THE TOWNLAND OF BALLEER

The townland of Balleer is in the parish of Lisnadill in Armagh County. It
is labelled number 3 on the map. H870380

The 1826 Schools Commission report describes the school in the townland:

“Balleer – A pay school under the care of Robert Reid, who was
in receipt of 5l plus residence. The school was under the direction of the Kildare
Place Society and provided education for 81 scholars.”

The Environment and Heritage Service Sites and Monuments Record (2002) notes the following in this townland:

Rath of the Early Christian Period and Tree ring the Eighteenth Century/Nineteenth Century.
SMR NO: ARM 016:033
Irish Grid Reference: H86983863
Townland: BALLEER
CONDITION: some remains
The site comprises a circular banked enclosure, 36m diam. The surrounding bank has a welldefined, flat-topped profile and measures c.2m wide & 1 m high. A gap, 2m wide on the W would seem to be modern. A silted ditch also encloses the site. This has been recut in places and measures 1.2m wide’x 1.3m deep. Although the site is marked as a “Fort” on the 1835 OS 6″ map, it appears to have been extensively remodelled as a landscape feature.

Rath of the Early Christian Period and tree ring the Eighteenth Century/Nineteenth Century.
SMR NO: ARM 016:034
Irish Grid Reference: H86823824
Townland: BALLEER
CONDITION: some remains
A well defined bank incorporated into the modern field boundaries encloses a level, circular interior 36m in diam. The bank is up to 1 m high & 2.5m wide. It is broken by several small gaps & a modern entrance on the E. A silted outer ditch is just visible around much of the perimeter & in places this is up to 2m wide & 0.5m deep below the outer ground level. A ruined agricultural building of corrugated iron & asbestos occupied the NW quadrant. This is probably a landscaping feature on the site of a rath.

PRONI records: OS/6/2/16/1 (Surveyed 1834-35. Engraved 1835.); OS/6/2/16/2 (Surveyed 1834-35. Engraved 1835. Revised 1860. Engraved 1862.); OS/6/2/16/3 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1906. Levelled 1888-89 and 1906. Published 1908. Reprint 1952, 1954.); OS/6/2/16/4 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1906. Levelled 1888-89 and 1906. Published 1908. Reprint 1929.); OS/6/2/16/5 (Surveyed 1834-35. Revised 1906. Levelled 1888-89 and 1906. Published 1908. Reprint 1952, 1954 with Mss. markings in red and stamped ref. 2568.); OS/6/2/16/6 (Surveyed 1906. Revised 1955. Levelled 1906. Published 1958. (2 copies).); VAL/1B/29A, VAL/1B/211 (1st valuation records.); VAL/12B/10/9A, VAL/12B/10/9B, VAL/12B/10/9C, VAL/12B/10/9D, VAL/12B/10/9E (Valuation annual revision list.); VAL/2B/2/10A (Griffith valuation list.); D/1293/3 (Map.).