Ballyeaston, formerly spelt Ballyistin (),Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records) is a small

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

and

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 ...

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

. It is 2–3 km north of

Ballyclare Ballyclare () is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 9,953 according to the 2011 census, and is located within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It sits on the river Six Mile Water. The town ...

, on the road to

Larne Larne (, , the name of a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic territory) is a town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, with a population of 18,755 at the United Kingdom census, 2011, 2011 Census. It is a major passenger and freight Roll-on/ro ...

. It lies on the southern hill slopes overlooking

Six Mile Water The Six Mile Water is a river in southern County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is an indirect tributary of the River Bann, via Lough Neagh. Name The river was historically called the ''(river) Ollar'' and is known in Irish as ''Abhainn na bhFiodh ...

. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 90 people. It is within the Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council area. The village has a very distinctive character and is focused on the junction of three main routes that meet near a medieval parish church. Its buildings cluster between the churches, which are distinctive landmarks, with the strikingly modern facade of First Ballyeaston

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Church and the unusual bronze cupola of Second Ballyeaston Presbyterian Church. The Boy's Brigade Company belongs to 2nd Ballyeaston while the Girl's Brigade belongs to 1st Ballyeaston and boys and girls from both churches attend each. At the time of the

1859 Ulster revival The 1859 Ulster revival was a Christian revival in Ulster which spread to the rest of the United Kingdom. It has been reported that the revival produced 100,000 converts. The revival began in Kells and Connor in County Antrim. In late 1857, thro ...

, the minister of 2nd Ballyeaston was Rev A. Pollock. Reference books state that the revival hit the parish with such power, he died as a result of his strenuous labours. He is buried in the small graveyard behind the church and the inscription on his headstone says that he died in the field with his armour on. The middle of the village is a tightly knit group of buildings on both sides of the Trenchill Road, a steep and winding road, which forms the village's main street. Most of its buildings are mostly unchanged and the village still retains much of its original character. At the top of the main street is the old Ballyeaston Flute Band Hall. The band won many competitions before their nearby rivals Ballyclare Victoria Flute Band became famous.

References

NI Neighbourhood Information System
*Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015

External links

First Ballyeaston Presbyterian Church His House on the Hill A History of First BallyeastonSecond Ballyeaston Presbyterian Church
Villages in County Antrim Townlands of County Antrim Civil parish of Ballycor, County Antrim {{Antrim-geo-stub