Ballyrussell or Baile Ruiséil meaning Russell's Townland is towards Dundonald stretching from the Comber Road across the Hillhead Road along the Ballyrussell Road to just shy of the Glen Road.
There are no known sites of archaeological significance although Aerial Photography has identified a number of potential sites, but nothing has been investigated and confirmed. However, there are local sites related to Ballyrussell as the Russell who lent his name to the townland is Ralph do Rossal (Russell).
Do Rossal was a of follower Norman knight, John de Courcy, who invaded Ulster is 1177AD, upon his successful defeat of the native Irish he paid his loyal men with land. As Norman Nevin writes in his Story of Comber 'Ralph do Rossal (Russel) Ballyrussell got the Comber District, where he erected three "Mottes"- one at Maxwell Court, one at Ballyalloly and one at Ballyrickard'. Therefore, while there are no identified sites within Ballyrussell itself there are a number of significant sites within the Comber area associated with this townland.
In the 1901 census there were 4 people with the surname Russell in Comber, which by 1911 had grown to 7. Indeed, there are still Russell's to be found in Comber today, potential descendants of the Norman 'blow-ins'!
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