Things to see

There's plenty to see in and around Ballingarry

Limestone bee boles

This is a picture of the eighteen bee boles built around 1820, of squared blocks of limestone with round brick-arched heads to boles. They were used to house the bees that pollinated the walled garden for Ballingarry House.

Lismacrory mounds

The Lismacrory mounds are but a (long) stone throw away from the village. These cairns are still holding on to their mystery. They are thought to be either burial sites or companion sites to one of the surrounding ring forts.
Answer on a postcard if you know better.

Sopwell Hall

After Cromwell and his hordes rampaged throughout the land, he rewarded some of his military leaders with land and castles and here at Sopwell Castle he rewarded the seat to one Thomas Sadleir. Sadleir changed the name of the premises to Sopwell Hall, which is a name that persists to this day. No matter what the name of the premises though, there is still a haunted scream which has being heard regularly within its walls. These screams are followed by the sound of a body being dragged down a staircase, which is thought to be the result of a body being dropped down the stairs. This manifestation is said to be a regular occurrence as if is history is repeated again and again of a spirit which refuses to rest.

National school Sopwell

There's more than ghosts in Sopwell, there's also a school.
According to Noel Mac Mahon in “In the Shadow of the Fairy Hill” the school was established on 12th July 1826 by the Earl of Charleville and Francis Trench (hence the "T" in the small metal flags) of Sopwell Hall, assisted by a small grant from the Lord Lieutenant’s Fund.

The two roomed school, in which the mistress, Hester Maxwell, lived was situated in the porter’s lodge of the Trench demesne and was built to accommodate 100 pupils.

In 1826 there were 11 Protestants and 19 Catholics on the rolls, who were expected to pay one half-penny per week.The mistress received £5 4s 0d p,a, It was taken into connection with the Board of Education in July 1832. The lovely building remains.

Scohaboy Bog

Have you already been on the boardwalk of Scohaboy Bog? Located near Sopwell, the site was declared Natural Heritage Area in 2005 and hosts a wealth of sites to see, wildlife to discover and a magnificent boardwalk to explore.

You can find out more here: https://www.coillte.ie/site/sopwell-and-scohaboy-bog/

Beara-Breifne Way

Here is the stamp that marks the walking passport used to catalogue the progress of the treckers on the Beara-Breifne Way. Ballingarry is part of the ancestral home of the Kennedys and forms a stage of the Beara-Breifne Way which is based on the historic march of O’Sullivan Beara in 1603.
Not a bad spot if you fancy a (long) walk!You can find more about this here:
https://www.bearabreifneway.ie/ballingarry/