placenamesBallymote
Baile an Mhóta
Local historical accounts record changes in industrial transport and public entertainment.
The name
These Irish name elements are associated with this record in the Logainm glossary.
An element’s translation is a clue, rather than a complete explanation of the name. Its form and meaning depend on local history and the full Irish name.
Recorded forms
- Baile an Mhóta · Irish · main form · non-validated name
- Ballymote · English · main form
Place & story
Grain moved by water, road and cable
Jim Kielty’s account in The Corran Herald places Robert Gorman’s corn mill at Keenaghan in 1795, supplied with water from Ballinascarrow lake. Following a destructive fire in December 1854, the mill was rebuilt. Horses and carts later connected it with the railway station, carrying milled produce out and maize back. In 1927–28 a cable system replaced that journey, linking the mill with a railway siding and store. Kielty records another fire in October 1941 as the end of the mill’s operation. [2]
A cinema restored for another generation
John Perry’s remarks at the restored Art Deco venue, published in The Corran Herald, date the original Abbey Cinema opening to 26 February 1948. The opening programme advertised The Homestretch, starring Maureen O’Hara. His account of the later restoration records the refurbishment of the original seating alongside new projection and sound equipment. The building’s return to use therefore combined retained cinema fittings with modern systems for film and live entertainment. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — Ballymote. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Ballymote Corn Mill, reproduced excerpt from The Corran Herald issue38,2005/2006 · Jim Kielty, Ballymote Heritage Group
- Opening night of the Art Deco, reproduced from The Corran Herald issue46,2013/2014 · John Perry, opening remarks reproduced by Ballymote Heritage Group
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2025-01-10. How this page was prepared.