Baile Átha hÚlla

The Irish name Baile Átha hÚlla (town of the ford of the apples) reflects the settlement's origins as a crossing point on the River Blackwater, where apple trees grew or were cultivated. Ballyhooly's documented history begins with the Norman era. Ballyhooly Castle was constructed in 1314 by William Roche, a prominent Norman-Irish family with significant influence in the Blackwater Valley. The c...