Ballyvarley

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Baile Uí Mhearlaigh 'O'Marley's townland'

Ballyvarley was held by Sir Art Magennis and passed to Patrick Deery, along with other townlands in the area, in 1639 (Inq. Ult (Down) $13 Car. I). The place-name seems to contain the surname now known as Marley, Baile Uí Mhearlaigh. The name has been discussed most fully by MacLysaght (1964, 109) who says he has no doubt there was a distinct Oriel sept, from 17th-century references in the hearth-money rolls of Cos Armagh and Monaghan, and in Louth in the Dowdall deeds. In the 1659 'census' O Marly is listed as a principal Irish name in north Co. Armagh (Census 40, barony of Oneyland). Mooney claimed that the 'name appears among pre-reformation clergy in Dromore', but I have not seen it (Mooney MS 3). It is not mentioned in Ulster in the Calendar of Patent Rolls of James I. The 18th-century road-maps of Taylor and Skinner (map 22, 1777) show the Revd Dean Marlay at Loughgilly. Our colleague Pat McKay says there are Marleys in Portadown, and this is borne out by the 1994 Northern Ireland telephone directory.

References

(info. from Muhr, K. (1996): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 6 p. 26)

Historical/Postulated Forms

Baile Uí Mhearlaigh - PNI, 26,
Ballivarly - CPR Jas I, 396a, 1609
Ballyvarlye - CPR Jas I, 235a, 1612
Ballivarley - Inq. Ult. (Down), $13 Car. I, 1629
Balleevarly - Inq. Ult. (Down), $85 Car. I, 1640
Ballyvarly - Civ. Surv., x $72, 1655c
Aguekem, Ballimearly - Hib. Reg., Lr Evagh, 1657c
Ballimearly - BSD, 78, 1661
Ballybarliecreen - Sub. Roll Down, 273, 1663
Ballimeary, Ballymearly - Mooney MS, 3, 1666
Ballymearly - Mooney MS, 3, 1666
Ballyvarley - ASE, 46b 26, 1666
Ballyvarly, Crever, Aghenkenny - Rent Roll Down, 7, 1692
Ballyvarley - Vestry Reg. (OSNB), NB62, 1754
B'varly - Map of Down (OSNB), NB62, 1755
Ballyvarley - Wm. Map (OSNB), NB62, 1810
Ballyvarley - Reg. Free. (OSNB), NB62, 1829
Ballyvarley - Bnd. Sur. (OSNB), NB62, 1830c
Baile Mharla "town of the Marl or Marley's town" - J O'D (OSNB), NB62, 1834c
Ballyvarley - Wm. Little (OSNB), NB62, 1834c
Baile Uí Mhearlaigh - Mooney 1950c, 3, 1950c