Ballycanew

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Ballycanew
Baile Uí Chonnmhaí

Location

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
52°36′32″N 6°18′36″W / 52.609, -6.31

Irish grid reference
T146524

Statistics

60 m (196 ft)

Population (2006)
- Town:
- Environs:

Much Lower than 464
464

Ballycanew (Baile Uí Chonnmhaí in Irish) is a small rural village in Ireland. It is situated in County Wexford, on the R741 regional road 8 km (5 mi) south of Gorey. It has two churches- one Roman Catholic and another Church of Ireland. The village has two shops: a Gala and a Londis.

The Ounavarra river which passes through the village, this has a great reputation for fishing. This picturesque village was once known as Ballyconway. An old Irish name for Ballycanew is 'Baile Gan Uaigh' - Town without a grave.

The earliest reference is 1247 when Theodore de Nevel held lands there. In 1821, the population was 1094, but following the great famine it was reduced to 361.

In the past the Furney family owned a mill, built in in 1589 and demolished in 1962. The old creamery was once a thriving industry, with an average of 2.5 million gallons of milk supplied per annum. 'Papa Rhodes' restaurant is now situated in the old creamery.

In June 1965, a Bronze Age grave was discovered in the Ballycanew Parish. There was a food vessel slightly damaged and broken human bones. The exact date of the burial is uncertain, but is probably more than 3,000 years old.