BallydesmondCo. Cork

Population 216: a town in Co. Cork.

3 places within 19 kmMap →

Photo: Nigel Cox · CC BY-SA 2.0

Population

216

CSO, Census 2022 · Cork County Council

Median age

44.1

22% are 65+ · Co. Cork 15%

Degree level

21%

of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%

Walk, cycle, transit

of working residents · Irish towns 23%

Is Ballydesmond a good place to live?

At a median €249,800, a home costs 5 times the town’s median household income. Unemployment stood at 2% of the labour force in 2022. 7% of commuters get to work on foot, by bike or by public transport. A degree is held by just over a fifth of adults.

With fewer than 1,000 residents, Ballydesmond falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.

What makes Ballydesmond stand out

The 3 things Ballydesmond does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data

Unemployment rate, Census 2022

Work

2% unemployment

Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)

62% of residents 15 and over are at work.

Walk, cycle or public transport

Getting around

7% walk, cycle or ride

Against 23% in the median of Irish towns

CSO, Census 2022

Degree or higher, residents 15+

Education

Against 36% in the median of Irish towns

CSO, Census 2022

Ballydesmond’s outline

Ballydesmond’s story

Ballydesmond: 1 building on the National Inventory

Homes built before 1919: 9%, against 3% across Irish towns.

1870Saint Patrick's Catholic Church

Explore the history →

The data

Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ballydesmond.

Natural hazards

Ballydesmond has low radon and steady ground, but its flood exposure isn’t measured

By estimate, fewer than one home in a hundred in Ballydesmond has radon above the reference level. No part of Ballydesmond is mapped as high landslide susceptibility. Low ground by water holds almost none of its homes.

0%of homes in high-radon areas

Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes

In high-radon areas0%

On high landslide susceptibility0%

Share of homes	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
On high landslide susceptibility	0%	0.4%	0%
In high-radon areas	0%	0%	0%

148

homes mapped for these shares

Full pageBallydesmond’s flood & hazards pageOpen the page

Low-lying homes0% of homes · Homes low beside water GroundHigh landslide susceptibility · Irish towns 0%Radon0% of homes in high-radon areas Be readyFlood warnings, radon tests and insurance

EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.

Climate

Ballydesmond is wetter than Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 1,728 mm of rain a year

January nights bottom out at 2.2°C in Ballydesmond, below both Co. Cork’s towns (3.5°C) and Irish towns (2.9°C). Summer highs in Ballydesmond reach 18.7°C in July. Taken over the whole year, the average temperature in the town is 9.6°C.

18.7°CJuly afternoon high

Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages

Winter8.5°C

Spring12.8°C

Summer18.3°C

Autumn13.6°C

Climate, 1991–2020	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
July high	18.7°C	20.0°C	19.9°C
Rain a year	1,728 mm	1,114 mm	937 mm
Average temperature over the year	9.6°C	10.8°C	10.3°C
January low	2.2°C	3.5°C	2.9°C

18.7°C

July high

2.2°C

January low

1,728 mm

Rain a year

207 mm

Wettest month

Full pageBallydesmond’s climate pageOpen the page

Rain1,728 mm of rain a year · December is the wettest month, 207 mm At a glanceJuly highs 18.7°C, January lows 2.2°C The yearSummer highs 18.3°C, winter lows 2.3°C Weather station61 km to the weather station · Shannon Airport

Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.

Health

Bad health runs low in Ballydesmond for a town of its ages, at 63 per 100 expected, less than in Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns

Nearly one in ten residents give unpaid care to a relative or friend, above Co. Cork’s towns (5.9%) and Irish towns (5.4%) alike. Disability touches just over a quarter of Ballydesmond’s population. At the census, 1.4% of people here described their health as bad or very bad.

88%good or very good health

Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised

Bad health63

Disability109

Co. Cork107

Expected100

General health, self-reported

Good or very good 88%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 1%

Census 2022	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
Unpaid carers	8.3%	5.9%	5.4%
Bad or very bad health	1.4%	2%	2%
With a disability	26%	24%	22%

bad health per 100 expected · Co. Cork 107

83.2 · 79.1

life expectancy, women · men, the South-West region, 2016

28%

hold a medical card, HSE South West

Full pageBallydesmond’s health pageOpen the page

Health GradeBad health 63, disability 109 per 100 expected Getting care0% within 800 m of a pharmacy Census health88% in good or very good health The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.2, men 79.1

CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios

Housing

More households in Ballydesmond live in social housing than in Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 21%

Private renters make up 15% of households. 62% of households own their home, near both Co. Cork’s towns (60%) and Irish towns (61%).

€250Kmedian sale price

Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025

Ballydesmond€250K

Co. Cork€350K

Irish towns€350K

Housing	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
Households in social housing	21%	14%	13%
Median sale price	€250K	€350K	€350K
Households renting privately	15%	21%	22%

15%

rent privately · Irish towns 22%

€1,542

a month on new tenancies, County Cork

Full pageBallydesmond’s cost of living pageOpen the page

Owners and renters62% own their home Cost of livingMedian sale price €249,800 Renting€1,542 a month · Average rent on new tenancies

Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area P51, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.

Outdoors

More protected nature lies near Ballydesmond than Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 37% of the land within 5 km

Woodland covers just over a tenth of the land within 1 km, higher than both Co. Cork’s towns (4.1%) and Irish towns (2.7%). Among the protected sites near Ballydesmond is Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) SAC. Green space lies within 400 m of 100% of homes.

100%of homes near green space

Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents

Ballydesmond7.2 ha

Co. Cork4.3 ha

Irish towns4.1 ha

Outdoors	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
Protected nature within 5 km	37%	1.5%	1.8%
Woodland within 1 km	12%	4.1%	2.7%
Paths per km² of town	0.0 km per km²	1.8 km per km²	2.1 km per km²
Near a park	100%	90%	92%

100%

Near a park

7.2 ha

Green space

0 km

Footpaths

37%

Protected for nature

Full pageBallydesmond’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Protected nature37% of the land within 5 km · Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) SAC|Stack's to Mullaghare…Green space nearby100% of homes within 400 m Parks7.2 ha per 1,000 residents · 2 ha of green space, 0 parks Paths and trails0 km of paths · 3 trails and greenways within 5 km

OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.

Weather

Ballydesmond, today: cloudy, and the thermometer reaches 10 degrees

Over the coming week, Tuesday looks wettest, with about 4 mm of rain. It should stay dry today, with a fresh breeze of up to 21 km/h and a low near 4°C. By December, a normal day reaches 9°C and a normal night 3°C.

10°C / 4°CToday

This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages

November10°C

December9°C

January8°C

February9°C

Season	High	Low	Rain
Winter	9°C	2°C	559 mm
Spring	13°C	4°C	342 mm
Summer	18°C	10°C	333 mm
Autumn	14°C	7°C	493 mm

10°C / 4°C

Today

None

Rain, next 24 hours

14 km/h

Wind

98%

Humidity

9 h 25 min

Daylight

Full pageBallydesmond’s weather pageOpen the page

Next 24 hoursNone Rain, next 24 hours · Staying mostly dry The week ahead10°C / 4°C Today · A normal 4 November: 12°C / 5°C Warnings & more9 h 25 min Daylight · 07:37 to 17:03

Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020

Work & commute

Ballydesmond has lower unemployment than Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 1.8%

The car carried just over four in five commuters at the census. 84% of 15 to 64s were in work, above Co. Cork’s towns (69%) and Irish towns (68%) alike. Workers spend 29.4 min getting to work, on average.

7%walk, cycle or take transit

How working residents got to work · census 2022

Car or van81%

Walk6%

Bus1%

Census 2022	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
In work, 15 to 64	84%	69%	68%
Unemployment rate	1.8%	8%	9.2%
Average trip	29.4 min	24.8 min	27.6 min
Trips under 15 minutes	37%	33%	31%

€50,080

household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Cork €60,671

worked mainly from home, 2022

12%

trips of an hour or more

19,928

on the Live Register, County Cork, September 2026

Full pageBallydesmond’s work & commute pageOpen the page

Unemployment1.8% unemployed · Irish towns: 9.2%Getting to work7% walk, cycle or take transit Median income€50,080 a year · Median household income, before tax Benefits over time19,928 on the Live Register · +4.6% on a year earlier

CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.

Who lives here

An older town: 22% of people in Ballydesmond are 65 or over, more than in Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns

People aged 15 to 24 are 9.3% of the population. 16% are under 15, lower than both Co. Cork’s towns (19%) and Irish towns (20%).

44.1median age

BallydesmondCo. CorkIreland

Co. CorkIreland

Ages · share of residents

22%

Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education

Primary or none15%

Lower secondary22%

Leaving Cert38%

Diploma or cert5%

Degree or higher21%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 49.5% of Ballydesmond

107 women and 109 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.

Ages and education in Ballydesmond
	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
Under 15	16%	19%	20%
15–24	9.3%	12%	12%
25–44	26%	29%	29%
45–64	26%	25%	24%
65+	22%	15%	14%
Primary or none	15%	8.1%	9.7%
Lower secondary	22%	14%	14%
Leaving Cert	38%	34%	35%
Diploma or cert	4.6%	6%	5.8%
Degree or higher	21%	38%	36%

Full pageBallydesmond’s Who lives here pageOpen the page

Ages44.1 median age · 22% are 65 or over Households95 households · 2.3 people per household Where born16% born outside Ireland Irish speakers31% can speak Irish · 0.5% speak Irish daily outside school

CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Cork and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+

Town hall

More people in Ballydesmond voted at the general election than in Co. Cork’s towns or Irish towns: 64%

Fianna Fáil lead Cork County Council with 19 of 55 seats, but no party has a majority: 28 are needed. At the last local elections, 54% of voters went to the polls. There is just one council for Ballydesmond, Cork County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government.

19/55seats held by Fianna Fáil

Seats on Cork County · June 2024

Fianna Fáil19

Fine Gael18

Independent8

Independent Ireland4

Social Democrats3

Labour Party2

Sinn Féin1

Turnout	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
General election, November 2024	64%	58%	59%
Local elections, June 2024	54%	45%	46%

Councillors

19/55

Fianna Fáil seats on Cork County, the largest party

54%

turnout, June 2024

TDs elected for Cork North-West

Full pageBallydesmond’s town hall & politics pageOpen the page

How Ballydesmond voted54% turned out · Local elections, June 2024 · Co. Cork towns 45%Who’s in chargeNo majority: Fianna Fáil lead with 19 of 55 (28 needed)Councillors4 councillors · Kanturk TDs3 TDs · Cork North-West

Department of Housing count sheets, 2024

History

Ballydesmond has 46 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents (Co. Cork towns 103, Irish towns 48)

Before 1919: that is when 8.8% of homes were built. Surveyors for the national inventory recorded one building in Ballydesmond, of regional importance.

1inventory buildings

Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH

International0

National0

Regional1

Among them

Saint Patrick's Catholic Church 1870

sites on the Sites and Monuments Record

1870

earliest dated inventory building

homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%

Heritage	Ballydesmond	Co. Cork	Ireland
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents	46	103	48
Homes built before 1919	8.8%	7.7%	3.4%
Archaeological sites on the record	0	11	11

Full pageBallydesmond’s history pageOpen the page

NIAH buildingsOne building on the inventory Older homes9% built before 1919 · Irish towns: 3%Monuments0 sites · On the Sites and Monuments Record Questions“How many historic buildings are there in Ballydesmond?”

NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built

Nearby attractions

Killarney National Park and 11 more within 40 km

Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Ballydesmond; these are the best known within 40 km.

All attractions →

National parkNational park · National Parks and Wildlife ServiceKillarney National Park26 km southwest

CathedralSt Mary's Cathedral Killarney24 km southwest

CastleRoss Castle26 km southwest

MuseumMuckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms26 km southwest

Abbey or prioryMuckross Friary25 km southwest

Castle · Office of Public WorksListowel Castle34 km northwest

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (5)

St Mary's Cathedral Killarney: Romeparis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ross Castle: Dumphasizer, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms: Emmett.Hume, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Muckross Friary: Daviddphotos, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Listowel Castle: Larsoner~commonswiki, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Ballydesmond

15pages on Ballydesmond

The big questions

SafetyHousing & costProperty pricesSchoolsHealthWork & commuteNatural hazards0.1% of homes in high-radon areas

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateWeather

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 44.1 History1 building on the National Inventory Town hallFamous peopleOne notable person born here

Famous people from around Ballydesmond

One notable person was born in Ballydesmond; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.

Their page →

Donncha O'ConnorIrish Gaelic football player · born 1981

John Philpot CurranIrish politician and lawyer (1750–1817) · born in Newmarket

Denis Mary BradleyIrish-American Roman Catholic bishop an… · born in Castleisland

Timothy Joseph CarrollIrish Catholic priest · born in Millstreet · born 1940

Billy ColemanIrish racecar driver · born in Millstreet · born 1947

Con HoulihanIrish sportswriter · born in Castleisland · 1925–2012

Photo credits

Denis Mary Bradley: w:John Gilmary Shea is the author of the book., Public domain

Ballydesmond’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.

CastleislandNewmarketMillstreetBallydesmond

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
Ballydesmond	216	—	—	—	—	—
Castleisland Kerry	2,536	16	A⁺	A⁻	A⁻	B
Newmarket	1,052	17	—	B⁺	B⁺	A⁻
Millstreet	1,722	18	—	B⁺	A	B⁺

People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about Ballydesmond

How do people in Ballydesmond get to work?

6% mostly work from home, and 37% of journeys take under 15 minutes.

Is Ballydesmond growing?

Ballydesmond had 216 people at the 2022 census, up from 214 in 2016: 0.9% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.

How old are the people of Ballydesmond?

The median age in Ballydesmond is 44.1, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.

About Ballydesmond

Urban area in Co. Cork

Ballydesmond has 216 people, in the area of Cork County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.

Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)

Population: 216 (CSO, Census 2022)
County: Cork
Council: Cork County Council
Local electoral area: Kanturk
Dáil constituency: Cork North-West
Name in Irish: Baile Deasumhan
Area: 0.1 sq mi (0.4 km²)
CSO code: UA:18818

Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).