Ballymacanallen

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(Baile Mhic An Ailín)
Ballymacanallen was part of the lands of the Magennis chief. The earliest forms, from the 1609 Schedule of Iveagh to the 1639 inquisition show what is clearly a surname formed with mac- 'son', lenited in the genitive singular according to the rules for proper names: Ballevickenallin. In later examples, such as the Petty maps, the surname is no longer lenited, and -mac- appears in the place-name: Ballimackenallin; this may be a gen. plural form but is more likely an anglicization of the familiar form of the surname. Despite two forms which appear to show a different surname (B:McNally 1659, Ballym'Mullan 1663), and the lack of historical references in the area, it seems we must have here an example of what Woulfe called 'a rare surname in Ulster and Connaught, the origin of which I cannot trace. Mac an Ailín represents the pronunciation as I heard it' (Woulfe 1923, 308). The forms of this townland name can normally be distinguished by the final -n from those of Ballymacanally townland in the nearby parish of Magheralin, but confusion is possible even today.

References

(info. from Muhr, K. (1996): Place-Names of Northern Ireland vol. 6 p. 331)

Old Forms

Baile Mhic an Ailín - PNI, vii 134, 1992f
Ballyvickinallin - CPR Jas I, 38b,
Ballyvickinallin - CPR Jas I, 38b,
Ballevickenallin - Inq. Ult. (Down), §1 Jac. I,
Ballyvicknallyn - Inq. Ult. (Down), §1 Jac. I,
Ballimackenallin - Hib. Reg., Lr Iveagh, 1657c
B:McNally - Census 1659, 79, 1659c
Ballimackenallen - BSD, 114, 1661
Ballym'Mullan - Sub. Roll Down, 276, 1663
Ballymackkenallan or konallan - ASE, 107 b 9,
Ballimcanallen - Hib. Del., Down, 1672c
Ballymackenellan - Rent Roll Down, 6, 1692
BallymcAnallen - Map of Down (OSNB), , var
Ballymacanallan - Ir. Wills Index, iv 133,
Ballymacknallan - Ir. Wills Index, iv 133,
BallymcAnallan - Ir. Wills Index, iv 133,
Ballymackanallin - Ir. Wills Index, iv 133,
Ballymeanelan - Ir. Wills Index, iv 133,
Ballymacanallon - Wm. Map (OSNB), , 1810
[Bal-ly-'mac-a-nal-lin] - OSNB Pron., ,
Baile Mhic Conalláin "Macconnallan's town" - J O'D (OSNB), , 1834c
Baile Mhic an Ailín - Mooney 1950c, 55, 1950c