Ballinalee’s story
Ballinalee: 10 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 6 archaeological sites.
Homes built before 1919: 7%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1770Ballinalee Masonic Hall
- 1780Mill Park House
- 1795Bully's Acre
BallinaleeCo. Longford
A town of 395 in Co. Longford.
4 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Sarah777 · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
395
CSO, Census 2022 · Longford County Council
Median age
38.6
14% are 65+ · Co. Longford 14%
Degree level
28%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
10%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Ballinalee a good place to live?
Ballinalee takes 4.4 years of the median household income to buy the median home, at €175,000. The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records 10 buildings here. The median home sold for €184,200 from 2023 to 2025.
At under 1,000 residents, Ballinalee is too small for the grades Irish towns get.
What makes Ballinalee stand out
The 3 things Ballinalee does most differently from other towns.
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents
History
10 buildings on the national inventory
5.3 times the median of Irish towns for its size, all of regional importance.
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
10% walk, cycle or ride
The median of Irish towns: 23%
CSO, Census 2022
Median sale price
Housing
51% below the median of Irish towns, €372,600
Property Price Register, 2023 to 2025.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ballinalee.
Natural hazards
Flood, radon and landslides in Ballinalee
Radon is rarely a worry in Ballinalee: under 1% of homes are estimated above the reference level. Its homes mostly stand clear of low ground by water.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas0%
| Share of homes | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 0% | – | 0% |
11
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Ballinalee has colder winters than Irish towns: January lows of 2.0°C
Day and night, summer and winter, Ballinalee averages 9.8°C. July afternoons reach 19.7°C here, in line with Irish towns (19.9°C). A year brings 1,084 mm of rain to Ballinalee.
19.7°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.2°C
Spring13.2°C
Summer19.1°C
Autumn13.7°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.0°C | – | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.8°C | – | 10.3°C |
| Rain a year | 1,084 mm | – | 937 mm |
| July high | 19.7°C | – | 19.9°C |
19.7°C
July high
2.0°C
January low
1,084 mm
Rain a year
113 mm
Wettest month
52
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
More people in Ballinalee give unpaid care than in Irish towns: 7.8%
Ages taken into account, Ballinalee counts 96 people in poor health for every 100 predicted. At the census, 86% of people in Ballinalee called their health good or very good, lower than Irish towns (88%). Poor health, by residents’ own account, affects 1.7% of the town.
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unpaid carers | 7.8% | – | 5.4% |
| Good or very good health | 86% | – | 88% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.7% | – | 2% |
| With a disability | 22% | – | 22% |
96
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Longford –
83.2 · 80
life expectancy, women · men, the Midland region, 2016
28%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and Midlands
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 Ballinalee live in social housing than in Irish towns: 36%
Private renters make up one in ten households, lower than Irish towns (22%). The owner-occupied share of households is 51%.
€175Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Ballinalee€175K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €175,000 | 40 |
| Housing | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 36% | – | 13% |
| Median sale price | €175K | – | €350K |
| Households renting privately | 10% | – | 22% |
| Households owning their home | 51% | – | 61% |
51%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
10%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,120
a month on new tenancies, County Longford
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
Almost everyone in Ballinalee lives within a 5-minute walk of a park
Green space lies within 400 m of 100% of homes. Walkers have 0.1 km per km² of paths and tracks, below Irish towns (2.1 km per km²).
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Ballinalee0.1 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paths per km² of town | 0.1 km per km² | – | 2.1 km per km² |
| Near a park | 100% | – | 92% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 1.2% | – | 2.7% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0% | – | 1.8% |
100%
Near a park
0.1 ha
Green space
1 km
Footpaths
1.2%
Woodland
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Ballinalee’s weather today: a cool November day of 9 degrees
A typical November day reaches 10°C and drops to 4°C at night: the forecast for Ballinalee is set against that. Nothing falls from the sky today, by the look of it; the wind keeps to 18 km/h or less, and the low is 7°C. For warmth, Thursday is the pick of the days ahead at 10°C; the chilliest afternoon gets to just 8°C.
9°C / 7°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November10°C
December8°C
January8°C
February9°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 8°C | 2°C | 306 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 5°C | 223 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 260 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 295 mm |
9°C / 7°C
Today
0.9 mm
Rain, next 24 hours
18 km/h
Wind
88%
Humidity
9 h 15 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Walking, cycling and public transport carry fewer commuters in Ballinalee than in Irish towns: 9.8%
At the census, 63% of people aged 15 to 64 had a job. The car took nearly four in five commuters, higher than Irish towns (66%). Household income averages €39,730 a year before tax.
10%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van79%
Walk8%
Bus1%
Train, DART or Luas1%
| Census 2022 | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | €39,730 | – | €57,760 |
| Average trip | 32.4 min | – | 27.6 min |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 63% | – | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 39% | – | 31% |
€39,730
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Longford €47,217
10%
worked mainly from home, 2022
16%
trips of an hour or more
2,042
on the Live Register, County Longford, September 2026
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
Few people in Ballinalee were born abroad: 9.6%, fewer than in Irish towns
Degrees are held by 28% of adults. 0.6% speak Irish daily outside school, lower than Irish towns (1.1%). People aged 15 to 24 are 14% of the population.
38.6median age
BallinaleeCo. LongfordIreland
Ages · share of residents
14%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none13%
Lower secondary15%
Leaving Cert38%
Diploma or cert6%
Degree or higher28%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 54.7% of Ballinalee
216 women and 179 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 21% | – | 20% |
| 15–24 | 14% | – | 12% |
| 25–44 | 26% | – | 29% |
| 45–64 | 25% | – | 24% |
| 65+ | 14% | – | 14% |
| Primary or none | 13% | – | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 15% | – | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 38% | – | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6% | – | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 28% | – | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Longford and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
More people in Ballinalee vote than in Irish towns: 65% turnout at the local elections
No party holds a majority on Longford County Council: Fine Gael lead with 8 of 18 seats, short of the 10 needed. Longford County Council is the one council for Ballinalee; Ireland has no town or county councils between it and the government. In the Dáil, Ballinalee is part of Longford-Westmeath, which elects 5 TDs.
8/18seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Longford County · June 2024
Fine Gael8
Fianna Fáil8
Independent2
| Turnout | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 65% | – | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 58% | – | 59% |
5
Councillors
8/18
Fine Gael seats on Longford County, the largest party
65%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Longford-Westmeath
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
More buildings in Ballinalee are on the national inventory than in Irish towns: 253 per 10,000 residents
The pre-1919 share of homes is 7.3%. 6 archaeological sites are on the record. Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 10 buildings in Ballinalee, each of regional importance.
10inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional10
Among them
- Ballinalee Masonic Hall 1770
- Mill Park House 1780
- Bully's Acre 1795
- House, Ballinalee 1800
1770
earliest dated inventory building
7%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 253 | – | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 7.3% | – | 3.4% |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Schools
No secondary school in or near Ballinalee: the nearest is 9.8 km away
Within 3 km of Ballinalee there is one school. The one school within 3 km of Ballinalee has 145 pupils.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samhthann N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 145 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Ballinalee | Co. Longford | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 0% | – | 35% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | – | 8% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −3% | – | +4% |
145
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−3%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.6 km
to the nearest primary school
9.8 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland publishes no school-by-school results, which is why these cards have no letters.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →St. Mel's Cathedral and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Ballinalee; these are the best known within 40 km.
CathedralSt. Mel's Cathedral11 km southwest
CathedralThe Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Felim31 km northeast
CathedralCathedral of Christ the King35 km southeast
Abbey or priory · Office of Public WorksFore Abbey30 km east
CastleTullynally Castle24 km southeast
CastleCloughoughter Castle29 km northeastPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- St. Mel's Cathedral: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Felim: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of Christ the King: Mullingar, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Fore Abbey: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tullynally Castle: Peter Gavigan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cloughoughter Castle: Oliver Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ballinalee
15pages on Ballinalee
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 10 buildings in Ballinalee, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded 6 sites here.
Famous people from around Ballinalee
One notable person was born in Ballinalee; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
S
Seán Mac EoinIrish politician and soldier (1893-1973)F
Francis Ysidro EdgeworthIrish economist (1845–1926) · born in EdgeworthstownG
George Edward DobsonIrish zoologist (1848-1895) · born in EdgeworthstownM
Michael Pakenham EdgeworthIrish botanist and photographer in Indi… · born in EdgeworthstownH
Henry Essex EdgeworthIrish Catholic priest · born in Edgeworthstown · 1745–1807K
Kitty KiernanFiancée of Michael Collins (1892–1945) · born in GranardBallinalee’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
DrumlishEdgeworthstownLongfordGranardBallinalee
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballinalee | 395 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Drumlish | 1,124 | 8.8 | — | B | B+ | D |
| Edgeworthstown | 2,199 | 9 | — | A− | C+ | C− |
| Longford | 10,952 | 10 | D | A− | D | D |
| Granard | 1,058 | 11 | — | A− | B | B− |
People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Ballinalee
Has Ballinalee grown?
Ballinalee had 395 people at the 2022 census, up from 381 in 2016: 3.7% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Ballinalee a young town or an old one?
The median age in Ballinalee is 38.6, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns. 21% of residents are under 15 and 14% are 65 or over.
About Ballinalee
Urban area in Co. Longford
Ballinalee has 395 people, in the area of Longford 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
- 395 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Longford
- Council
- Longford County Council
- Local electoral area
- Granard
- Dáil constituency
- Longford-Westmeath
- Name in Irish
- Béal Átha na Lao
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:09232
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).