Ballycassidy

Summary

Ballycassidy (from Irish Baile Uí Chaiside, meaning "O’Cassidy’s townland") is a small village and townland (of 83 acres) in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, 6.5 km north of Enniskillen on the eastern shore of Lower Lough Erne.[1] It is situated in the civil parish of Trory and the historic barony of Tirkennedy.[2] In the 2001 Census it had (with Laragh and Trory) a population of 315 people. It is situated within Fermanagh and Omagh district.

Ballycassidy
  • Irish: Baile Uí Chaiside
Ballycassidy Post Office
Ballycassidy is located in Northern Ireland
Ballycassidy
Ballycassidy
Location within Northern Ireland
Population90 (2001 Census)
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Postcode districtBT
Dialling code028
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Fermanagh
54°24′N 7°39′W / 54.40°N 7.65°W / 54.40; -7.65

Ballycassidy is a small rural community, consisting mainly of scattered homes, the Balcas Sawmill and rich farm land along the Ballycassidy River. There is no pub or grocery store, only a post office. The Ballycassidy River flows into Lower Lough Erne a short distance to the west.[1]

History edit

In the 14th century, there was a church in Ballycassidy. A holy well in the area was associated with Saint Molaise who founded the monastery on nearby Devinish.

Ballycassidy racehorse edit

There is also a racehorse called Ballycassidy, named after the village, who was trained in Wales by Peter Bowen. The horse is notorious for a spectacular fall at Valentines Brook in the 2006 Grand National at Aintree. He won 16 races over his career and became a favourite with racing fans. He was retired from racing under rules in 2008, but did go on to race in Point to Points, ridden by the then amateur jockey Donal Devereux. Ballycassidy remains at the Peter Bowen stables.

Gallery edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Ballycassidy". Place Names NI. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Ballycassidy". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  • NI Neighbourhood Information System
  • Cassidy Clan