Ballyshanny
Townland in the civil parish of Kilfenora, barony of Corcomroe, Co. Clare; in Irish Baile Uí Sheanaigh
- Area
- 109.3 ha
- 270 acres
- Land parcels
- 19
- registered freehold, median 16,413 m² (1.64 ha, 4.06 acres)
- Zoning
- —
- not in a zoned settlement
- Planning
- 2
- applications since 2010
Land parcels
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann
19 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ballyshanny, from 2,274 m² (0.23 ha, 0.56 acres) to 495,192 m² (49.52 ha, 122.36 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 21 neighbouring parcels touch it.
Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.
Zoning
Development plans, national zoning
No zone of a development plan covers Ballyshanny in the national zoning. Outside zoned towns and villages, the county development plan's rural policies apply to each application.
Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.
Planning applications
Sites that touch the townland, newest first
18 Oct 2024N/a
to demolish existing two storey rear extension and to construct a new two storey rear extension, wastewater treatment system and all associated site works
Permission · Clare County Council, 24340
30 Jul 2021Conditional
for renovation and extension of existing private dwelling house and all associated site works
Permission, 1 home · Clare County Council, 21813
Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.
Nature and heritage
Designated sites and recorded monuments
Designated sites
No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Ballyshanny.
Recorded monuments
- CL009-092 Cross
Description
On a low knoll in pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Labelled ‘Cross (Site of)’ on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) and the 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Cross (Site of)’ in the RMP (1996). No visible remains – not even of the ‘socket of well-cut stone’ that was noted by Kaftannikov (1953-1957, 30) on ‘a heap of stones’ surrounding it. According to the land-owner, some men came by night in his grandfather’s time and lifted the cross out of the socked and took it away (ibid.). It is possible that the ‘heap of stones’ may be the penitential station (CL009-092002-) or, alternatively, the very small circular area (diam. 2.7m), 7.5m to its NE. The latter is defined by large unworked grass-covered blocks (av. L 0.5m; Wth 0.2m; H 0.4m) set on edge as a kerb/retaining wall and the interior is filled with loose stones. This may have been a plinth for the cross. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 31 May 2022
- CL009-092002 Penitential station
Description
On a low knoll in pasture, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). This subcircular penitential station (6.5m N-S; 5m E-W; H 0.9m) is composed of a loose tumble of large unworked stones and smaller blocks with small moss-covered stones at the centre. No kerbing or revetting stones are evident. It is possible that it is the ‘heap of stones’ noted by Kaftannikov (1953-1957, 30), which surrounded the well-cut socket stone of a cross (CL009-092----). Alternatively, a very small circular area (diam. 2.7m) at the highest point of the knoll, 7.5m to the NE, may be it. The latter is defined by large unworked grass-covered blocks (av. L 0.5m; Wth 0.2m; H 0.4m) set on edge as a kerb/retaining wall and the interior is filled with loose stones. This may have been a wall/plinth/socket for the cross. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 31 May 2022
- CL009-093001 Ringfort - cashel
Description
At the base of a S-facing slope, on slightly undulating ground in pasture within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Partly hachured on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) and 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). On inspection in July 1998, this roughly circular cashel (int. dims. 39m N-S; 38m E-W) consisted of a raised platform (H above external ground level 1.3-1.5m) with the remains of a double-faced stone wall around its perimeter. The platform was stone faced and this facing was best preserved from N to SE; the stones used towards its base were very large (L 1.5m; H 0.5m; D 0.8m). The double-faced wall on the perimeter was also best preserved from N to SE (Wth 1m; int. H 1.5m) but at SSE, where only inner and outer wall-facing survived, the wall appeared to have been much wider (Wth 2.55m). From SSE to N this wall had been almost entirely removed and only intermittent inner wall-facing was visible. However, recent aerial imagery (Google Earth April 2021) suggests that this section of the wall has been rebuilt. It is possible that the cashel was subsequently reused as a bawn for the tower house (CL009-093002-) that occupies the SW quadrant of its interior (FitzPatrick 2009, 302). Some modern farm buildings infringe on the platform at N. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 8 June 2022
- CL009-093002 Castle - tower house
Description
Situated to SW of centre in an earlier cashel (CL009-093001-) in pasture within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). First mentioned in 1574, when it was probably a residence of a 'cadet branch' of the O'Brien family (FitzPatrick 2009, 302) but by 1585 it was in the ownership of Daniel O'Shanny, Dean of Kilfenora (Ua Cróinín and Breen 1997). After the 1641 rebellion, the tower house and lands were handed over to Timothy and Cornelius MacDonough but, apparently, by 1678 the MacDonoughs were no longer living here. In 1839 Eugene O'Curry found the building in ruins (Comber 1997, 90). Only the E-portion of this small tower house is upstanding, to the second floor-level (H c. 10m). The well-built walls of coursed limestone stand on a low limestone platform but are undermined. At ground floor-level, the entire E wall (L 6.45m; T 1.37m) survives, along with the E ends of both the S wall (L 5.4m; T 1.5m) and N wall (L 2.9m; T 0.7m). The foundation line of the N wall can be traced further W (est. total traceable L 6.8m). The doorway must have been either in the levelled W wall or at the W end of the surviving S wall where a straight edged masonry line is visible in the wall foundation course. There is a broken-out embrasure in the E wall, with wicker centring in its flat arch. There is a garderobe chute aperture (Wth 0.69m) in the outer face of the S wall. In the rubble-filled (H c. 1.5m) interior there is part of a vault, oriented E-W, with wicker centring. Evidence of a loft includes corbels on the N and S inner wall-faces, and beam holes in the E wall. At first floor-level, an intramural passage is visible in the NE angle, accessed via lintelled doorways as each end. In the N wall is a tall, ogee-headed window which is punch-dressed, while in the E wall there is a smaller ogee-headed window with plain spandrels. A corbel projecting from the outer face of the E wall may be a support for an external chimney flue, since lost. When surveyed in 1995, Ua Cróinín and Breen (1997; see attached) noted three corbels on the exterior SE corner at this level, to support a machicolation. At second floor-level, only the NE angle survives. In the N wall there is a small ogee-headed window, its spandrels decorated with foliate patterns. See attached .pdf document with details from Risteárd Ua Cróinín and Martin Breen, The Castles and Tower-houses of Co. Clare (1997, unpublished report). Uploaded courtesy of R. Ua Cróinín and M. Breen. References Comber, M. (ed.) 1997 The antiquities of County Clare, John O’Donovan and Eugene Curry: Ordnance Survey Letters 1839. Ennis. Clasp Press. FitzPatrick, E. 2009 Native enclosed settlement and the problem of the ‘Irish Ringfort’. Medieval Archaeology 53, 271-307. Ua Cróinín R. and Breen M. 1997 The castles and tower-houses of Co. Clare, 6 vols. Unpublished report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 August 2022
- CL009-094 Ringfort - cashel
Description
On level ground in pasture, with a good deal of outcropping rock, within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Indicated on the OS 25-inch plan (1897) and 1920 ed. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Enclosure’ in the RMP (1996). On inspection in April 1998, this almost circular cashel (int. dims. 26m E-W; 25m N-S) was defined by the tumbled spread of a collapsed stone wall (Wth 2.5-3.5m; H 0.2-0.6m), which was almost completely overgrown with thorn bushes and briars, and upon which a later field wall, also very tumbled, was built. A small plastic water tank sat on a concrete slab that was built on the line of the wall at WSW. Just to its S, two in situ facing-stones of the outer wall-face were noted. A gap (Wth 3m) at NNW was modern and a narrow sheep track was visible to the S of the water tank. Field walls radiated from the cashel at N, E and S. Current aerial imagery (OSi Aerial Premium 2013-2018) indicates the field to the W of the cashel has since been reclaimed and that the field wall to its S has been rebuilt and now extends over its W half and continues to its N. A hut site (CL009-250----) lies c. 100m to the WNW. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 25 May 2022
- CL009-097 Ringfort - cashel
Description
On a hillock in undulating pasture, with land sloping steeping on all sides except to the NE, and within a large multiperiod field system (CL009-059001-). Hachured on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. This subcircular cashel (int. dims. 38.6m NE-SW; 37.3m NW-SE) is defined by a double-faced stone wall (Wth 2.2m; int. H 0.45m; ext. H 1.2m) which survives most clearly at NE, with associated grass-covered stone spill. Elsewhere only the lower courses of the outer wall-face survive, retaining the raised interior. Plinth stones, projecting up to 0.4m, are visible at the base of the outer wall-face. In one account Westropp (1900-02, 429) recorded the cashel entrance as at E, and in another (1900, 398) at S, with steps leading down from it. An earthfast block at SW appears to be part of the inner wall-face. A later drystone wall is built on the outer wall-face. Outside the cashel at SE the original ground level has been lowered by 0.4m, exposing grey marl under the plinth stones. A souterrain (CL009-097002-) lies in the centre of the interior and the remains of a house (CL009-097003-) are visible in the NNW sector. An ESB pole has been erected c. 4m to the SE of the souterrain. An enclosure (CL009-059002-) lies c. 170m to the ENE. The following images have been uploaded: CL009-097----_01.jpg View from NNW CL009-097----_02.jpg View from W Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 25 May 2022
- CL009-097002 Souterrain
Description
Situated in the centre of a cashel (CL009-097----), this inaccessible souterrain (traceable L 12m; av. Wth 2.5m) is orientated NW-SE. A partially displaced roof lintel (L 1.7m; Wth 0.8m; T 0.2m) lies toward the SE end, with an area of loose stones to its SE, through which the drystone side-walling is visible. To the NW of the lintel, the line of the souterrain is traceable as a low bank (H 0.1-0.3m). An ESB pole has been erected c. 4m to the SE of the souterrain. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 26 May 2022
- CL009-097003 House - indeterminate date
Description
Situated in the NNW sector of the interior of a cashel (CL009-097----), close to the cashel wall, this possible house, of indeterminate date, is defined by two sections of moss-covered double-faced walling (L 4.3m and 4.1m; Wth 0.75m; H 0.1-0.25m) that meet perpendicularly, suggesting that it was rectangular in plan and orientated NE-SW. Compiled by: Olive Alcock and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 26 May 2022
- CL009-250 Hut site
Description
On a gentle S-facing slope in pasture and within an extensive field system (CL009-059001-). A circular hut site (diam. c. 9m) defined by a partially grassed over stone wall visible on OSi orthophotography (MapGenie 2013-2018). A cashel (CL009-094----) lies c. 100m to the SE. Compiled by: Mary Tunney Date of upload: 10 May 2023
Architectural heritage
- Ballyshanny House, farm house, 1800–1820 · Regional interest
Description
Detached three-bay two-storey farmhouse, built c. 1810, with two-bay single-storey flanking wings. Renovated internally, c. 1850. Flat-roofed projecting glazed porch added to front, c. 1960. Pitched Moher flagged roof with cut-stone chimneystacks and gable copings. Roughcast rendered walls with string course at sill level first floor. Replacement timber windows. Retaining interior features. Cut-limestone piers with cast-iron gates to site.
Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).
Ground and risks
Radon, landslides, flooding
- Radon
- About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
- Landslides
- Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.
- Terrain model
- No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Ballyshanny.
- Flooding
- The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.
Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.
Homes sold
Property Price Register
No address of the register names Ballyshanny with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Clare.
The townland
- Name
- Ballyshanny · Baile Uí Sheanaigh
- Area
- 1,092,657 m² (109.27 ha, 270 acres)
- Civil parish
- Kilfenora, and its townlands
- Barony
- Corcomroe
- Electoral division
- Kilfenora, the unit of the census
- Census 2022
- Kilfenora electoral division: 406 people in 165 households; 78% of households own their home; 28% of homes were built since 2001; 16% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 11% were holiday homes.
- Neighbouring townlands
- Ballykeel North, Ballykeel South, Kilfenora, Maryville, Roughan
- Placenames
- Ballyshanny on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland
Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.