Ballycumber’s story
Ballycumber: 2 buildings on the National Inventory
The record adds 1 archaeological site.
Homes built before 1919: 17%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1625Ballycumber House (country house)
- 1870John Gavin or Corner House
BallycumberCo. Offaly
It is a town of 216 residents in Co. Offaly.
6 places within 19 kmMap →
Photo: Mike Searle · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
216
CSO, Census 2022 · Offaly County Council
Median age
42.9
19% are 65+ · Co. Offaly 15%
Degree level
20%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
10%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Ballycumber a good place to live?
The median home here went for €267,600, 4.8 times the median household income. Born outside Ireland: 6% of residents. Walking, cycling and public transport carry 10% of commuters. 20% of adults have a degree.
With fewer than 1,000 residents, Ballycumber falls below the line for grades among Irish towns.
What makes Ballycumber stand out
The 3 things Ballycumber does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Ballycumber.
Schools
More schools around Ballycumber are in DEIS, the support scheme, than in Co. Offaly’s towns or across Irish towns: 100%
One school lies within 3 km of Ballycumber. Pupil numbers changed −12% since 2019/20, below Co. Offaly’s towns (−1%) and Irish towns (+4%) alike. Pupils at the school within 3 km of the town: 110.
1schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Ciarans Mixed N.S. DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 110 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the DEIS scheme | 100% | 71% | 35% |
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −12% | −1% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 11% | 8% |
110
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−12%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
2.8 km
to the nearest primary school
5.1 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Without school-level results from Ireland, the cards show no letters.
Natural hazards
Ballycumber has low radon and steady ground, but its flood exposure isn’t measured
Radon above the reference level is estimated in 4% of homes in Ballycumber. The ground under Ballycumber carries no high landslide susceptibility. 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%
On high landslide susceptibility0%
| Share of homes | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0% | 0% | 0% |
101
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Nights turn raw in Ballycumber each January, colder than in 85% of Irish towns
A January night in Ballycumber drops to 2.1°C on average, close to Co. Offaly’s towns (2.1°C) and below Irish towns (2.9°C). Across the year, Ballycumber averages 9.9°C. In July, daytime highs in Ballycumber average 20.0°C.
20.0°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter8.4°C
Spring13.5°C
Summer19.4°C
Autumn13.9°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 2.1°C | 2.1°C | 2.9°C |
| Average temperature over the year | 9.9°C | 9.9°C | 10.3°C |
| July high | 20.0°C | 20.0°C | 19.9°C |
20.0°C
July high
2.1°C
January low
916 mm
Rain a year
93 mm
Wettest month
43
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Ballycumber has 89 people in bad health for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than Co. Offaly’s towns or Irish towns
Unpaid carers make up 6.9% of residents, higher than both Co. Offaly’s towns (5.9%) and Irish towns (5.4%). Ages taken into account, Ballycumber counts 128 people with a disability for every 100 predicted. Self-reported good health: 78% of the town’s residents.
78%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health89
Disability128
Co. Offaly157
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 78%Fair 20%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 78% | 86% | 88% |
| With a disability | 30% | 25% | 22% |
| Unpaid carers | 6.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Bad or very bad health | 1.9% | 2.8% | 2% |
89
bad health per 100 expected · Co. Offaly 157
128
disability per 100 expected · Co. Offaly 116
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
Social housing is more common in Ballycumber than in Co. Offaly’s towns or across Irish towns, at 28% of households
Nearly one in ten households rent privately. Households that own their home make up 64%.
€268Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025
Ballycumber€268K
Co. Offaly€233K
Irish towns€350K
| Housing | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households in social housing | 28% | 17% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 9% | 23% | 22% |
| Median sale price | €268K | €233K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 64% | 61% | 61% |
64%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
9%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,198
a month on new tenancies, County Offaly
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area R35, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.
Outdoors
Protected nature surrounds Ballycumber: 7.7% of the land within 5 km, more than Co. Offaly’s towns or Irish towns
100% of homes are within 400 m of green space. Protected nature near Ballycumber includes Clara Bog SAC. Within 1 km, 3.5% of the land is woodland, lower than Co. Offaly’s towns (8.7%) yet higher than Irish towns (2.7%).
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Ballycumber0.1 ha
Co. Offaly4.3 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near a park | 100% | 78% | 92% |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 7.7% | 4.5% | 1.8% |
| Woodland within 1 km | 3.5% | 8.7% | 2.7% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 0.6 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
100%
Near a park
0.1 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
7.7%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
Ballycumber, today: mostly sunny, and the thermometer reaches 12 degrees
Long-term averages for Ballycumber put November days at 10°C and November nights at 4°C. Expect a dry, breezy day today, the wind reaching 24 km/h and the temperature dipping to 5°C. Over the days that follow, afternoons range between 7°C and 11°C, with Thursday the mildest.
12°C / 5°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 | 249 mm |
| Spring | 14°C | 5°C | 183 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 11°C | 231 mm |
| Autumn | 14°C | 7°C | 253 mm |
12°C / 5°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
13 km/h
Wind
92%
Humidity
9 h 18 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Fewer commuters in Ballycumber walk, cycle or take the bus or train than in Co. Offaly’s towns or Irish towns: 9.8%
The car took four in five commuters, higher than both Co. Offaly’s towns (73%) and Irish towns (66%). The jobless rate is 6.7%.
10%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van80%
Walk9%
Bicycle1%
| Census 2022 | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | 12% | 9.2% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 42% | 50% | 31% |
| Average trip | 23.2 min | 23.7 min | 27.6 min |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 66% | 62% | 68% |
€55,210
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Offaly €56,048
10%
worked mainly from home, 2022
7%
trips of an hour or more
2,937
on the Live Register, County Offaly, 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
1.5% of Ballycumber speaks Irish every day outside school, more than Co. Offaly’s towns
9.7% of residents are 15 to 24, below both Co. Offaly’s towns (13%) and Irish towns (12%). Retirement age and beyond: 19% of residents are 65 or older. Children under 15 count for 22% of the people here.
42.9median age
BallycumberCo. OffalyIreland
Ages · share of residents
19%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none16%
Lower secondary25%
Leaving Cert34%
Diploma or cert5%
Degree or higher20%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 54.2% of Ballycumber
117 women and 99 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 21% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 9.7% | 13% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 21% | 28% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 29% | 24% | 24% |
| 65+ | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 16% | 15% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 25% | 17% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 34% | 38% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 5% | 6.3% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 20% | 22% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Offaly and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
The last seat in Offaly was won by 116 votes
Offaly County Council has no ruling majority: Fianna Fáil hold 8 of its 19 seats, short of the 10 needed. There is just one council for Ballycumber, Offaly County Council: Ireland has only one tier of local government. This Co. Offaly town sits in the Tullamore local electoral area, which elects 7 councillors.
8/19seats held by Fianna Fáil
Seats on Offaly County · June 2024
Fianna Fáil8
Fine Gael5
Sinn Féin3
Independent2
Independent Ireland1
| Turnout | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 50% | 50% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 60% | 60% | 59% |
7
Councillors
8/19
Fianna Fáil seats on Offaly County, the largest party
50%
turnout, June 2024
3
TDs elected for Offaly
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
Ballycumber has 93 inventory buildings per 10,000 residents (Co. Offaly towns 119, Irish towns 48)
16.9% of its homes were built before 1919, above both Co. Offaly’s towns (6.5%) and Irish towns (3.4%). Its archaeology runs to 1 recorded sites. Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 2 buildings in Ballycumber, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded one site here.
2inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional2
Among them
1
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1625
earliest dated inventory building
17%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Ballycumber | Co. Offaly | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1919 | 16.9% | 6.5% | 3.4% |
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 93 | 119 | 48 |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 1 | 5 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Lemanaghan Monastic Site and 13 more within 40 km
2 places to visit are mapped within 5 km of Ballycumber; with them, the best known within 40 km.
Abbey or prioryAbbey or prioryLemanaghan Monastic Site4.9 km outside town, to the southwest
Historic house · Office of Public WorksClonmacnoise20 km west
CastleBirr Castle30 km southwest
CathedralCathedral of Christ the King32 km northeast
Abbey or prioryDurrow Abbey11 km east
CastleLeap Castle34 km south
Historic house · Office of Public WorksClonmacnoise20 km westCastleBirr Castle30 km southwestCathedralCathedral of Christ the King32 km northeastAbbey or prioryDurrow Abbey11 km eastCastleLeap Castle34 km southPlaces: 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 (5)
- Clonmacnoise: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Birr Castle: The original uploader was Tpower at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of Christ the King: Mullingar, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Durrow Abbey: Dalenevada, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Leap Castle: Mike Searle, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ballycumber
15pages on Ballycumber
Landmarks
Surveyors for the national inventory recorded 2 buildings in Ballycumber, each of regional importance. Archaeologists have recorded one site here.
Famous people from around Ballycumber
No notable person born in Ballycumber is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
F
Fintan MonahanBishop of Killaloe · born in Tullamore · born 1967J
Joe WardIrish boxer · born in Moate · born 1993
Photo credits
Brian Cowen: US Government / The White House, Public domain · Yvonne Farrell: Amor Vacui, CC BY 3.0 · Dónal Lunny: Richiecoss at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Alfie Lambe: CONCILIUM LEGIONIS MARIAE, CC BY-SA 1.0
Ballycumber’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
ClaraMoateFerbaneKilbegganTullamoreKilcormacBallycumber
Questions about Ballycumber
Has Ballycumber grown?
Ballycumber had 216 people at the 2022 census, up from 216 in 2016: 0% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
Is Ballycumber a young town or an old one?
The median age in Ballycumber is 42.9, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
About Ballycumber
Urban area in Co. Offaly
Ballycumber has 216 people, in the area of Offaly 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
- Offaly
- Council
- Offaly County Council
- Local electoral area
- Tullamore
- Dáil constituency
- Offaly
- Name in Irish
- Béal Átha Chomair
- Area
- 0 sq mi (0.1 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:12215
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).