Old Ballynure Cemetery - Directions to?

[TerryRB]

Greetings,

I'm heading to N Ireland in a couple of weeks, and though I'll have very little time there, I'd like to find Old Ballynure Cemetery and hopefully locate a headstone (Hugh Mc/Shannon of Castletown).

Could anyone give me a rough idea as to where the cemetery is located?  Thanks in advance -

Cheers,
Terry Ballantine

[jwaugh]

Hi Terry

If you use Google Maps and type in Church Road Ballynure you should find the graveyard. Were the red pointer comes up on the map its just around the corner. It is opposite Ballynure Church of Ireland.

You might need to use the road view to see the graveyard as I see the Satellite view is not great.

There is some work being carried out restoring some of the old building in the graveyard and the last day I went past they had blocked the entrance so people could not get in.  Hopefully this will be finished by the time you visit.

I don't remember seeing the headstone so unfortunately can't point you in the right direction but it should only take 30 minutes to cover the graveyard.

John

[TerryRB]

Thanks John -

I appreciate your help; after looking at the map, it should be easy to find.  I'm looking forward to my visit!  Thank you again -

Cheers,
Terry

[TerryRB]

Excellent!
After figuring out how to use "street view" - it was very easy to "drive" down Church Road and find the cemetery.  Now that I've "seen" it, should be much easier to locate.
Thanks again -
Terry

[jwaugh]

Hi Terry

You should have no trouble getting in to the Graveyard as they have finished the work. They are now working on the Church opposite.

Regards

John

[TerryRB]

Thanks John,

I'm very excited about visiting the town my ancestors lived in.  I really appreciate your help John, it will be much easier to find the cemetery now; just hoping I can locate the headstone.  I'll let you know how I make out -

Cheers,
Terry

[TheWhuttle]

Hi Terry,

Hopefully you will have some success.
[Modulo the usual ravages of time/weather/GPS/ etc. ...]

SHANNON, SHANNOR & McSHANNOR are all reported as "families who bury and have vaults, tombs and headstones in Ballynure churchyard".
The oldest headstone is dated 1714.
[Ref: Ordnance Survey, Memoirs of Ireland, Ballynure and District, 1832~1840, Vol. 32, page 56]

----
Within Ireland the SHANNON name is most numerous in Co. Antrim.
It has multiple possible derivations.

In the Glens of Antrim, it derives from "Mac an tSionnaigh" - "son of the fox".
[Folks of a Protestant persuasion tended to anglicise this as SHANNON.
 Folks of a Catholic persuasion tended towards FOX or TODD.]

The name was also common in Scotland, particularly in Galloway & Kintyre.
A sept there were harpers to the MacDONALDs of Kintyre.

This area was the Britain-ish outpost of the Antrim based Dalriadian "empire".
There the  Irish originated O SEANAIN name was often rendered MacSHANNON.
[In the 16thC & early 17thC the area was a major contributor of "Scottish" settlers in Ulster.]

Ref: The Book of Ulster Surnames, Robert Bell, The Blackstaff Press, ISBN 0-85640-405-5 pp. 228-229

----
If you are visiting from abroad I'd suggest that it would be well worthwhile trying to engage some of those marvellous folks from the Ballyclare Historical Society for an afternoon, some of whom do historically-informed tours of Ballynure.
[But you'll have to be quite persuasive ... they can be very shy/modest/busy ...
Ref: http://www.ollar.utvinternet.com/ ]

Capt. Jock

[TerryRB]

Thanks Capt Jock!

I appreciate the information; the McShannon's have eluded me for several years now.  I know that John Ballantine (1761-1833) married Mary (Mc)Shannon (1770-1860) and had six children; I've got good info from them to date.  Her parents were Jamie Shannon and Mary Ritchie.  Her grandfather was Hugh McShannon (wife Elizabeth) - who I believe is the Hugh buried at Old Ballynure Cemetery.

I'll have to convince my traveling companions of the need to spend some time at the cemetery.  Wish me luck - and thanks again -

Cheers,
Terry

[TheWhuttle]

Terry,

Glad that you found that useful.

Sorry, but I don't do "Luck".
[But then again, favourite film = "The BLUEs Brothers" ...  ]

The church site visit can be be made quite exciting, especially for any younger folks.
Just pre-warn them to keep an eye open.
If they lie down for a rest/sleep, then the "little people" are likely to appear and to tie them down to the ground - no Llilliputian task that, eh?!

The famous Jonathan SWIFT (later Anglican Dean of St. Patrick's in Dublin) spent some of his quiet prebendary years at Ballynure, finding time to formulate his cutting political satire. Supposedly he based the geography of his imaginary land on the image of Island Magee as seen from the region ...
[... or somefinck like that ... but you'd be better advised to engage one of those expert guides!]

Capt. Jock