County of Antrim

List of persons applying to Register their Freeholds at the next General Quarter Session of the Peace, to be held at Belfast, for the Division of Carrickfergus, in the said County pursuant to the Act of 10th George the Fourth, Cap.8, entered by the Clerk of the Peace.

No: 38

Name and Residence of Applicant: Henry Hopes, Ballinderry
Description of Freehold: House and land Ballinderry
Yearly Value to be registered: £10

The following names are taken from a list of persons applying to register their Freeholds at a General Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held in Belfast on the 24th October, 1831.

No. 121

Name and Residence of Applicant: John Ravenscroft, Ballinderry
Description of Freehold, with the names of Barony and Townland in which situated: House and land, Upper Massereene, town land of Ballinderry
Yearly Value to be registered: £20

No. 126

Name and Residence of Applicant: Thomas Thompson, Balanderry
Description of Freehold, with the names of Barony and Townland in which situated: House and land, Upper Massereene, town land of Balanderry
Yearly Value to be registered: £10

No. 128

Name and Residence of Applicant: Samuel Thompson, Balanderry
Description of Freehold, with the names of Barony and Townland in which situated: House and land, Upper Massereene, town land of Tawnyballydonnell
Yearly Value to be registered: £10

No. 82

Name and Residence of Applicant: Jeremiah Falloon, jun. Aghalee
Description of Freehold, with the names of Barony and Townland in which situated: House and land, Upper Massereene, townland of Aghalee and Ballanderry
Yearly Value to be registered: £10

Page 4 -

Stanza on viewing the ruins of Portmore, in the County of Antrim

‘Tis near to Lough Neagh, on the Southern side,
On the brink of a river there once did reside
The noble Lord Conway, of honor and fame,-
Was gallant and brave, and did gain a good name.

Conaway was his name - they told me ‘twas so,
As I was informed by them who did know:
I viewed the place, did view it o’er and o’er;
I inquired the name - told me it was Portmore.

It once was a grand and magnificent seat;
Its grand office-houses they were very neat,-
They could not be equalled by those who had seen,-
So complete were thy built, they might serv’d the Queen.

Fine walled-in garden was there to be found;
With walks and fine flowers it there did abound,
All in the first order and highest degree -
A place like Portmore it was rare then to see.

I oft heard it talk’d of, before I went there,
By old ancient people, who took every care,
The place could describe, and to tell it to me,
And give it a place in my work, which you’ll see.

But oh! now to think upon the hand of time,
Since that noble edifice was in its prime -
How it has cut down and moulder’d away,
Those noble, fine buildings, and gone to decay.

The remains of the walls are all mantled o’er
With ivy so green, at that ancient Portmore;
But ‘tis kept in memory, that fine, pleasant place,
Where there once liv’d a lord of a noble race.

It is close to Lough beg * - you will find on its shores
That old, ancient place that is still call’d Portmore;
Near to Ballinderry this place it doth lie;
A more pleasant country you could not espy.

For fine fruitful orchards, and plantings so grand
The Marquis of Hertford inherits that land.
For wheat, and for oats, there’s nought could it surpass
And also abundance of clover and grass.

With milk and with honey the place does abound -
The truth I do tell - I do write what is sound.
The next place I mention, they call it Laloo,
Lies hard by Portmore, and from it you can view

That old ancient church, and whose walls still do stand
And fine burying-ground for those in that land.
Who, wise to lie there, when their life it is fled,
And here be no more, but to sleep with the dead.

In the winter season it is surrounded o’er.
When floods they do swell all around by Portmore;
So that when a funeral doth go to the place,
I often have known it then to be the case.

That the corpse was ferried o’er to get there,
To a fine rising ground - interr’d there they were,
And there to remain until the judgement day,
And wait on the word, now, rise, come away.

* Loughbeg is a small lake about a mile distant from Lough Neagh, about four miles in circumference, and communicates by river that runs between them.

On the author travelling along the way between Lurgan and the town of Antrim

From Lurgan town I chanced to go
A journey unto Antrim town:-
Believe me, what I say is so, -
No finer country’s to be found.

For, as I passed along that way,
I had a fine prospective view
Of hill and dale; I now do say,
The country was to me quite new.

I only was a stranger there,
When I along that way did pass,
In summer time, could not forbear
To notice what fine corn and grass

Within the fields of that fine land -
As fine a crop as ever grew,
With plantings fine on every hand,
Appeared quite pleasing to my view.

The pasture- fields were mantled o’er
With grass so green and daisies bright;
Those rural scenes were more and more
Attractive still unto the sight.

But what I now have more to say,
In passing on along that line,
It sometimes caused me to delay,
To view the handsome dwellings fine.

Of farmers’ houses, neat and clean,
Respectable, and very grand,
‘Tis quite a pleasing lovely scene,-
Serve to embellish that fine land.

A land so fertile, and so good,
To equal it ‘tis very rare;
For wheat and oats, ‘tis understood,
That none with it is to compare.

Besides all that, no other place
In Irish ground, that you would see,
Could yet compare - it is the case -
With orchards fine, abundantly.

The fruit it is so good and fine,
Of various kinds that are so nice,
Those at a distance do incline
To buy those fruits at a good price.

And with them, they do cross the sea,
To other parts, as I am told;
They, for their pains, rewarded be,
When their fine fruit they have it sold.

Those fruits I need not mention here,
Nor to describes the various kind,
But what is common, say not dear,
As in that place you there will find.

Oh, what a fine and pleasant view,
To Westward, as I passed along!
To me, indeed, it was quite new -
I to that place did not belong.

Lough Neagh it to the left does lie,
Lough Beg another lake bear to, -
It is but small, it is close by
The larger lake which I did view.

In miles extend ‘bout twenty-four;
Its breadth is twelve, they tell to me;
From Western to the Eastern shore,
Lough Neagh would mind you of the sea.

In it there is an island grand,-
It is renowned for its fame;
Great numbers there they oft do land-
Ram’s Island it is called by name.

‘Tis two miles distant from the shore,
Unto that island of which I speak;
Some go to it health to restore,
And some for pleasure they do seek.

In it there is a building fine,
To ‘commodate those that so call;
Fine walks and flowers do combine
To please the minds of great and small.

The Derry mountains I did spy
Along, as I did pass that way;
Slievegullen, with its summit high,
I saw it plain most of the way.

Some handsome villages I passed through -
Namely, that place called Aughalee;
As I did on my way pursue,
It was quite pleasant unto me.

The next place, then, of any note,
Was Ballinderry - there I came;
‘Tis a fine place, tis’ not remote,-
I found it was of ancient fame.

Fine handsome buildings I saw there,
Fine shops and stores I there did spy;
The people to them do repair,
For every article they do buy.

The finest orchard in that place,
Is close by it, that building rare;
The distance but a little space
From off the building I saw there.

A fine Moravian Chapel there,
And Preacher’s house so neat and grand;
The people thither do repair,
Their duty then to understand.

And hear the Word of God explained -
The Scriptures good that they might know
Religion they have n’er disdained,
Lest it should prove their overthrow.

For we should still to it adhere, -
Be always ready at the call;
Then there is nothing we should fear,
But in peace and love with all.

A School-house, also, in that place,
For male and female children there,
To teach them good, and give them grace,
For which the youth they all repair.

Into Glenavy then did come -
An ancient village on my way;
The buildings few, yet there are some,
But almost are gone to decay.

The church is handsome, steeple grand;
It is adorned with clock and bell -
Low in a valley it does stand -
The hours that pass does truly tell.

Then straight to Crumlin I did go -
A village handsome to the view;
‘Tis most delightful, it is so,
When I my thoughts on it renew.

Some buildings there are fine and neat,
But most of them they are but low;
But, at the same time, are complete,-
In them there’s comfort, I do know.

Two Meeting-houses are in that town,
For Presbyterians, so direct;
They’re neatly built, and of renown:
Their Clergy they do much respect.

Beside, a School-house there, most grand-
It is for those of every sect;
Unto the village nigh at hand.
Instruction there is given direct.

There is a fine dispensary
Established in that small town,
Where medicine is got quite free,-
A doctor there to serve it round.
He is a gentleman of skill,
In which, indeed, it is well known;
His patients they do love him still,
Which every one of them do own.

Hard by that village, there does stand
Glenoak, a famous ancient seat;
It does adorn that fertile land -
That building fine, and very neat.

There are other buildings near the place;
But it would trespass on the time:
I find that it would be the case -
I’ll not be guilty of that crime.

Thus to describe them, one and all,
No farther here I will pursue;
Perhaps, again, that I may call,
And write you something that is new.

I straight set off for Antrim town;
The country, as I went along,
Was a fine rich and fertile ground,-
The people there were very throng -

At their employment, what it may:
Their labour was of different kind;
As in this world, where we do stray,
There’s divers work, of divers kind.

I now in Antrim did arrive,
A town both ancient and of fame;
In trade the people there do thrive;-
Industry good will do the same.

An ancient castle in that place -
A noble Lord does in it dwell;
He’s of a noble ancient race,
As many here do know full well.

So, I am at my journey’s end,
No farther here I mean to go;
My mind can hardly comprehend
These true remarks, I find it so.

I now did say my journey’s end,
Which, with man’s life, we may compare,-
We often here have to contend
With sorrow, trouble, anguish, care, -

Until, at once, we’re called away,
And taken out of this world’s din,
No longer in it then to stay -
No longer live in guilt and sin.

Potatoes are being planted on a large scale throughout the country between Lurgan and Ballinderry.

House to let

To Let a comfortable dwelling house containing 2 reception rooms, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, pantry, scullery &c., beside Ballinderry Railway Station. Rent Moderate.

Apply to Robert Marshall, Ballinderry, Lurgan.

Action under the Debtors' act.

This was an action by Sir Edward Porter Cowan to have a judgement of the Queen's Bench against Henry Doyle of Ballinderry, for £49 19s 8d paid under the Debtors' Act by instalments.

After hearing evidence as to defendant's means &co. His Honour made an order that the debt should be paid by instalments of £2 per month from the 1st May. Mr. G.B. Wilkins appeared for the plaintiff.

Breach of warranty case.

Lancelot Magee of Ballinderry sued Thomas Conway of Aghacarnon, for £3, loss and damage sustained by reason of defendant having sold to plaintiff a mare which defendant warranted would draw her best quietly, whereas said mare would not cart or draw her best quietly.

Mr. Lockhart appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. Wilkins for the defendant.

After hearing evidence as to the ownership of the mare, His Honour dismissed the case, on the grounds that the action had been wrongly brought against the defendant.

The Court then adjourned.

Sale of a farm - On Friday, 24th ult., Mr W. J. Bailey offered for sale, on the premises of Mr. Moses Johnston, Ballinderry, a farm of land in his occupation, containing 18a 0r 17p. The farm was sold to Messrs. Fleeton Brothers for £124.

Death : Major - At Ballinderry, Robert Charles, son of George and Lizzie Major, aged 8 years and 5 months.

Ballinderry House, Lower Ballinderry. Situated at 23 Lower Ballinderry Road, Lower Ballinderry. Town land - Ballinderry.

Moravian Church and Manse, Lower Ballinderry. Situated off Portmore Road, Lower Ballinderry. Town land - Ballinderry.

The opening ceremony of the Aghalee, Glenavy and Ballinderry Welfare Centres, commenced in connection with the Lisburn and Rural District Councils Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme, will be performed by the Rt. Hon. Wm. Grant, M.P. (Minister of Health) on Monday next in Aghalee Village Hall at 3pm. It is hoped to include a report of the ceremony in our columns next week.