Ballard, County Clare
Ballard, also known as Baltard, is a townland in west County Clare, Ireland. It is on the N67 national secondary road between the urban areas of Doonbeg and Kilkee. The nearest large towns are Kilrush and Kilkee, which are approximately 10 and 5 miles away, respectively.
The townland is within the parish of Killard and the diocese of Killaloe.
Education
The current Ballard National School opened in 1911. The old school, set in the lower storey of Flynns' or Cremins' two storey house, still remains.Religion
There is a legend that St. Senan was brought to Ballard Hill to see the location of Scattery Island, where he went on to establish his main monastery. According to one version of the legend, St. Senan was mysteriously transported on a rock from the hill to the island. During Penal times, secret Catholic masses were held at the western gable end of Ballard House. The now demolished Ballard House was the location of the parochial House or presbytery for Killard parish until a new parochial house was built in the 1970s in the nearby village of Bealaha.History
According to the Annals of the Four Masters, there was an earthquake in West Clare almost 1,000 years ago, which split the land between the Cliffs of Moher in the north and Cliffs of Ballard in the south. The subsequent tidal wave engulfed the whole district between these two headlands, and the Atlantic Ocean now rolls over what was once dry land. The earliest evidence of habitation are the various forts located in the townland. The most spectacular of these was a promontory fort located at Donegal Point.Historic architecture
Ballard Castle was a Napeolonic signal tower built in the 18th century as part of a ring of towers around Ireland. Other towers in Clare were located at Carheenaveelane, Carn Crohane, Mutton Island and Hags Head. Unfortunately, the castle was demolished in the 1960s, and the stones were reused in local farm buildings.Ballard House was built in the early 19th century as a summer residence for the Singleton family of Quinville Abbey Estate in Quin. The other main landlords were the Blackhall family who lived in the nearby Killard House.