Ballinlough is part of the ancient parish of Kiltullagh which also embraces Granlahan and Cloonfad. St.Patrick visited the area and selected the hill of Kiltullagh as a monastic foundation about the year 440 A.D.

The district of Granlahan is of the great interest to archaeologist and historians and there is evidence of human habitation there in the year B.C. In fact at Altoir and Corrisluista there are ancient graves dated about 3 000 B.C. While there is an abundance of megalithic sites and burial places, other crannogs were discovered recently in the Carrick/Cashel areas.

Clan Name

The earlier name for Ballinlough was Slieve O'Flynn as a powerful family of that name lived here. When O'Sullivan Beare was on his famous march from Kinsale in 1602 he got a warm welcome from the O'Flynns.

Greenways Festival 2003

Ballinlough is talking part in the Greenways Festival in summer 2003 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the legendary 1603 march of O’Sullivan Beara from the Beara Peninsula to the Breifne area. Click here for info on the events