Ballindine
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Irish English|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Ballindine
|native_name = {{lang|ga|Baile an Daighin}}
|native_name_lang = gle
|settlement_type = Village
|image_skyline = Baile an Daighin 1.jpg
|image_caption = Ballindine village centre
|pushpin_map = Ireland
|pushpin_label_position = right
|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Ireland
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Ireland
|subdivision_type1 = Province
|subdivision_name1 = Connacht
|subdivision_type3 = County
|subdivision_name3 = County Mayo
|established_title =
|established_date =
|unit_pref = Metric
|area_footnotes =
|area_total_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2022
|population_footnotes = {{cite web | url = https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C04160V04929&guid=e44b7de6-dfc3-40c0-8f73-b1f0253c1ebf | title = Census 2022 Sapmap Area: Settlements Ballindine | publisher = Central Statistics Office (Ireland) | access-date = 16 June 2024}}
|population_total = 468
|population_urban =
|population_rural =
|population_density_km2 = auto
|timezone1 = WET
|utc_offset1 = +0
|utc_offset1_DST = -1
|coordinates = {{coord|53.6667|-8.9550|dim:100000_region:IE|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes =
|elevation_m = 96
|blank_name = Irish Grid Reference
|blank_info = {{iem4ibx|M369689}}
|website =
|footnotes =
}}
Ballindine ({{Irish place name|Baile an Daighin|town of the fortress}}){{cite web | url = https://www.logainm.ie/en/35995 | title = Baile an Daighin/Ballindine | website = Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie) | access-date = 11 October 2021}} is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. It is located along the Western Railway Corridor, 6.5 km (4 miles) south of Claremorris. The N17 road passes through the village, carrying over 10,000 vehicles daily,{{cite web |url=http://nraextra.nra.ie/CurrentTrafficCounterData/html/N17-15.htm |title=Traffic Counter Data for "Tuam Road N17-15" |publisher=National Roads Authority |access-date=4 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216165733/http://nraextra.nra.ie/CurrentTrafficCounterData/html/N17-15.htm |archive-date=16 December 2011 |df=dmy-all }} and it connects to the R328 road on the south side of town.
History
The remains of a possible fort are located in a field next to the National School. Folklore states that Ballindine got its name from this fort—Baile an Daingin meaning "Town of the Fortress" and that the souterrain, just outside it, was connected underground to the ruins of the old church in Cloonmore about 2 km (1.25 miles) to the east and also to the ruins of the old church in Garryduff, 5 km (3 miles) west.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}
Ballindine is in the Roman Catholic parish of Kilvine. Church records are held at the South Mayo Family Research Centre in Ballinrobe. Old school records dating to the 1800s are held in the present National School.
Events and community
The village has had a monthly cattle and sheep fair since the 1960s and the Ballindine September fair was well known in West of Ireland. The July fair was also called 'The Gooseberry Fair' and Ballindine marked this tradition with an annual 'Gooseberry Festival' until 2002.{{cite news |title=Ballindine - A brief history |url=http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/MyoAlive/Mag1096/BDpost.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228225556/http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/MyoAlive/Mag1096/BDpost.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-12-28 |access-date=17 June 2024 |agency=Ballindine Post |issue=3 |date=Summer 1992}}
The Western Alzheimer's Foundation is headquartered in Ballindine.{{cite news |title=Work starts on new Western Alzheimers facility after 'extraordinary' €2.5m donation |url=https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2022/09/30/work-starts-on-new-western-alzheimers-facility-after-extraordinary-e2-5m-donation/ |access-date=17 June 2024 |agency=Connaught Telegraph |date=30 September 2022}}
Sport
The Ballindine Gaelic footballers join with Irishtown to form the Davitts team who play in red and black. The combined Davitts club plays in Division 1A league and Senior Championship.{{fact|date=December 2019}} In 2011 Davitts won the Intermediate County Championship after beating Burrishoole in the final.{{fact|date=December 2019}} They went on to win the Intermediate Connacht Championship after defeating Padraig Pearses.{{fact|date=December 2019}}
Transport
Ballindine railway station was opened on 30 April 1894, and closed on 17 June 1963.{{cite web | title=Ballindine station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | access-date=2007-09-10| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070926042407/http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf| archive-date= 26 September 2007 | url-status= live}}
The N17 passes through the village. However, as of 2010, the village was due to be bypassed as part of the Claremorris–Tuam dual-carriageway which (as of 2012) was in the early stages of planning.{{cite web |url=http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/GalwayCountyCouncil/N17TuamtoClaremorris/SchemeName,16518,en.html |title=N17 Tuam to Claremorris |publisher=National Roads Authority |access-date=4 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213020425/http://www.nra.ie/RoadSchemeActivity/GalwayCountyCouncil/N17TuamtoClaremorris/SchemeName,16518,en.html |archive-date=13 February 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}{{update-inline|date=December 2019}}
Notable people
- Sabina Coyne, actress and wife of the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, is a native of Cloonrane,[http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/ojkfaucwoj/ Mayo well represented at presidential inauguration]{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The Western People, 2011-11-16. a townland in County Galway[http://www.logainm.ie/21894.aspx Cloonrane] Placenames Database of Ireland. retrieved: 2011-12-29. one kilometre south of Ballindine.
- Pippa Hackett, Green Party) Senator.{{cite journal|url=https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/news/politics/origin-green-is-painting-a-false-image-to-the-world-and-it-will-come-back-to-bite-us-newly-elected-green-councillor-pippa-hackett-38175826.html|title='Origin Green is painting a false image to the world and it will come back to bite us' - newly elected Green councillor Pippa Hackett|journal=Independent.ie|first=Claire|last=Fox|date=8 June 2019|access-date=12 February 2020}}
- Pat Rabbitte, former leader of the Labour Party, was born in Woodstock, a townland near the village, and still owns a family home there.