The Ballagh

The Ballagh
An Bealach (Irish)
Ballaghkeen
Village
Signage on the R744 entering Ballaghkeen (An Bealach)
Signage on the R744 entering Ballaghkeen (An Bealach)
The Ballagh is located in Ireland
The Ballagh
The Ballagh
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 52°28′48″N 6°25′22″W / 52.4801°N 6.4228°W / 52.4801; -6.4228
CountryIreland
ProvinceLeinster
CountyCounty Wexford
Population
 (2022)
 • Total
560

The Ballagh or Ballaghkeen (Irish: An Bealach, meaning 'the way') is a village in the southeastern corner of Ireland. It is situated in County Wexford just off the R741 regional road halfway between the towns of Gorey to the north and Wexford to the south. As of the 2022 census, the village had a population of 560 people.

History

Gaby's Lane, near The Ballagh, forms part of the medieval road from Wexford to Gorey

Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ring ditch, ringfort and moated sites in the townlands of Ballymacoonoge, Ballymurry, Glentire and Slievenagrane.

About 1 km east of the village is part of the medieval road which linked Wexford to Dublin. This road went into decline when the R741, known locally as 'the new line', was built a few decades after the 1798 Rebellion. Having been ambushed at pinch points and at the bottom of hills on the existing road, the R741 was built wider and straighter so that troops could be moved quickly to this area in the event of another insurrection.[citation needed]

The local Catholic church, in Ballymurry townland, was constructed in 1951. The nearby cemetery contains gravestones dating from the 1820s to the mid-20th century.

Amenities

The village contains a national (primary) school, church, community centre and health clinic. It also has a shop and post office along with two pubs.[citation needed]

The Catholic church in The Ballagh (Ballaghkeene) is dedicated to St John the Baptist and is within the Diocese of Ferns.

The local primary school, Ballaghkeene National School, opened in 1973. As of 2025, the school had an enrollment of approximately 140 pupils.

Sport

Oulart the Ballagh is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club. As reflected in the name, the club takes players from The Ballagh and the nearby village of Oulart. The club has won the Wexford Senior Hurling Championship on 13 occasions, most recently in 2016. In March 2012, Oulart the Ballagh won the All-Ireland Senior Club Camogie Championship.

The Ballagh also has a boxing club where the Olympian Adam Nolan previously trained.

Demographics

Between the 2011 and 2016 census, the population of The Ballagh increased from 477 to 515 people. Around this time, a number of new housing estates were developed (or planned to be developed) within the periphery of the village. By time of the 2022 census, The Ballagh had a population of 560 people.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Census Interactive Map - Towns: The Ballagh - Population Snapshot". visual.cso.ie. Central Statistics Office. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "An Bealach / Ballaghkeen". logainm.ie. Irish Placenames Commission. Retrieved 19 March 2020. An Bealach (Irish) [..] Ballaghkeen (English) [..] Other names: Ballagh, The [..] local name (English)
  3. ↑ Moore, Michael John, ed. (1996), Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford, Dublin: Government Stationery Office, ISBN 070762326X
  4. ↑ "Catholic Church or Saint John the Baptist, Ballymurry (Bal. By.), Ballaghkeen, Wexford". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  5. ↑ "Ballymurry (Bal. By.), Ballaghkeen, Wexford (Graveyard/cemetery)". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "Ballaghkeene (Oulart)". ferns.ie. Diocese of Ferns. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Fáilte - Ballaghkeene NS". ballaghkeenens.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2026. Ballaghkeene National School is a rural, mixed, DEIS primary school in the parish of Oulart-the-Ballagh. The current enrolment is 142 pupils [..] Ballaghkeen N.S. first opened its doors back in September 1973
  8. ↑ "School - Ballaghkeene N S". gov.ie. Department of Education. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "My Club: David Redmond - Oulart-The Ballagh". gaa.ie. Gaelic Athletic Association. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  10. ↑ "Title no 13 for Oulart the Ballagh in 2016 Pettits Senior Hurling Championship". wexfordgaa.ie. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  11. ↑ "Oulart-The Ballagh win All-Ireland senior club camogie final". gaa.ie. 5 March 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012.
  12. ↑ Ryan, Andrew (5 December 2020). "Leaving a legacy". independent.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2026. Prior to his joining Bray BC, Nolan was a disciple of Ballagh Boxing Club, before he moved to Saint Ibar's, where he met Billy Walsh
  13. ↑ "The Ballagh (Ireland) Census Town". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  14. ↑ "Sapmap Area - Settlements - The Ballagh". Census 2016. Central Statistics Office. April 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "Ten new houses for The Ballagh". Enniscorthy Guardian. Independent News & Media. 8 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2020.