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Coordinates: 53°17′03″N 9°00′23″W / 53.28413°N 9.00633°W / 53.28413; -9.00633
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Ballybane
An Baile Bán
Suburb
A housing estate in Ballybane
A housing estate in Ballybane
Ballybane is located in Ireland
Ballybane
Ballybane
Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°17′03″N 9°00′23″W / 53.28413°N 9.00633°W / 53.28413; -9.00633
CountryIreland
ProvinceConnacht
CountyCounty Galway
Time zoneUTC+0 (WET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-1 (IST (WEST))

Ballybane (Irish: An Baile Bán, meaning 'the white homestead') is a suburb of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland.[1][2][3] Ballybane is an ill-defined area, but is roughly bounded by the Old Dublin Road (R338) to the south, Mervue to the west, Ballybrit to the north, and Doughiska to the east. The townland of Ballybaan More (An Baile Bán Mór) is in the civil parish of Saint Nicholas and the historical barony of Galway.[4][5]

History

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Development

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Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes ringfort and souterrain sites in the townland of Ballybaan More.[6] The ruins of the medieval church of St. James, and an associated graveyard, are in nearby Ballybaan Beg townland.[6]

The area was developed in the late 20th century, with the Ballybane shopping centre opening in 1981[7] and the local Catholic parish (St Brigid's) dating to 1995.[8]

21st century

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In May 2019, it was reported in the Irish Times that the Traveller halting sites of Clós na Choile and Fana Glas, both located in Ballybane, were in need of works to rectify ongoing issues with damp and mould, heating, overflowing sewerage systems, and the lack of playing areas for children.[9]

The following month (in the weeks preceding the 2019 Irish local elections), Independent councillor Noel Larkin released drone footage showing burnt out houses in the Fána Glas housing estate with piles of rubbish scattered around them. The three occupied houses were in good condition, however the remaining five were "destroyed", having been "boarded up, their roofs either missing or almost totally stripped of slates (or) filled with rubbish".[10] Cllr Larkin said that he "hired the drone to show the 'wanton destruction' of council-owned property and the 'atrocious lack of respect' to taxpayers by those who caused it". Some local residents said they were happy that Larkin had released the footage, as it highlighted the issue of illegal dumping.[10] A spokesman for Galway City Council said it was impossible to know "with certainty how the homes had fallen into such disrepair or who was responsible for the damage and dumping".[10]

As of the 2020s, there were a number of other reports of antisocial behaviour in the area.[2][3][11][12]

In January 2024, as part of Irish anti-immigration protests, a demonstration was held in Ballybane by local residents in opposition to the planned introduction of 150 refugees in the locality.[13] Locals complained that they hadn't been consulted in the plans.[13]

Education

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The Galway city branch of the Atlantic Technological University (formerly GMIT until April 2022) is located at the southern end of the suburb, next to the Old Dublin Road. Owing to its proximity, many students live in the Ballybane area, and student residences have been built to cater for them, such as at Glasán Student Village.[14]

The Ballybane Community Resource Centre offers community education courses, including in subjects such as cookery, yoga, beauty courses and D.I.Y.[15]

Facilities

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Ballybane Shopping Centre is located in the suburb. Until November 2021, a branch of Irish supermarket Joyce's existed onsite until the chain was purchased by Tesco Ireland.[16][17]

A pub named the Lantern Bar operated in Ballybane until 2019 when it was closed following complaints and incidents in which Garda Síochána (Irish police) callouts were required.[11] A 2022 news article, on GalwayBeo, suggested that the pub "could reopen soon".[11]

St. Brigid's Catholic church is located off Castlepark Road in the locality.[8]

Community groups in the locality include a men's shed[18] and Ballybane community garden.[15] Ballybane is also the site of one of only three libraries that are operated by Galway City Council in the environs of the city.[19]

Notable residents

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Former or current residents of the suburb have included:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Galway city suburbs summary map". galwaytransport.info. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Sassone, Erika (19 May 2023). "Galway's 'seven roughest areas' as people warn tourist identifying spots to 'watch out for'". GalwayBeo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b Kelly, Briain (15 October 2018). "Ballybane is the most heavily littered urban area in Ireland". Galway Daily. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  4. ^ "An Baile Bán Mór / Ballybaan More". logainm.ie. Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Ballybaan More Townland, Co. Galway". townlands.ie. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b Gosling, Paul, ed. (1993). Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway. Dublin: Government Stationery Office. ISBN 0707603226.
  7. ^ "Ballybane investment". Irish Independent. 4 December 2002. Retrieved 19 January 2025. Ballybane Shopping Centre on the Ballybane Road in Galway [..was..] Built in 1981
  8. ^ a b "St. Brigid's Parish Ballybane, Galway. Welcome, Fáilte, Ekabo". stbrigidsparishballybane.com. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  9. ^ Holland, Kitty (28 May 2019). "Galway Travellers continue to live in mouldy, rat-infested facilities, report finds". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Holland, Kitty (3 June 2019). "Galway Travellers 'delighted' that dumping and vandalism exposed". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  11. ^ a b c Sassone, Erika (7 September 2022). "Notorious Irish pub closed by court for being 'out of control' reopening as works underway". GalwayBeo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  12. ^ Berry, Darragh; McCarron, Jamie (18 November 2024). "Army and gardai evacuate Galway houses as video shows 'suspected bomb' planted". GalwayBeo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b Telford, Thomas (15 January 2024). "LIVE: 'Angry' Galway residents 'have enough' as protests kick off over alleged asylum centre". GalwayBeo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Home Page". glasan.com. Glasán Student Village. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Ballybane Mervue: The Ballybane Mervue Local Community Development Office". gcp.ie. Galway City Partnership. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  16. ^ Slattery, Laura (30 November 2021). "Tesco Ireland buys Galway supermarket business Joyce's". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  17. ^ Fanneran, Vinny (10 November 2022). "Irish shopping centre store reopens as photos show brand new shop drawing huge crowds". GalwayBeo. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Ballybane Men's Shed". menssheds.ie. Irish Men's Sheds Association. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Where is the library in Galway City? There are three libraries in Galway City". galwaycity.ie. Galway City Council. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  20. ^ "'First Irish case' of death by spontaneous combustion". BBC News. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  21. ^ McDonald, Brian (20 May 2020). "Man died from spontaneous human combustion, inquest finds". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  22. ^ Ensor, Josie (23 September 2011). "Irish pensioner 'died of spontaneous human combustion'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
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