Ballyhea

Ballyhea or Ballyhay (Irish: Baile Uí Shé, meaning "O'Shea's Town") is a townland and parish in north County Cork in Ireland. It is situated on the main N20 Cork–Limerick road, 3.5 km south of the centre of Charleville. The townland has approximately 1,000 inhabitants and it lies 110 m above sea level.

Ballyhea covers a wide area and has five graveyards. These indicate the five parishes of Aglishdrinagh, Ardskeagh, Ballyhea (Ballyhay) Cooline, and Imprick which make up the area the Ballyhea means place of Aodb or Aedh. Aodb had his residence in the 900's in the townland known as Lisballyhea. His clan was one of the earliest to settle in the area.

There is one Catholic church, St. Mary's, and a relatively modern cemetery, along with an older cemetery off the Limerick Road. There is also an older Catholic church in the graveyard in Ballyhea (Ballyhay), built circa 1200 by the Norman family, the De Cogans. It ceased religious service circa 1800 and has fallen into ruin since then.

The main estate in the area was one of a group owned by the Geraldines. Known as Castle Dod(d), even today some people refer to the area as Castle Dodd, there is a ruined Norman castle in the area of Castleharrison, the family home of the Harrisons related to the O'Grady Family of Killballowen, Bruff. The old name for this estate was Castle Dodd it was leased to the Harrisons in 1750. The Castle was added to make up Castle Harrison Mansion. By the 1950s it was in disuse, the land having been acquired by the Land Commission. The "Great House" burnt down in 1957.

The GAA club in Ballyhea was formed in 1884. During its history the club has won County Championships in Senior, Intermediate, Junior and Juvenile Hurling. In recent years a Camogie Club has been set up and three County Titles have already been won by this fledgling club. All-Ireland Hurling medals have come to the parish at most grades with the two Senior medals, in 1986 Johnny O Callaghan and 1999 Neil Ronan.

The hurling team regraded to intermediate at the end of 2003. It took them until the 2015 season to return to senior.

Ballyhea has a series of marked mountain walk ways at Ballinboola and is part of the Ballyhoura Trail. There is a large artificial lake (40 acres), created by the extraction of gravel, with a range of wildlife. This lake is privately owned.

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