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History of Bailieborough |
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Bailieborough is a town situated
50 miles from Dublin in the scenic hills of south Cavan.
This is its story.
3000 BC: Over 5000 years ago the first people arrived
in this area. From ancient relics that have been yielded
by surrounding lakes and bogs, we have learned that
these Stone Age men were hunters and fishermen and that
they led a nomadic life.
2500 BC: The first farmers settled here, clearing some
of the forest to graze their cattle and sheep and to
grow corn.
2000 BC: Around 4000 years ago, metal workers came here.
They were adept with copper, tin and gold. Evidence
of their existence can still be seen today with Wedge
Gallery Grave near Skeagh Lake and an immense cairn
on Loughanlea Mountain. Some of their jewellery has
survived, with a very early bronze halbert and a beautiful
gold collar, which are now in the British Museum.
56 AD: The most famous earthwork in the Bailieborough
area is located at the ancient church of Motbolge. The
moat is said to be the sepulchre of Fiacra Finnfolaidh,
the Milesian king who was killed fighting the Clan Ruru
of Ulster.
1 – 100: During the Iron Age, the Celts arrived. They
erected raths and crannogs and had a very important
cult centre at Corlech near Skeagh Lake, where they
practised pagan rituals. The Corlech three-headed idol
and the Relaghan wooden idol were found. They are in
the National Museum.
462: Saint Patrick, Irelands patron saint installed
a prince of the tribe of Ui Niallain, called Cormac
as a bishop in a new church on Kilcolhy hill ( Cille
Colaigh in Gaelic – the church of the Prince ) north
of Skeagh Lake. Up to this, the area had been a centre
for pagan worship. This hill was the later site of Baileborough
Castle. Cormac became bishop of Armagh after the Ui
Niallain took over North Armagh. He died in 497 and
was buried in his church.
800 – 900: Lawless bands from 2 local tribes joined
the Danes in plundering expeditions throughout the region,
they were known as the Sons of Death.
1000 – 1100: Due to the rise of another local tribe
and the Norman Lords in Meath, the two lawless tribes
were slowly broken and eventually wiped out.
1224: The O’ Reilly Clan overcame the O’ Rourke to become
the dominant clan of the area. But by 1256 they had
fought the O’ Rourke Clan again and this time they lost.
Their power was on the wane.
1541: The chief of the O’ Reilly clan took an oath of
allegiance to Henry VIII.
1585: The chief of the O’ Reilly’s was selected to attend
parliament in Dublin. |
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1594: The nine year
war broke out. Initially the O’ Reilly’s stayed loyal
to the crown, but eventually submitted to O’ Neill and
joined the rebellion.07: The rebellion collapsed and
the Irish Earls left and went to France. The O’ Reilly
clan lost their independence and their lands were confiscated
in the Plantation of Ulster.
1610: William Bailie, a native of Ayrshire was given
a land grant of 1000 acres of arable land and probably
about 16000 acres of bog at Tandragee in the Barony
of Clankee in County Cavan. Under the terms of the grant
he was required to enclose a demesne of 350 acres. On
this he was to build a Bawn (fortified area) and within
the Bawn to erect a strong house or castle. He was also
required to settle upon his estate a number of families
of English and Scottish extraction. He was also required
to establish fairs and marts and also to establish courts
for the administration of the law. By 1629 there were
29 British families on the estate. Their house were
made of wood and covered with straw thatch.
About this time a small hamlet or village grew up on
the grounds of the estate. Later in the century the
village was demolished and a new village, Bailieborough
was born.
1641: In county Cavan there was the siege of the Protestant
population by the O’ Reilly’s clan. After negotiation
they were allowed to retreat to Drogheda.
1654: The Cromwellian Settlement – a commission was
appointed to plan the settlement of County Cavan, with
all Irish to be removed by June 1656.
1691: The Williamite Plantation started and continued
for 30 years. In terms of Presbyterianism it resulted
in the strengthening of congregations with the erection
of a new congregation in Bailieborough in the next 20
years.
1714: A Presbyterian church was built outside Bailieborough
at Corglass. It was a thatched cottage, serving as both
a church and a school for the young minister, David
Sim, who conducted school in it for 3 hours each day
from Monday to Friday. The building was surrounded by
a clay fence, which had a wooden gate.
1750: Flax growing was introduced to East Cavan. During
this time a small linen mill was started on the banks
of a local river. A bleach green was laid out on Vale
Meadow for the purpose of bleaching the linen cloth.
The mill closed at the end of the century. Many years
later the mill was re-opened as a woollen mill and stayed
in production until 1908.
1794: The Masonic hall where Masonic lodge no 796 meets
is a handsome building at the head of the main street
and was dedicated on Saturday 20th September 1794. There
was also another Masonic lodge in Bailieborough no.
452. The old flags of both lodges are still in existence.
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1798: A synod was called in Lurgan as
a result of the events surrounding the independence of
the American colonies and the revolutionary spirit abroad
in France. The society of United Irishmen was born. Mr.
Montgomery of Bailieborough spoke in favour of the volunteers.
Nowhere was this support more open or so great than at
Bailieborough. Corglass became known as the Church of
the Rebels and at the Battle of Rebel Hill outside the
town, it is said that there were no less than 5 Presbyterian
ministers participating. The Yeomanry surrounded the hill
and about 300 were bayoneted or drowned attempting to
cross the lake. Hundreds were buried in a mass grave.
Those rebels who escaped were engaged at a place called
Bloody Bridge. So many rebels were killed at the bridge
that their blood was said to have reddened Parker’s Lake.
Local tradition puts the casualties at 400. They lay like
sparrows on the ground. There followed executions, imprisonments
and evictions of those suspected of supporting the rebellion
in whatever form.
1804: Dr. Sequahused uses an electric lamp to assist him
in extracting teeth.
1814: Colonel William Young bought the estate. He began
by laying out the present Main Street. In 1817 he arranged
for the building of the courthouse and in the following
year arranged for the erection of the new Market House
at the top of the Main Street to replace an older building.
Soon the modern shape of Bailieborough began to take shape
as new housed were built on either side of the newly laid
out Main St. A number of these houses still show the date
of their erection over their doors.
He was succeeded by his son Sir John Young, who at one
period was Chief Secretary for Ireland, and at a later
period was Governor of Canada.
During the period from 1835 to the end of the century,
many important buildings were built in and around Bailieborough.
New churches for Catholic, Church of Ireland and Methodist
congregations were built in 1835.
1845 THE FAMINE: In 1839 a poorhouse was built. The Great
potato famine hit Ireland in the years 1844, 1845 and
1846. Population dropped by a third between death and
emigration. The Bailieborough workhouse, which had been
built to accommodate 600, saw its numbers reach 1500 in
the famine years.
1848: Two local primary schools serving Protestant and
Catholic communities were closed and amalgamated in a
new school, the Bailieborough Central Model School on
a site donated by Sir John Young. On the same site an
Agricultural Training School, called Model House was set
up on 48 acres, where 8 students at a time were given
instruction in the theory and practice of Agriculture.
1872: Edward Mc Phillips introduced a Velocipede to Bailieborough.
This was a high bicycle with iron tyres and the brake
was controlled by cord. A few years later Michael Rogers
made an all iron bicycle, which was successfully ridden.
1874: The Northern Bank on main street was built.
1887: Trinity Presbyterian church was built, to replace
an older church which had been built in 1770 a few miles
from the town.
1898: Mr. Somerville the county Surveyor drove his car
form Cavan to Bailieborough, on reaching Bailieborough,
the first thing he did was to send a telegram to his wife
in Cavan announcing his safe arrival.
1904: Bailie Central Co-operative Creamery was established.
That year it received 584,062 gallons of milk and produced
210,877 lbs of butter. The Co-operative is now a huge
undertaking and is now a major employer in the town.
The Bailieborough Studio was established by James A Coleman.
It was at that time the largest photographic studio in
Ireland.
1910: In this year the major portion of the estate was
sold to the Forestry section of the Department of Agriculture.
The Marist Brothers acquired the castle and 100 acres,
which was accidentally destroyed by fire three years later.
The remainder of the estate was sold to the Forestry Division.
1927: The Hibernian Bank was built. |
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The History of Bailieborough 
