Historic sites
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Historic sites in Balla and Manulla parishes from Irish Tourist Association Survey, 1945
There are four pages dedicated to descriptions of historic sites in Balla and Manulla. These include:
Adam’s Well:- This is located in Manulla village and the surveyor recounts the traditions associating this site with St. Patrick. Other sites with Patrician associations are church ruins in Loona More townland, church site in Drum cemetery, Killerennan church remnants and Balla town itself was said to have been visited by the saint.
Balla Abbey:- said to have been founded in the early 7th century by St. Cronan, locally known as St. Mochua. For hundreds of years it was a great centre of learning. It was plundered by Richard de Burgo in 1236. In the nineteenth century huge crowds used to attend a pattern to St. Mochua’s Well.
Mr. J. Dempsey’s house in Loona More townland:- In 1879 this was the site where a proposed eviction of the then owner Anthony Dempsey was foiled by the Land League, which became a pivotal event in the land war.
House of Dr. Murphy, Balla:- this house was used by Davitt and Parnell as a meeting place for the Land League.
Historical figures associated with Balla include P.W. Nally, Maxwell, author of “Wild sports of the west” who spent some time in Belcarra, and Dr. Dalton, author of “History of Ireland” who was C.C. for a time in Belcarra.
The headings for the survey are listed below. Clicking on the heading will open the relevant section in the survey.
Amenities and general information