Townland of Eleven Ballyboes

Area: 408 acres
Irish Name: Baile Bó Deag. Meaning: An area for cows to graze; (may also be an administrative unit or division).
Spelling Variations: none

The ballybo - baile bo, cowtown was estimated to represent roughly what land would support a cow, and naturally varied very considerably in extent according to quality. The name is perpetuated in that of a modern townland - Eleven Ballyboes - in Moville Lower, which contains 418 acres 3 roods 23 perches. A variable number of bally boes went to form a ceathramha (carrow) or quarter, and this appellation is perpetuated in several modern townlands, e.g., Carrowmore, meaning great quarterland. (Taken From "Twixt and Swilly".)

- - - - - - - - - -

Some may desire to know the meaning of "Ballybos," it is a term for measurement of land, very ancient, going back to days when many Irish were nomads moving about with their cattle. It had an extremely indefinite meaning, but so far as I can tell it always means measurement inside a townland. Primarily a ballybo is the amount of ground which is sufficient to sustain a cow. This depends upon the grass. There are places on the hills where 300 acres would not support a cow. Again, there are seven ballybos in the 800 acres of Ballynelly - and one ballybo in the 30 acres of Hugh Dougherty's farm, where Moville now stands.

But the late Mr Robert Nolan told me he had found other definitions in old records: such as "a cow and a half." Bishop Reeves says that in some counties a ballybo means as much land as a yoke of oxen could plough in a certain time,

Taken from A History of Moville and its neighbourhood by Rt. Rev Bishop Montgomery 1847 - 1932

Templemoyle Church (In ruins - Medieval?)
Just behind Greencastle on road leading N.W. to upper road (and on to Glenagiveny). Arable. Fair view. The W. wall of this much ruined ivy-coloured church has buttress-like projections on N. and S. walls, two on each side opposite each other, the two at the E. end being projections of the E. gable, extending to N. and S., while there are two other projections from the E. gable, extending to the E. as continuations of the N. and S. walls. Had the W. wall not disappeared it might have shown similar features (could be ascertained by excavations?); all seem bonded to the walls, so apparently are part of the original structure. At the W. end of the N. wall, on the outer side are a few stones built into the masonry, but extending beyond the face of the wall. Inside the S. wall on the inner side near the E. window, is a recess with a well-preserved arch including a key-stone. The positions of two windows may be seen on the S. wall.

Greencastle (in ruins) (Medieval)
At Greencastle on shore road to Shrove, between Castle House and the Fort Hotel. Pasture, Commanding view, Magilligan Point opposite one mile distant (nearly enclosing mouth of Lough Foyle), Londonderry and Antrim coasts. Judging by the remains of this must have been a very fine imposing castle, strategically placed. It was built by the Norman, Richard de Burgh, the Red Earl of Ulster in 1305. The ruins are still very impressive, covering quite a large area of rocky ridge, and having a strong-looking high tower, six or eight-sided, whose corners are constructed of well-preserved, warm, glowing sandstone. The rock on which the castle is built shows through in places and, in season, the upstair area is beautiful with a profusion of valerian, white and red. Great care is necessary to avoid the pitfalls of irregularities, broken walls and even openings to the lower levels.
As a castle it had a chequered history, first with quarrels amongst the de Burgh family, resulting in its passing into Irish hands in less than 30 years, then being held for the next 200 years or more principally by the O'Dohertys as they rose to power in Inishowen. During the Elizabethan wars its position made it of strategic importance and it changed hands more than once between the English and Irish forces. After the Plantation of Ulster in 1609, the grant of all Inishowen to Sir Arthur Chichester meant that the castle was then in English hands, although it had been a ruin for at least 30 years.
To revert to the de Burgh quarrel, William, the Dun Earl, grandson of Richard, the builder of the castle, had succeeded to the Earldom in 1328 but quarrelled with his cousin, Walter of the Connaught branch of the de Burgh family. William imprisoned Walter in Green Castle (also called Northburgh and New Castle), and, according to tradition, starved him to death and his skeleton was said to have been found chained to the wall in the keep. According to some, this is said to inspire the representation of the seated skeleton and tower on the lower part of the coat-of-arms of Londonderry. The upper part, the St. George's Cross and Sword, represents London, as, following the plantation, the London Companies (now the Hon. The Irish Society), obtained possession of the City of Derry with other lands in 1610. This theory is disputed by many but a personal anecdote might be of interest. On one occasion, in a regrettable brief moment, I saw a very large ancient-looking manuscript with many coloured crests, on the study table of the late Rev Father Walter Hegarty of Bocan, near Culdaff. He was going over it, and with much excitement told me that he hoped he was going to find a connection between the O'Dohertys, their crest and the skeleton part of the Londonderry coat-of-arms. Unfortunately, he died about 1951, before I had any opportunity of learning more. Perhaps some day something further will come of this.

(Taken from The Heritage of Inishowen by Mabel R. Colhoun)

We are currently seeking more information on this townland. If you have any information on this area of Moville parish please Contact Us. We will be happy to acknowledge your contribution to the site.