In last summer’s heatwave I posted to this blog from the townland of Ballywatticock. This week I was dodging wintry showers to explore the neighbouring townland of Ballyhaft. At one end of the Ballyhaft Road (just inside the boundaries of Ballywatticock) I stood on a busy street corner beside traffic and houses in the settlement of Loughries.

But as I kept going into the townland of Ballyhaft the road became narrower and quieter.

Roadside hedges have been cut recently. The road itself still needs a shave.

According to the website of the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project, the name Ballyhaft may come from the Irish Baile Hoiste meaning the townland of a person called Hoiste (in Irish) or Hodge (in English). Someone over the centuries has made a mistake changing the ‘s’ sound to ‘f’ giving us ‘haft’.

Things do change in this townland. They have some gates and gateposts in a traditional style.

Then the modern gates arrive, and maybe Ballyhaft is starting a new trend for topping gateposts with yellow plastic to match the gorse.

I found this headstone for the grave of the McBratney family of Ballyhaft in the cemetery at Movilla.

MORE INFORMATION

Which county is Ballyhaft in? County Down

Which civil parish is Ballyhaft in?  Newtownards

Which townlands border Ballyhaft?  To the north, Loughriscouse. To the east, Ballyblack. To the south, Cunningburn. To the west, Ballywatticock. 

Click here to see a map of Ballyhaft on Townlands.IE.

And finally, click here to read about the townland name on PLACENAMESNI.ORG.