Ballykilcline.

"The End of Hidden Ireland"

"Ballykilcline Rising"

"The Killing of Major Denis Mahon"

The townland of Ballykilcline is situated in the Parish of Kilglass, the Barony of Ballintober North and county of Roscommon. The townland is famous for the effect it has had on the history of the county. Very few townlands in Co. Roscommon have attracted the interest from scholars that Ballykilcline has. Why? Because Ballykilcline was the scene of a major showdown between the local tenant farmers and the might of the British Crown, which, had it been successful, could have changed the face of Ireland forever. Unfortunately, the Great Famine of the 1840's intervened and Ballykilcline is also known for its scenes of forced eviction, emigration and untimely death.

"Unearthing Hidden Ireland"

"Comparative Analysis of Historic Ceramics ..."

Images not to scale.

The first extensive account to be written about Ballykilcline was "The End of Hidden Ireland - Rebellion, Famine & Emigration" by Robert James Scally. Oxford University Press. (1995). The title reflected the current thinking at the time that Ireland during the 19th. century had been a "hidden" place and that the new writings on local history were bringing them to light for the first time! Scientific research during the intervening years, however, has shown the locality to be much more "cosmopolitan" that previously believed. One of the foremost advocates of this new idea is Professor Charles E. Orser Jr. formerly of the Centre for the Study of Rural Ireland at Illinois State University. His book "Unearthing Hidden Ireland - Historical Archaeology at Ballykilcline, County Roscommon" Wordwell, (2006) blew the myth of isolation and showed Ballykilcline to be a vibrant community with trade links throughout Ireland and well beyond.

Unearthing Hidden Ireland is based on a number of archaeological research reports, including inter alia "Comparative Analysis of Historic Ceramics From Two Contemporaneous Nineteenth-Century Households in the Townland of Ballykilcline, Kilglass parish, County Roscommon, Ireland" a MSc. thesis by Jessica M. Levon, Purdue University, (2001) and "The Beads of Ballykilcline" by Charles E. Orser Jr., in "Lost & Found - discovering Irelands past". Joe Fenwick (Editor) Wordwell Books (2003), pages 309 - 314. (A large number of archaeological reports from Ballykilcline can be found in the local history collection of Roscommon County Library. Link on our home-page!).

The latest addition to the Ballykilcline collection comes from writer and editor Mary Lee Dunn. Her "Ballykilcline Rising - From Famine Ireland to Immigrant America" University of Massachusetts Press (2008) has brought the research right up to date and widens the interest to include the descendants of those evicted and how they fared in their new home in America.

Few places, let alone townlands, can boast such scholarly study as Ballykilcline. The initial reasons for the interest may be distressing but the results are a clear example of the wealth of history stored up in almost every townland in the county, just waiting to be explored.

Other books of interest.

"Because they never do"  by Patrick Erin Monaghan, (right) Blackthorn Inc. (2002) is a novel about the Irish Famine and it's affects on the area around Strokestown in Co. Roscommon. It is based on historical fact and what happened to the authors ancestors, their travels to America and settlement there.

(See also our Strokestown Park House, Mahon & Famine links). (Blue links are live).

The Ballykilcline Society is based in the US and is dedicated to further research into Ballykilcline and the immigrant experience. If you want further information their website is at www.ballykilcline.com

This is the material we have in our archive on Ballykilcline. We would welcome more. If you have same, please contact us.

Back to Places Page     Back to Main Search Page     CONTACT US     Sales & Services.

Advertisers: If you would like to advertise on this site or if you would like to sponsor this page, or if you would like to sponsor YOUR OWN PAGE, please contact us.

Disclaimer etc: This page has been designed and produced as an aid to those who are interested in researching Roscommon family history, house history and local history and for those interested in the history of design. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Roscommon Historical Research or it’s agents cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that occur on this site. Publishers and editors who do not wish to have their publication featured on this site, please contact us and we will remove the reference. Publishers and organisations who would like a link to their site please let us know and we will organise the link directly from the publication reference. Roscommon Historical Research cannot be held liable for any loss or damage that occurs from the use of information on this site by others. The information contained here is © Copyright, either to the individual producer of the product or to Roscommon Historical Research and may not be used without written permission. Webmasters, please ensure that all links to our site are via the splash page – links directly to the database are not allowed.  If you have any queries please contact the webmaster.