Balla
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2008-06-20T19:35:15Z
Eubot
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{{for|the Italian painter|Giacomo Balla}}
{{Unreferenced|date=February 2007}}
{{Infobox Irish Place|
|name = Balla
|gaeilge = Balla
|crest image =
|motto =
|map image = Ireland map County Mayo Magnified.png
|pin coords = left: 91px; top: 75px
|north coord = 53.805 | west coord = 9.1283 | irish grid = M257845
|area = | elevation = 118 m
|province = [[Connacht]]
|county = [[County Mayo]]
|population = | town pop = 443 | rural pop = 1,213
|census yr = 2002
|web =
|}}
'''Balla''' (pronounced ''Bal'') ({{lang-ga|Balla}}) is a village in [[County Mayo]], [[Ireland]] on the [[N60 road|N60]] [[National secondary road]], the main road between [[Castlebar]] and [[Claremorris]]. Balla has only one street. It is notable for its [[round tower]]. It formerly was a significant shop and market centre. In recent decades it fell into decline and lost its railway station, but has enjoyed something of a revival as a residential area for people working in Castlebar.
[[Image:IMG 0664.jpg|left|thumb|The round tower in Balla]]
In early times the village was known as 'Ros Dairbhreach', meaning 'The Height of the Oak Wood'. The continuing importance of the oak to the local community is reflected in the appropriately named "Dawn Oak 2000" project. At the beginning of the millennium, 2000 oak trees were planted, creating a new wood in Balla's town park. Tradition has it that [[Saint Patrick]] himself had rested in Balla.
==Transport==
Balla railway station opened on [[17 December]] [[1862]], but closed to passenger traffic on [[17 June]] [[1963]], finally closing altogether on [[2 December]] [[1974]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Balla station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref>
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Towns and villages in County Mayo]]
[[ga:Balla]]
[[it:Balla]]