Ballinacor South


Ballinacor South is a barony in County Wicklow, Ireland. This geographical unit of land is one of eight baronies in County Wicklow. It is located in the southern Wicklow Mountains. Its chief town is Aughrim. The barony lies between Ballinacor North to the north, Arklow to the east, Shillelagh to the south and Upper Talbotstown to the west. It is currently administered by Wicklow County Council.

Legal context

Baronies were created after the Norman invasion of Ireland as divisions of counties and were used in the administration of justice and the raising of revenue. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they have been administratively obsolete since 1898. However, they continue to be used in land registration and in specification, such as in planning permissions. In many cases, a barony corresponds to an earlier Gaelic túath which had submitted to the Crown. This is probably true in the case of Balinacor - see History below.

History

The barony derives its name from the Ballinacor Castle. It was the main castle of the O'Byrne clan. The clan migrated from Kildare to Ballinacor around the 12th century. It included the territory of Gabhal Raghnaill. The barony was divided into South and North in 1798.

List of settlements

List of civil parishes in the barony: Kilcommon, Preben, Kilpipe.
Below is a list of settlements in Ballinacor South: