Ballydavid

95 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ballydavid, from 20 m² to 727,862 m² (72.79 ha, 179.86 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary. 16 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland as DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings, or as GeoJSON or KML.

No zone of a development plan covers Ballydavid 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.

• 17 Sept 2025Conditional

  permission to (a) demolish existing glass conservatory to side of dwelling and detached shed (b) construct a single storey extension to the south western side of dwelling (c) renovate dwelling and allow for elevational changes (d) decommsion existing septic tank and install a mechanical treatment unit & polishing filter (e) alter existing site entrance (f) allow for all ancillary site works

  Permission · Kerry County Council, 2560833

• 15 Feb 2022Conditional

  RETAIN EXISTING BUILDING ON SITE WITHIN REVISED SITE BOUNDARIES AND PERMISSION FOR CHANGE OF USE OF THE EXISTING GROUND AND FIRST FLOOR APARTMENTS AND ART STUDIO TO SINGLE DWELLING HOUSE ALONG WITH ASSOCIATED ELEVATIONAL ALTERATIONS, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING SEPTIC TANK WITH A NEW WASTE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM DISCHARGING TO A SAND POLISHING FILTER, AND ALL ASSOCIATED SITE WORKS

  Retention, 1 home · Kerry County Council, 22154

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Protection Area: Dingle Peninsula SPA 004153

Recorded monuments

• KE033-001 Hut site
  Description

  In poor mountain pasture, on a small level terrace on the SE slopes of Ballydavid Head. A circular, slightly corbelled drystone hut. D: 3.32m. H: 1.1m. T: 1.02m. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1108. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 August 2013

• KE033-002 Enclosure
  Description

  Situated in wet marshy land, on the SE slopes of Ballydavid Head, this site consists of a small circular enclosure measuring 6.8m in diameter internally. The enclosing earthen bank stands to a maximum height of 1.77m externally and .75m internally, but along the E side of the site it is reduced to only .2m in height and is overlain by a NNW-SSE field wall. There is a .6m wide gap at SE. Two mounds of stone, 1 to 2m long and .4m high, project into the interior from the W part of the bank. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 1529. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 5 August 2013

• KE033-005 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  Internal diam. 26.8m. This univallate rath is situated on the S side of Ballydavid Head, about 100m from the low cliffs that border the N side of the inlet into which the Feohanagh river flows. The earthen enclosing bank stands to a maximum height of c. 2.6m externally and 2.3m internally, and its inner face is revetted with drystone walling. At W a short stretch of this facing is stepped as if to create a sloping ramp or flight of steps leading to an upper terrace in the wall. There has been considerable interference with the outer face of the bank which is now almost sheer in parts. A short stretch of external revetment walling occurs at NE. Spill from the bank has accumulated in the entrance gap at NNW, but 2 courses of the drystone side wall remain on the E side; the gap is 1.5m wide. A blocked entrance occurs immediately W of the field wall which runs onto the bank at S, but this appears to be a modern break. Apart from a series of cultivation ridges, the only feature in the level interior is an irregular hollow or pit measuring 3m x 3.16m x c. 1m deep; this may be of fairly recent origin. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 319. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 6 August 2013

• KE033-005001 Cross-inscribed stone
  Description

  The precise location of this decorated stone now located at Adar Manor, Co. Limerick has not been identified, it was located close to a ringfort in Ballydavid. Recumbent decorated stone (LI021-034006-) round surrounded by ogham stones (LI021-034002/-004-) on the demesne of Adare Manor. Surface of stone decorated with an incised cross and other motifs taken from close to a ringfort in Ballydavid, Co. Kerry, (possibly KE033-005---) which is located 250m S of the village of Ballydavid. Site of standing stone (KE033-006----) lies 150m to N and Toberkieran (KE033-007---) lies 220m to E. Dunraven (1865, 154-5) recorded that the stone ‘was found near an old fort, in the vicinity of Ballydavid, about the year 1816, and was dug out of the ground from a depth of 4 ft. [1.2m] below the surface and afterwards built into a ditch by the man who found it, but not shewn to anyone, as he considered its possession an omen of good luck. This account was received from Kennedy, a respectable Coastguard man stationed at Ballydavid. It is 3 ft. 6 in. [1.06m] in length, and 2 ft. 8 in. [0.81m] in breadth’. Cross-reference with LI021-034006-. See attached drawing of stone taken from Dunraven Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details kindly provided by Finola Finlay and Robert Harris Date of upload: 15 January 2019

• KE033-006 Standing stone
  Description

  Described as being 'about 5 feet (1.5m) high and 3 (.9m) thick' (OSNB Kilquane, 26), this standing stone was located c. 100m N of the estuary of the Feohanagh river, on gently sloping pastureland overlooking Smerwick Harbour to SW. No visible trace survives. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 142. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 4 August 2013

• KE033-007 Ritual site - holy well
  Description

  Toberkieran/Tobar Chiaráin: Situated on the N side of Ballydavid beach on low-lying ground within reach of the high spring tides. Described in 160 as 'a strong flow of water now issuing from a pipe in a recently-built road embankment. Still visited by a few on Christmas Day, Easter Sunday and " Hill Sunday ". Pilgrims leave some small object as an offering. Many cures are ascribed to this well (Ó Danachair 1960, 75). See attached photograph of Tobar Chiarán, Co. Kerry, taken 1946 by Caoimhín Ó Danachair courtesy of and © National Folklore Collection, UCD. The Photographic Collection, F025.18.00054 accessible online at https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbeg/16786. The above description is derived from J. Cuppage, ‘Corca Dhuibhne. Dingle Peninsula archaeological survey. Ballyferriter. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne’ (1986), no. 917. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 13 April 2022

• KE033-025 Promontory fort - coastal
  Description

  Promontory fort described in 2002 as follows; ‘On a south facing heavily indented shoreline in an area of coarse bog and poorly drained unimproved pasture overlooked by higher ground to the north. Several small suitable headlands area visible around Ballydavid Head but just one shows slight evidence of having been defended by an earthen bank and ditch. A land-commission type field boundary runs around the perimeter of Ballydavid Head and it crosses the neck of a small rectangular headland barely 30m long and 25m wide. The remains of an earlier fosse and possibly a bank cross the neck of the headland, which is otherwise flat, level and featureless. The cutting of the fosse is intermittently visible in the cliff section. The sea is not accessible from the garth, although the surrounding cliffs are low’ (Casey 2002, 14, no. B).

• KE033-027 Signal tower
  Description

  Situated at the top of a steep SW-NE running slope and adjacent to a steep slope that drops down to near vertical cliffs to the N and W (c. 253m OD). Located on a small flat plateau area at the top of the slope with a rock outcrop to the NW beyond which is the steep slope that drops down to the cliffs; less steeply sloping terrain to the NE, SE and SW. The surrounding area consists of unenclosed rough pasture with enclosed pasture to the SE and S. Situated c. 313m SE of coastline at its nearest point and c. 500m NE of Ballydavid Head. The adjacent towers in the signal tower chain are found at Sybil Head (KE042-190----), located c. 8.85kms to the SW, and at Kerry Head (KE013-036----), located c. 37kms to the NE, now demolished. There were intermediate enclosed barracks sites associated with the signal tower network sited between Ballydavid Head (KE033-027---) and Kerry Head (KE013-036), which were located at Rough Point, Kilshannig (KE019-007----), located c. 25.5kms to the NE\ENE but now demolished, and at Brandon Head (KE025-004----), located 8.2kms to the NE\ENE, now collapsed. This signal tower at Ballydavis Head is located c. 1.7kms NNE of a coastal promontory fort (KE033-025----), and c. 2.1kms NW of the remains of a castle – unclassified (KE033-009----), located at Baile an Mhúraigh. The remains of an early nineteenth-century (c. 1804-5) originally two-storey square-plan signal tower (approx. ext. dims. 5.85m NE-SW x 5.85m NW-SE) built with roughly coursed rubble stone masonry. The NE and SW walls have largely collapsed, most of the ground floor level of the SE wall survives, and the NW wall survives to the top of the first floor level. A sketch of the site by George Victor Du Noyer (dated to 1856) illustrates many details of the site that are no longer visible. The SE wall would have featured a square-headed doorway at first floor level originally accessed via a retractable ladder, but no parts of the doorway have survived. The doorway was protected by a machicolation that has also not survived. The NE and SW walls would have featured pairs of square-headed window openings at the ground floor and first floor levels; all that survives are the lower sections\bases of the ground floor windows on the SW wall. The NW wall featured the chimneystack and internal chimney flue. The internal face of the NW wall features central fireplaces flanked by alcoves on the ground floor and first floor level. The N and E corners of the building were protected by bartizans that have not survived. Kerrigan established that the signal mast had been erected and the signal tower completed by 1805 (Kerrigan 1995, 278). A large rectangular-plan building (ext. dims. c. 7m NE-SW x c. 4.6m NW-SE) is located immediately to the NE of the signal tower. The gabled side walls at the NE and SW survive to close to their full original H although the apexes of both gables are now missing. The NW wall survives to approximately half its original H and only a low remnant of the SE wall now survives. The building is divided into two rooms internally with a smaller room at the SW end and a larger room to the NE. A door is located on the SE wall, accessing the smaller room. A window is located on the NW wall illuminating the larger room. A chimneystack was built into the NE gabled wall. The building seems to have been added to the site in the mid-or-late-1840s, based on it not being recorded by the original Ordnance Survey team and it being roofless by the time Du Noyer recorded it in 1856. The Ordnance Survey first ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1841-2, shows the signal tower to the W of the centre of a rectangular enclosure (see below). The enclosure has an inset corner at the NE end and a small rectangular-plan building is depicted in this corner. The site is identified as ‘Ballydavid Signal Tower (in ruins)’. The 2nd edition Ordnance Survey second ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1894-8, shows the tower with an adjacent building to the NE and the small building in the inset corner of the enclosure. The site is identified as ‘Ballydavid Signal Tower (in Ruins).’ The Ordnance Survey third ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1914-5, shows only the enclosure and the signal tower. The site is identified as ‘Ballydavid Signal Tower (in Ruins)’. Du Noyer’s sketch shows the enclosure with the inset corner and a small building with a mon-pitched roof in that corner. The sketch shows a rough entrance in the centre of the NE wall of the enclosure, which corresponds to the point where a track is shown connecting to the enclosure on the Ordnance Survey first ed. six-inch map. The signal tower is located in the SW part of a rectangular enclosure (ext. dims c. 42m SW-NE x c. 19m NW-SE) defined by rubble stone wall that extend down the slope to the NE of the signal tower. The enclosure wall survives to a considerable H at the SW, to a lower H around the SE and NE sides and has been removed around the NW. A poorly-defined entrance is still visible in the centre of the NE wall, and a wide sunken pathway can be seen leading from the entrance towards the two internal buildings. The enclosure is slightly misaligned with the internal buildings and path, suggesting it may have been a secondary addition that was not laid out at the same time as the signal tower. Only low remains of the small building in the N corner of the enclosure now survive. This appears to have had an entrance on the SW side. The NW wall is absent; therefore, it is not possible to determine how many rooms the building contained. The SE wall was underlain by a tall revetment wall that extended out from the enclosure wall to counteract the steeply-sloping ground in this area. The signal tower was part of a system of over 80 signal stations constructed by the British Board of Ordnance in the first decade of the 19th century to warn of the approach of a French invasion fleet. Signalling between sites was accomplished using a naval signal post. The system formed a continuous chain from Dublin Bay running clockwise all the way around the coast to Malin Head in County Donegal. It was abandoned by the mid-1810s when the threat of a French invasion diminished (Kerrigan 1995, 157-66). Compiled by: Stuart Rathbone Images by: Dr James Bonsall Uploaded on: 26/07/22 Images: KE033-027----.01 Drone view from E KE033-027----.02 Drone view from above KE033-027----.03 Drone view from E

Architectural heritage

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Ballydavid.

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).

Radon

At the centre of the townland of Ballydavid, about 1 in 5 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as high, moderately high, moderately low, low, partly inferred.

Terrain model

No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Ballydavid.

Flooding

The Office of Public Works publishes its flood maps on floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, and Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland, both under 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.

• Ballydavid, Dingle5 sales

Name

Ballydavid · Baile Dháith

Area

1,913,971 m² (191.4 ha, 472.95 acres)

Civil parish

Kilquane, and its townlands

Barony

Corkaguiny

Electoral division

Kilquane, the unit of the census

Census 2022

422 people lived in 186 households in the Kilquane electoral division. 83% of households owned their home. 29% of homes were built since 2001. 12% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 26% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Curragraigue, Feohanagh

Gaeltacht

In an Irish-speaking area

Placenames

Ballydavid 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.