Laois- BALLY(na)MON(e)Y Local knowledge needed

[kenneth cooke]

I have seen several reliable references to a place called Ballynamon(e)y
or Ballymony in Queen's County, from the 1700s. A family called Halpin or Halpen lived there, as well as in Maryborough, and later Dublin.
I have been unable to find this place. Perhaps someone can help me.
I would be really grateful.
Ken Cooke

[shanew147]

The best possibility I can see is a townland named Ballymooney located about 4km east of Portlaoise (Maryborough) - see google map Ballymooney, Co. Laois


Shane

[kenneth cooke]

Shane,
That's the best lead I've had so far ! Thank you very much.
All I need now is a language expert who can explain how  'money' could
become 'mooney'. Not impossible though.
I feel we're making progress. There's a site 'jstor' which shows a 'glimpse' of a Mark Halpin of 'Ballymony' in a book called 'Handlist of Voters  of Maryborough 1760'. You have to subscribe, and I'm working on it. I'll get it sooner or later.
Thanks again,
Ken

[aghadowey]

Spelling variations are not at all uncommon in Irish place names, often based on pronunciation, so Ballymoney isn't far off Ballymooney.
Even now there are different spellings used- one road near me has 3 road signs with 3 different spellings of the road name.

[shanew147]

I would not worry about a minor spelling variation in a placename like this, especially as it is almost certainly an phonetic English spelling of an old Irish placename (there are no Y's in Irish!). The placename database at http://www.logainm.ie does not list the validated Irish name for the location on Co. Laois but the Irish name for the Ballymooney in Co. Offaly is Bhéal Átha Uí Mhaonaigh.


Shane

[kenneth cooke]

Thanks Shane & Aghadowey,
I understand how the spelling of a name or place name can vary.
I agree, there's a small difference between 'mooney' and 'money'.
Ballymoony is the best we've got, and I'm sure it's the right place.
Thanks again.
Ken

[kenneth cooke]

Shane,
I found that same Irish name for Ballymena in Ulster.
Also, does Ui Mhaonaigh not mean O'Mahony ? (sorry, can't do the accents)
It's not important, I'm just curious.
Regards,
Ken

[shanew147]

According to MacLysaght's 'Surnames of Ireland', and several other sources  the Irish origin of O'Mahony is Ó Mathghamhana

As far as I can see Ui Mhaonaigh relates to the surname Mooney - for example a google search for this returns a wikipedia result for a well known Donegal fiddle player from the band Altan 'Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh', and her page links to her father's page (Proinsias Ó Maonaigh) and this gives the English version of his surname as Mooney.

see :
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mair%C3%A9ad_N%C3%AD_Mhaonaigh
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proinsias_%C3%93_Maonaigh


Shane

[kenneth cooke]

Thanks Shane,
It all sounds very reasonable. 
Regards,
Ken