Ballybay

Ballybay is a town and civil parish in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town is centred on the crossroads of the R183 and R162 regional roads.

Geography
The town is the meeting point for roads going to Monaghan, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Clones. The town grew up from the convergence of the roads. The town is built beside a large lake, Lough Major (In Irish "Lough Mór") and the smaller Lough Minor. The Dromore River also runs through the south of the town, past Pearse Brother's Football Grounds, and past the Riverdale Hotel.

History
The town was founded in the eighteenth century by members of the Jackson family. They worked in the linen industry. The Town Council was established in 1870. The town was famous and the town was named 'Ballybea' but now, it is called 'Ballybay'. It was a famous town where there were markets, fairs, public meetings, arrangements, parade marshals and events for all organisers. It was a fair town at that time. The linen industry was booming during this time. It was declining in an area such as Ballybay due to the mechanisation of the site, the power sail and the power of the steam boiler.

During the First World War, the town was established as a major horse trading post, supporting trades such as harness makers, blacksmiths, blacksmiths and nailers.

The town commissioners had meetings in 1871 with bank representatives, businessmen, and various people who were interested in the development of the town. In terms of town layout, water supply, street lighting and a waste management plan were established.

After that, markets and events were taking place in the centre of the town and there were goods such as linseed, a bag of corn, meat, horses and farm fruit.

Buildings of note
Ballybay Market House is a four-bay two-storey building built in 1848.

Ballybay also used to have a hotel, Riverdale, as well as Ballybay Community college, the local secondary school.

Rail transport
Ballybay railway station opened on 17 July 1854, was closed to passenger traffic on 14 October 1957 and finally closed altogether on 1 January 1960. Part of the station office can be seen today. The railway line was opened in 1849 and extended west to Ballybay in 1854. After that, the railway system was named after the Northern Irish Railway and the Ulster Railway. It was called the Great Northern Railway (GNR). Emilie Leslie was involved in the planning of the railway. It was agreed that the station would be built to the south of the originally planned location and that the goods warehouse would be built to the east of the station house itself. The people were still using the train during the Second World War and more staff were hired at this time.

Coach/bus transport
Local Link route M2 links the village with Monaghan several times daily Mondays to Saturdays inclusive. Collins Coaches provide a daily service from the town to Dublin via Carrickmacross, Ardee and Slane. Bus Éireann route 162 serves the town on schooldays linking Ballybay to Doohamlet, Castleblayney, Newbliss, Clones and Monaghan.

Religious Services
There are three churches in the town today:


 * Saint Patrick's Church - Roman Catholic Church (Roman Catholic Diocese of Clogher)
 * Second Presbyterian Church Ballybay - Presbyterianism
 * Christ Church Ballybay - Church Of Ireland (Diocese of Clogher (Church of Ireland))

Tourism
Today the town welcomes tourists and bird watchers who frequent the town to make use of the newly renovated lake district built around the local Lough Major. The town is also a destination for fishermen who travel to the town to take part in various fishing competitions. Many tourists travel to The Ballybay Wetlands Centre, which is a popular area for birdwatchers and hikers.

Sport
The local GAA club is Ballybay Pearse Brothers. The club's home ground is Pearse Park, located on the outskirts of the town. Since 1935, the club has won the Monaghan Senior Football Championship on 9 occasions, most recently in 2022. Ballybay have 3 players on the Monaghan senior football panel.

In popular culture
The singer / songwriter Holly Johnson from the band Frankie Goes To Hollywood the Irish part of his family called McGloughlins came from Ballybay.

The singer / songwriter Tommy Makem wrote a lighthearted song about the town, "In the Town of Ballybay".

The Jackson family of Ballybay were involved with the United Irishmen movement. One such Ballybay Jackson and United Irishman, James Jackson, fled to the United States where he became a politician, and owner of the Forks of Cypress Plantation. He is also a white ancestor of author Alex Haley and is a character and subject of his book Queen: The Story of an American Family and the miniseries Alex Haley's Queen.

Twin towns – Sister cities
Ballybay is twinned with the town of Osterhofen/Gergweis in Bavaria.

On 4 November 2008 an informal reception was held in Ballybay Town Council chambers for a visiting group from Osterhofen / Bavaria who were dressed in traditional Bavarian costume. The visit was organised in celebration of the 50th visit to the town by Karl–Heinz Herzegger, who had been instrumental in the setting up of the original twinning agreement.