Ballynahowna

82 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Ballynahowna, from 1,261 m² to 165,136 m² (16.51 ha, 40.81 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 17 neighbouring parcels touch it.

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

No zone of a development plan covers Ballynahowna 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.

No planning application touches the townland of Ballynahowna in the national file, which goes back to 2010.

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

Designated sites

• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Easky River 001665

Recorded monuments

• SL011-078 Castle - motte
  Description

  Situated on a NNW-facing slope in poorly-drained, lowlying ground adjacent to the SSW bank of the Easky River. Very high (H c. 2m at SSE; c. 10m at NNW), steep-sided, irregularly-shaped mound (dims. of top 20.4m NNW-SSE; 15.1m ENE-WSW) which was formed by scarping the steep, naturally-occurring slope. Some naturally-occurring limestone formations are visible in the W side of the mound. At the upper edge of the mound at SE is a largely grassed-over, short length of a drystone wall (Wth. 1.1m; max. H 0.1m) which may be portion of a defensive feature. Only ephemeral remains of this are visible at the remainder of the perimeter. At the foot of the mound from SSE-S-WSW and from NE-E-ESE are waterlogged areas whose outer extents are defined by modern stone field boundaries. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-088001 Ringfort - cashel
  Description

  In average to poor pasture, situated on an E-facing slope above the Easky River, which lies 150m to E. Excellent views are afforded in all directions, except at S-SW where they are limited by higher ground. Raised subcircular area (42.2m E-W; 41.7m N-S) enclosed from SSE-N by a largely grass-covered wall of drystone masonry incorporating small quantities of earth. Elsewhere the defining element is a steep scarp faced with massive boulders and stones. No fosse. Original entrance not recognisable. A short distance inside the bank at NW is a small rectangular hut site (SL011-088003-) with an entrance (Wth. 0.6m) in the centre of the N wall. Projecting out from the cashel scarp at SSW is a small square structure (SL011-088004-), possibly an animal shelter. The other three sides of the structure are defined by very wide drystone-built walls (Wth. 2.7m) Only three stones of the wall at the ESE side are still upstanding. There is a possible souterrain (SL011-088002-) in the cashel. The cashel is divided into two approximately equal portions by a NNE-SSW field boundary. Lazy beds traverse the interior. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-088002 Souterrain
  Description

  At a rath (SL011-088001-). Not marked on any edition of the OS 6-inch map. No remains of the souterrain, listed in the RMP (1995), are visible at ground level. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-088003 Hut site
  Description

  Situated within a cashel (SL011-088001-). Close to the enclosing stone bank in the NW quadrant of the cashel there is a small rectangular hut site (2.3m N-S; 2.2m E-W) defined by a low wall/bank (Wth. 0.9m; max. H 0.35m). There is an entrance gap (Wth. 0.6m) is in the centre of the N wall. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-088004 Structure
  Description

  At a cashel (SL011-088001-) Projecting out from the enclosing scarp of the cashel at SSW is a small square structure (dim. 2.7m). The other 3 sides of the structure are defined by very wide drystone-built walls (Wth. 2.7m). Only 3 stones of the wall at the ESE side are still upstanding. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-089 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  Situated on an ENE-facing slope overlooking the Easky River, which lies c. 50m to E. Raised approximately oval area (49.8m NNW-SSE; 36.4m ENE-WSW) enclosed by a largely collapsed wall (Wth. 2.1m; H 0.2m - 1.1m) composed largely of drystone masonry interspersed with small quantities of earth. From NE-ENE a short length of mortared stone wall, the last upstanding vestige of a field boundary, has been constructed against the outer face of the cashel wall. Original entrance not recognisable. Centrally located within the interior is an approximately rectangular, raised stone platform (14.4m NNW-SSE; c. 11.5m ENE-WSW; H 0.1- 0.6m) which may mark the remains of a house (SL011-089001-). Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-089001 House - early medieval
  Description

  At a cashel (SL011-089----). Centrally located within the interior of the cashel is an approximately rectangular, raised stone platform (14.4m NNW-SSE; c. 11.5m ENE-WSW; H 0.1-0.6m) which may mark the remains of a house. Compiled by: Patrick F. O'Donovan Date of upload: 19 January 2011

• SL011-091001 Megalithic tomb - court tomb
  Description

  See linked document with details from Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume V. County Sligo. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1989) Date of upload: 9 January 2012

• SL011-092 Castle - tower house
  Description

  In pasture, located in the valley of the Easkey River. The castle stands on a slightly elevated, level terrace bordering the W bank of the river. To S, W and NW a strip (Wth c. 40-50m E-W) of soft, boggy ground intervenes between the dry terrace and the low ridge which defines the W side of the valley. The stretch of river immediately to E and SE of the castle is shallow and broken by bedrock terraces and low rocky cataracts, and it is likely that this location was chosen as it provides a natural fording point. This castle is indicated on the 1838 OS-6-inch map as a polygonal enclosure (c. 30-35m E-W; c. 25-30m N-S) named ‘Ballynahowna Castle’. It is not marked on the 1913 edition. The outline of a rectangular building (14.4m N–S; 8.5m E–W) is defined on four sides by slumped, sod-covered stone banks (Wth 3-4m; H 0.6-1.7m) representing collapsed walls. No intact masonry is visible. There is a break (Wth 3m) at the S end of the E side. The stone banks/walls slump broadly into the interior reducing it to an irregular-shaped space (c. 7.4m N–S; 4.8m E–W) with a slightly sunken appearance. Two walls, evident as low, sod-covered wall footings (H 0.2m), extend 5-5.5m to W, one from the NW and one from the SW angles of the rectangular building. They may represent an adjoining room, or another structure or enclosure that abutted the castle. Immediately to SW is the barely discernible outline of a square structure (c. 4.5m N–S; c. 4.5m E–W) which appears to be on the line of a wall, slight remnants of which extends to S for a few meters and then curve to SE before petering out. Low, sod-covered wall footings are also evident c. 25m N of the castle. These slight remains of walls and banks may preserve the outline of a bawn (SL011-092001-) or outer precinct which enclosed the castle but the evidence is meagre and difficult to interpret. Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy Date of upload: 9 March 2016

• SL011-092001 Bawn
  Description

  In pasture, at a possible tower house (SL011-092----) located in the valley of the Easkey River, on a level terrace bordering the W bank of the river. A polygonal enclosure (c. 35m E–W; c. 25m N–S), with a short projection to N at the NE corner, is depicted on the 1837 OS 6-inch map and named ‘Ballynahowna Castle’. It is not shown on the later 25-inch plan or on the 1913 OS 6-inch edition. It may represent a bawn which enclosed a possible tower house (SL011-092----). There is meagre evidence on the ground. The remains of the castle stand on a level, grassy area (Wth c. 40m E–W) bordered to W by damp, boggy ground and at E by a scarp/slope (H c. 2m; Wth c. 4m) which drops to a lower terrace (Wth 5-6m) bordering the river’s edge. Slight remnants of a wall/field boundary, evident as a low, sod-covered rise (Wth 1.5m) define the edge of the grassy area to SW of the castle, and can are also visible c. 25m to N. Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy Date of upload: 9 March 2016

• SL011-093 Megalithic tomb - unclassified
  Description

  See linked document with details from Seán Ó Nualláin, Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland. Volume V. County Sligo. (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1989) Date of upload: 9 January 2012

Architectural heritage

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

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

About 1 in 5 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 Ballynahowna.

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.

No address of the register names Ballynahowna with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Sligo.

Name

Ballynahowna · Baile na hAbhna

Area

1,564,652 m² (156.47 ha, 386.63 acres)

Civil parish

Kilmacshalgan, and its townlands

Barony

Tireragh

Electoral division

Buncrowey, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Buncrowey electoral division: 294 people in 123 households; 72% of households own their home; 31% of homes were built since 2001; 23% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 4% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Camcuill, Carrigeens, Clooneen, Kilmacurkan, Owenbeg, Toorboy

Placenames

Ballynahowna 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.