylinan, Queens County
Historical Description
BALLYLINAN, a village, in the parish of KILLEBAN, barony of BALLYADAMS, QUEEN'S county, and province of LEINSTER, 3 miles (S. W.) from Athy, on the road to Castlecomer; containing 94 houses and 533 inhabitants. In the strata of the neighbouring lands are numerous marine exuviæ; and some valuable coal mines, called the Mondebeg and Polatheen collieries, are worked by steam-engines recently erected; there are also several other collieries in the parish. Great quantities of fine flag-stones were formerly raised on the adjoining townland of Boley; but on the discovery of similar quarries near Carlow, more conveniently situated for conveyance by canal, they were abandoned. Stones containing a large proportion of iron are found on the lands called Iron Park; but no works have been yet established. The village is a constabulary police station, and has a penny post to Athy. Fairs are held in it on Jan. 11th, Feb. 10th, May 10th, Sept. 2nd, and Nov. 26th, and petty sessions on alternate Thursdays. To the north is Rabin, the seat of Lieut.-Col. Weldon, a handsome mansion surrounded by thriving plantations; and at a short distance are the luxuriant woods of Gracefield Lodge the seat of the ancient family of Grace, whose old mansion has been taken down and replaced by an elegant villa; the grounds have been tastefully embellished, and the approach from the Kilkenny side presents some beautiful and interesting mountain scenery. There are several other gentlemen's seats in the vicinity, which are noticed in the article on the parish of Killeban. In the village are the ruins of an old church, near which some ancient coins have been dug up; also a neat Roman Catholic chapel belonging to the union or district of Killeban. The parochial school is in this village: it is supported by subscriptions, and attended by more than sixty children; and there is also a school in connection with the chapel.
Directories & Gazetteers
We have transcribed the entry for Ballylinan from the following:
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Queen's is available to browse.