Five facts to know about Ballincollig
Gunpowder Mills
According to discoveringcork.ie, the Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills were first established in 1794 by Cork man Charles Leslie. Choosing the location because of its proximity to Cork city and its waterpower potential, Leslie went about building a one and a half mile long canal which powered two mills. In 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars, the British Board of Ordnance took over the site, turning it into one of the most efficient and productive industrial complexes in Ireland at the time. In the early 1800s, a military barracks was built to protect the supplies of gunpowder whose stone walls now form part of the CastleWest shopping centre. The Mills were closed in 1903 and lay unused for many years until Cork County Council established what has since become the Ballincollig Regional Park.
Guitar legend Rory Gallagher is buried nearby
Famous rock and blues guitarist Rory Gallagher may have been born in Donegal, but he was a Cork man through and through. That’s why, when he died in 1995 following complications after a liver transplant, he was buried near the banks of the Lee, just outside Ballincollig. His unique gravestone – resembling a bright yellow sunset – in St Oliver's Cemetery still draws visitors from far and wide who want to come to pay their respects to arguably the greatest guitar player that ever lived.
Ballincollig Castle and town’s name
Built by the Normans not long after their invasion of Ireland, Ballincollig castle dates back to the 13th century. During the 1400s, the castle and surrounding lands belonged to an Anglo-Norman knight named Robert Coll which is where the name Ballincollig (Baile an Chollaig) or “Coll’s Town” is said to have originated. Historians had once thought that Ballincollig translated to ‘town of the boar’ and the animal has since become a symbol of the town. According to castles.nl, Coll sold Ballincollig Castle to the Barrett clan of county Cork who used it as their primary stronghold until the early 17th century. The castle changed hands a number of times before falling into disrepair in the late 1600s. Today, Ballincollig Castle sits on private land and is in ruin but can still be seen from the by-pass.
Horace de Vere Cole
Eccentric prankster Horace de Vere Cole was born in Ballincollig in 1881 and was known widely for his bold and daring hoaxes. His best-known trick was the Dreadnought hoax in 1910 when he and some friends, including Virginia Woolf, posed as an Abyssinian prince and his entourage, fooling the captain of the Royal Navy warship HMS Dreadnought into giving then the grand tour. Once the hoax became public, authorities were unable to charge Cole or his crew as they had technically not broken any laws. Regarded by some as the greatest prankster of the 20th century, Cole passed away in 1936 leaving behind him a long legacy of cheek and charm.
Famous people
Ballincollig has produced more than its fair share of notable people over the years. Samantha Barry is the current editor in chief for famous American publication Glamour magazine and even got to interview the US presidential candidates in 2016. Footballer Colin Healy enjoyed a successful playing career with spells at Celtic, Coventry City, Sunderland and Cork City to name a few. He also represented the Irish national team 13 times. Latvian-born professional rower Sanita Pušpure has made her home in Ballincollig and is the reigning world champion in the women's single scull.