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Ballyroan (Irish: Baile Átha an Róine) is a small town in County Laois in Ireland. It is in the civil parish of Ballyroan and in the former barony of Cullenagh. Ballyroan has a community hall, health centre, a sheltered housing facility for the elderly, two schools – boys' and girls', a small public park, two churches – Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland, three pubs, and a shop/petrol station. The R425 regional road passes through the village.
Contents
Map of Ballyroan, Co. Laois, Ireland
History
There was a druids altar in Cashel. Saint Faolan founded a church in Cashel in 468, and between then and the ninth century, seven bishops are said to have been interred in Tullore, an ancient cemetery, one of the oldest in Ireland.
The motte was built by the Normans towards the end of the 12th century. Conall O'Moore built a castle in the 14th century. In the stagecoach days the castle was an inn known as The Bull's Head.
The Brigidine Sisters came to the village in 1877. Three sisters from the Abbeyleix Community took up residence in their newly built convent on 25 September of that year. Their convent and school closed in 1974.
Ballyroan School was a private classical school founded and funded by Alderman John Preston in 1686, Protestant boys received a free education, catholic boys paid £1 per quarter.
Sport
The local Gaelic football club is Ballyroan Abbey GAA. A former club was Ballyroan GAA. Ballyroan was the first village in Leinster to play football in 1889.