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| A VIEW OF BALLINA, COUNTY MAYO. -The thriving town of Balina is very pleasantly situated on the fish-full river Moy, where it widens into almost an estuary about five miles above its entrance into the bay. The stream is spanned by two handsome bridges, which connect the counties of Mayo and Sligo, divided here by the river. Ballina has a population of about 5,000 souls, most of whom live on the Mayo bank of the Moy. The smaller section of the town, on the Sligo side, is called Ardnaree-Gaelic Ard-na-riaghadh-the Hill of the Executions, because a foul murder was once avenged by the hanging of the murderers in the days long vanished on the adjoining hill. Ballina itself is commonly written in Gaelic Bel-en-atha-Mouth of the Ford-but Prof. Joyce claims that the original Irish name was Bel-atha-en-fheadha (Bellahanna) the Ford-mouth of the Wood. The Moy forms pretty rapids as it dashes through the town, and it feels the influence of the tide up to the bridges, but it is not navigable above the Quay. Ballina is the residence of the Catholic bishop of Killala, and the cathedral shown in the sketch is built on the Sligo side of the river. There is a remnant of the abbey founded by St. Rolcan near the town. The salmon fishery is very important and nowhere can "the complete angler" find better sport. Splendid views of Mount Nephir and other peaks, rising westward of Lough Conn, can be had from the village. Ballina was occupied by the French, under Humbert, in 1798. |
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