( Town of Ballyfarnon )
TownLands of Ballyfarnon Area of Kilronan Parish
Picture of the townlands of Ballyfarnon.
Photograph of Ballyfarnon Church.
Ballyfarnon area has only about ten townlands in its area and some of those are sparcely populated.
The present population is under 200 persons.
The town is a busy market and shopping centre with all the facilities one would expect in a small town. The sectional map of the Ballyfarnon part of the parish is shown above.
Ballyfarnon Church was built in the eighteen eighties very much against the wishes of the Bishop of the time, Doctor Woodlock.. He did not appoint a priest and was loath even to allow any of the priests of the parish to celebrate mass there. Many years later the Bishop was coming back from Sligo in his carriage. He was stopped in Ballyfarnon and locked in a hen house and wasn't released until he agreed to appoint a priest to Ballyfarnon. And they say Bishops have it hard in modern times. The Ballyfarnon community are as supportive and loyal to their own little church as they were when they won the argument with Doctor Woodlock. They have good reason. The church does not have the grandeur of Keadue or the space of Arigna, but it is probably the most prayerful church in the whole region. Here you really feel close to The Good Lord. Ballyfarnon Church was dedicated by Bishop Woodlock in March 1889 and was named "St Patrick's Church".
  Collage of places in Ballyfarnon. Primary School Parochial House and The Feorish river
Ballyfarnon Primary School is the finest looking school in the parish.
It is on a magnificent site and consistently wins prizes for tidiness and well kept grounds. Numbers, unfortunately,are small and will be small for a few years more. But it is very likely that Ballyfarnon will be a dormitory town for Sligo in the not too distant future; a development that would ensure the future of the school. In the meantime Mr Brendan Callaghan and his assistant Breege O'Keefe will continue to give almost private tuition to a small but very enthusiastic and bright body of young boys and girls.

Ballyfarnon football pitch is the Gaelic football centre for the parish and is host to the parish football club" St Ronan's Club". Most of the young boys and men play with the club and quite a number of girls are fast showing promising football ability. The park is a very good football pitch with all the necessary facilities as well as excellent tennis and other sports facilities.

Ballyfarnon Community Hall caters for the indoor sports requirements of the village, but especially for the indoor sporting needs of the young people. It is small but well designed for most indoor games and has extra rooms for community meetings.

The Josie MacDermott Festival each year in the early Summer commemorates the extraordinary genius from the area who though blind was a very talented musical composer, musician, musical teacher, songwriter and playwright. Photograph of Sculpture showing a Bust and history of josie Mac Dermott.

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