Ballyalloly is located west of Moneyreagh village out the Hillsborough Road stretching to 422 acres or 2/3 of a square mile. The name Ballyalloly comes from the Irish, Baile an Ghallóglaigh. Baile meaning 'place of' or 'town' while Ghallóglaigh is an Irish version of Gallagher. Therefore, we could say that Ballyalloly roughly translates to 'Place of the Gallaghers' or 'Gallagher's Town'.
There are a number of ancient sites of note within Ballyalloly townland, two raths dating from the Early Christian period (600-1100 AD). A rath is the remains of an early farmstead with an earthen ditch/mound for defence. One of which [DOW010:014] has been scheduled for preservation (meaning any alteration to the land is strictly prohibited) due to it's good condition and vulnerability. It is described as an 'impressive, well-preserved rath, 33m north-south x 34m east-west, prominently sited on a low hill, not far from Ballyalloly House'. Below are photos taken in 2023 by the Comber Research Group of the Rath interior, featuring Len Ball.
While there are no listed buildings of note within the townland, there is evidence of earlier buildings such as Ballyalloly House which was a large three storey Georgian House built in c. 1790 by a Colonel Annesley. It changed hands a number of times, until in 1935 the house was demolished by Lord Glentoran who had a new residence designed and built on the site. All that potentially remains is a gate lodge, which appears on the OS map of 1834 (below right) but may date from the original construction of Ballyalloly House itself. This gatehouse (below left) still stands but has been extended and modernised but it's uniquely Georgian character can still be seen today.
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