These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
Baile an Gharraí· Irish · main form
Ballingarry· English · main form
Place & story
The castle on Knights Street
Ballingarry Castle stands on Knights Street and is traditionally associated with the de Lacy family. Joseph Lennon's archival survey records its later conversion into a dwelling for the Reverend Gibbons in 1821, after which it was known as Parsons Castle. That domestic use is a significant part of the tower's history alongside its earlier military associations. The survey also records medieval forms such as Le Garth and Garthbyboys. A story crediting the Knights Templar with building the castle is identified as legend, rather than established ownership evidence.[2]
Weaving before the Famine
The diocesan heritage survey describes Ballingarry as a prosperous weaving and linen centre in the early nineteenth century. The Great Famine severely affected its population and commercial life. It also records Garth as the name of a medieval deanery, illustrating how an older administrative name can appear in records concerning the district. These references belong to Ballingarry in County Limerick. They should be kept distinct from the settlements of the same name elsewhere, particularly when following families through parish and census records.[3]
Folklore & tradition
Donn’s clouds over Knockfierna
Thomas Crofton Croker's nineteenth-century collection preserves a belief, attributed to Edward O'Reilly, about Donn and the nearby hill of Knockfierna. People watched for mist on its summit as a warning of rain. In the story, Donn and his supernatural companions gathered the clouds and held them there to alert the countryside. Croker printed this explanation beside his Legend of Knockfierna. It is an attested account of how weather signs were woven into local belief, not a scientific forecast or proof that the legendary figure existed.[4]
Both counts use the 2016 settlement boundary, allowing like-for-like comparison. CSO supplies the 2022 count on this older boundary for comparison only. The official 2022 Built Up Area has different boundaries.
View population figures
Ballingarry — Census 2016 settlement footprint — census population
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 2006 report
2002–2006: census town
441people · 2006
These are the historical areas published in the 2006 census report. Boundaries may differ between censuses and from modern settlements. Legal towns, environs and suburbs are shown separately; none has been combined into a modern settlement total.
View population figures
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 2006 report — census population
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 1996 report
1991–1996: census town
389people · 1996
These are the historical areas published in the 1996 census report. Boundaries may differ between censuses and from modern settlements. Legal towns, environs and suburbs are shown separately; none has been combined into a modern settlement total.
View population figures
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 1996 report — census population
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 1986 report
1981–1986: census town
427people · 1986
Figures cover the historical town area printed in the 1986 report. Boundaries may have changed between censuses. Legal town, environs and suburb totals remain separate and differ from modern settlement boundaries.
View population figures
Ballingarry, Limerick — Census town, CSO 1986 report — census population
These figures use different area definitions. Read the boundary note before comparing them.
Ballingarry, Limerick
Published census settlement populations
521people · 2016
Settlement boundaries changed during this period. Differences may reflect boundary changes as well as population change. Where a 2011 legal-town-and-environs count is shown, it has not been recalculated onto the 2016 settlement boundary.
placenames