Information collected on Ballycasey More Townland by the Clare Townlands Fieldnames Survey

Ballycasey More is a townland situated in the parish of Drumline, [Dromlaighean which according to the Four Masters means, the hill of the spears¹ ], in the district of New Market-on-Fergus. James Frost’s History and Topography of Co. Clare claims that the meaning of the Gaelic ‘Baile Chathasach’ is the home of Casey. However Dónal Ó Murchú suggests that the meaning of the townland name is the winding townland.

“This name has been recorded in Petty as Ballycasse. The Gaelic pronunciation could be suggested as Baile Casaidh from the word casadh which means winding or twisting, therefore the place name could be interpreted as the winding townland.”²

There are sixteen recorded archaeological sites in the town land of Ballycasey More, a standing stone SMR No CL051-149, and a ring fort which is now destroyed, SMR No. CL051-150. The ring fort is virtually untraceable according to the report that was carried out on the site.
William Gerrard Ryan writes in his survey of the townland that “Locals claim that there was a stone lined well within the site.” This well however, was also un-traceable.
A road – hollow way CL051-176001, a field system CL051-176002, two fulacht fiadh (ancient cooking pits) CL051-176003 and CL051-176014, a habitation site CL051-176004, three enclosures CL051-176005, CL051-176006 and CL051-176007, two burials CL051-176008 and CL051-176012, a road or track-way CL051-176009, a pit CL051-176010, a cremation pit CL051-176011, and a furnace CL051-176013, are also recorded within Ballycasey More.

Ambrose Leet’s 1814 Directory for Co. Clare lists Ballycasey’s post town as Newmarket-on-Fergus and the gentlemen’s seat was held by John Canny, Esq. Also Frost’s History of Co. Clare gives us information on the townland in 1626. According to the text an inquisition was held on 3rd April 1626, and found that,

“Conor Reagh Macnamara died on the 16th of September, 1623, being owner of Dromguile and Ballyhaffy (Ballycasey), and leaving as his heir his son John, then of full age, and married.”

James Frost’s History and Topography of Co.Clare states that the proprietors of Ballycasey More townland in 1641 were Teige, Donogh and John, sons of Cumara MacNamara, Conor Oge and John, son of Cumara, son of Teige MacNamara.

Placenames in Ballycasey More shown on 1842 Ordnance Survey Map

1 Barry, Deirdre. 1977. Local place names. In The OtherClare, vol. 1, p16
2 Ó Murchú, Dónal. 2003. Place names in the Shannon Area – their meanings. In The Other Clare, vol. 27, pp34-35.