Ballard () is a

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...

in west

County Clare County Clare ( ga, Contae an Chláir) is a county in Ireland, in the Southern Region and the province of Munster, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council is the local authority. The county had a population of 118,817 ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It is on the N67

national secondary road A national secondary road ( ga, Bóthar Náisiúnta den Dara Grád) is a category of road in Ireland. These roads form an important part of the national route network but are secondary to the main arterial routes which are classified as national ...

between the urban areas of

Doonbeg Doonbeg () is a village in west County Clare, Ireland on the Atlantic coast. The surrounding natural environment has supported its development as a tourist resort. The area was officially classified as part of the West Clare Gaeltacht, an Irish-s ...

and

Kilkee Kilkee () is a small coastal town in County Clare, Ireland. It is in the parish of Kilkee, formerly Kilfearagh. Kilkee is midway between Kilrush and Doonbeg on the N67 road. The town is popular as a seaside resort. The horseshoe bay is pr ...

. The nearest large towns are Kilrush and Kilkee, which are approximately 10 and 5 miles away, respectively. The townland is within the parish of Killard and the diocese of Killaloe.

Education

The current Ballard National School opened in 1911. The old school, set in the lower storey of Flynns' or Cremins' two storey house, still remains.

Religion

There is a legend that St. Senan was brought to Ballard Hill to see the location of

Scattery Island Inis Cathaigh or Scattery Island is an island in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, off the coast of Kilrush, County Clare. The island is home to a lighthouse, a ruined monastery associated with Saint Senan, an Irish round tower and the remains of a ...

, where he went on to establish his main monastery. According to one version of the legend, St. Senan was mysteriously transported on a rock from the hill to the island. During Penal times, secret Catholic masses were held at the western gable end of Ballard House. The now demolished Ballard House (known locally as Father Mc's house) was the location of the parochial House or presbytery for Killard parish (and for a while the joint Killard and Kilkee parishes) until a new parochial house was built in the 1970s in the nearby village of Bealaha.

History

According to the

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,24 ...

, there was an earthquake in West Clare almost 1,000 years ago, which split the land between the Cliffs of Moher in the north and Cliffs of Ballard in the south. The subsequent tidal wave engulfed the whole district between these two headlands, and the Atlantic Ocean now rolls over what was once dry land. The earliest evidence of habitation are the various forts located in the townland. The most spectacular of these was a

promontory fort A promontory fort is a defensive structure located above a steep cliff, often only connected to the mainland by a small neck of land, thus using the topography to reduce the ramparts needed. Although their dating is problematic, most seem to da ...

located at Donegal Point.

Historic architecture

Ballard Castle was a Napeolonic signal tower built in the 18th century as part of a ring of towers around Ireland. Other towers in Clare were located at Carheenaveelane, Carn Crohane, Mutton Island and Hags Head. Unfortunately, the castle was demolished in the 1960s, and the stones were reused in local farm buildings. Ballard House was built in the early 19th century as a summer residence for the Singleton family of Quinville Abbey Estate in Quin. The other main landlords were the Blackhall family who lived in the nearby Killard House (also now demolished).

Geography

Ballard is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and has some of the most dramatic cliffs on the west coast of Ireland at Donegal Point, the Hubawns and Ballard Bay or Bealnalicka. Donegal Point is a peninsula that is reached by crossing over one of two naturally formed bridges. The shore front at Bealnalicka is noted for its blow hole, which is known locally as the "Puffing Hole". The highest point in Killard Parish is Ballard Hill, where a castle once stood. On a clear day from this point it is possible to see four counties: Clare, Kerry, Limerick, and Galway.

Tourism

The cliffs and coastline of Ballard have been receiving visitors since the Victorian Era, when it was a popular day trip for visitors to make from Kilkee on jaunting cars. The Cliffs of Ballard are recommended in the latest

Lonely Planet Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books. History Early years Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarked ...

guide to Ireland.

References

External links

Doonbeg Homepage
{{County Clare Townlands of County Clare