Abandoned Building Letterkenny

Melty

Hi folks

Is anyone able to tell me the name of the old building located in ballymacool that sits on the hill overlooking the park? It's been derelict for years but looks like it was once quite a grand residence...

GoldenGreen

Melty wrote: »

Hi folks

Is anyone able to tell me the name of the old building located in ballymacool that sits on the hill overlooking the park? It's been derelict for years but looks like it was once quite a grand residence...

Sounds like Ballymacool House you are talking about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballymacool_Park

And here

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/big-houses-of-ireland/the-boyd-family-and-bally/index.xml

Melty

ah yes that's the one, cheers!

Senna

Sometimes refered to as the Kelly Mansion.

Crotchety

A feast of travellers were burned out of it a few hundred years ago. Has been haunted to this day.

mamakevf

Owned by the Kelly family until the 80's
The Kelly family still live locally and still own Kelly's Mills/ timber yard which as you know is close by, further into town, and Kellys coal yard out beside the Port bridge.
There is also the Mill in Ramelton out beside the salmon leap/weir,but ownership of that premises was a contentious issue in the past few years, which was originaly built by the Watt's (of Watt's distillery/irish whiskey fame).

mk2

Is there supposed to be a tunnel goin from that place under the swilly to rockhill,or was someone takin a hand at me:D

Crotchety

There's a tunnel stretching from under the house to Rockhill House. Two of Letterkenny's Finest Victorian Buildings.

Supposedly it goes under the Swilly so the Dempsey's could catch their fish back in the day.

Durnish

the ancestral home of Patti Boyd/Harrison/Clapton.

muffler

Durnish wrote: »

the ancestral home of Patti Boyd/Harrison/Clapton.

Eh?

mrmac

The house used to belong to the Boyd Family, which would be ancestors of Patti Boyd.

muffler

mrmac wrote: »

The house used to belong to the Boyd Family, which would be ancestors of Patti Boyd.

Ah! never knew that.

You learn something new every day

North_West_Art

On the subject of abandoned buildings in Letterkenny....anyone know what the story is with this house? Its been in this state for the last 20 years, its on College road on the left as you go towards Ballyraine. Apparently it couldnt be sold because its haunted.... theres also another one in Church Hill that couldnt be sold for the same reason...

mk2

apparently it bellongs to a guy called charlie mc ginley from iona road if there is any truth in that..

Local-womanizer

mk2 wrote: »

Is there supposed to be a tunnel goin from that place under the swilly to rockhill,or was someone takin a hand at me:D

Where does this said tunnel come out at Rockhill?!

Crotchety

Out at Rockhill House.

josey_whale

Thanks to Cul a cnoic's for the links found here

There's a lovely old photo of ballymacool house on the national library's digital archive

http://digital.nli.ie/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/glassplates&CISOPTR=12945&CISOBOX=1&REC=1

donegalman1

There was talk a few years ago that a consortium involving U2 were looking at developing Ballymacool House into a Luxury Hotel and Golf Course but I guess that would never happen now with the houses planned for the area.

When at school we were all told that it was Haunted and you could see Childlike ghosts playing outside it.

I believe that the guy who owns the Ramada's family had some connection with it, the Kellys

pmg58

Local-womanizer wrote: »

Where does this said tunnel come out at Rockhill?!

Its just a myth, no evidence of it has ever been found.

suzerxxx

is it true that mr kelly was buried on the land? in that wooded area in the middle of the houses by the speed bumps? a taxi driver told me once?

ccoyle

This a grave in the trees behind the houses . Just beside a very tall scots pine i think.

suzerxxx

yeh there is a big pine tree there ive seen.. im so obsessed now been reading about it al night :eek:

Technique

Right in front of the house, at the top of Ballymacool Park, there's a plaque giving a bit of history about the house.

hootietootie

My granda was a caretaker in there when I was younger, we were out a few times-spooky place.

Badda Bing

ccoyle wrote: »

This a grave in the trees behind the houses . Just beside a very tall scots pine i think.

The grave belongs to an adopted son of the Boyd's who died in infancy. I'm 90% sure here.

suzerxxx

yeh i read somewhere that there are a few members of the boyd family buried on the land but i havent seen anything about kelly?

mamakevf

Funny, I was just talking to one of the Kelly lads today,
If I had seen this thread beforehand i would have asked him about any graves in the grounds.:rolleyes:

lkgalgoss

The boyds had a special needs son who is buried on the grounds and there was an older couple buried there too. The graves are clearly visible on the grounds. The owner of the house patrick kelly actually died today. there was proof of the tunnel found years ago but it cant be used as when the ira were in possesion of the house it was blocked up

muffler

I want everyone to get back on topic here and for a change Im only saying this the once. I can see whats happening here and Im not impressed so there will be no further warnings given. It will be immediate bans for any more off topic posting.


Now this thread was started by someone looking for the name of the old building located in Ballymacool. If you want to discuss the name of the house then that will be acceptable. For anything else get a different discussion forum.

red herring

I heard its haunted!:eek:

Graces7

muffler wrote: »

I want everyone to get back on topic here and for a change Im only saying this the once. I can see whats happening here and Im not impressed so there will be no further warnings given. It will be immediate bans for any more off topic posting.


Now this thread was started by someone looking for the name of the old building located in Ballymacool. If you want to discuss the name of the house then that will be acceptable. For anything else get a different discussion forum.

It was just getting interesting too!!

im the wanderer

Melty wrote: »

Hi folks

Is anyone able to tell me the name of the old building located in ballymacool that sits on the hill overlooking the park? It's been derelict for years but looks like it was once quite a grand residence...

I have long walked past that very house.. it has a long and distinguished history.. please look here for a good retelling of it .
http://askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/big-houses-of-ireland/the-boyd-family-and-bally/index.xml

I think it was in the 90's sadly the house was attacked by arsonists (or some silly local boys ) and it was totally destroyed by fire.. I have noted had a spot on the local radio station ( highland Radio) where i talked on the cairn in the grounds of what was the victorian walled vegetable garden.. hopefully that was protected during extensive building that has continued to this day. I hope this helps .

muckish

Looks like the walled Garden is gone and is now houses and back gardens.

http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/#V1,615198,910962,7,3

flick through the ortho photos and the historic maps.