Ballineen and Enniskean

The twin villages of Ballineen (Irish: Béal Átha Fhínín, meaning "mouth of Fineen's Ford") and Enniskeane (Irish: Inis Céin, meaning "the island of Cian") in County Cork in Ireland are 43 km (26.72 mi) southwest of Cork City, on the R586 road. Ballineen and Enniskean lie on the River Bandon between Bandon and Dunmanway and the fertile Bandon valley.

Map of Ballineen and Enniskean, Co. Cork, Ireland

Ballineen belonged first to the Earls of Cork and later to the Earls of Bandon. Lord Bandon improved the village in the mid-19th century by introducing a revival that consisted of building a market house, a courthouse, a Weslyan Chapel, a Gothic Church and two schools in the area. Ballineen held monthly fairs on the streets until the mid-1960s. Enniskean takes its name from Cian Maol Muadh (later O'Mahony) a local chieftain and has a connection with Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. Cian married Sábh Brian's daughter and resided at Castlelands, Enniskean.

The main employers of the villages are Grainger's Sawmills in Enniskean and Carbery Group's Cheese and Food Ingredients factory located approximately 2 km (1.24 mi) west of Ballineen on the R586 regional road. William Grainger employs many of the local parish in many of his national and international business ventures.

The original railway station in Ballineen opened on 12 June 1866. Ballineen and Enniskean railway station opened on 15 May 1891, but finally closed on 1 April 1961.

The villages have a Gaelic Athletic Association club called St. Mary's. There is a camogie club called Enniskean Camogie Club. There is a Soccer Club called Riverside Athletic. *Joe Walsh, formerly a TD for Cork South–West, was born in Ballineen in May 1943. Please see www.ballineenandenniskean.weebly.com for more information.

Has recently been the subject of the traditional revivalist song "The Road To Ballineen"