There are several small villages and hamlets with the name Ballabeg in the Isle of Man.
The name Ballabeg derives from the Manx Balley Beg which means small homestead; although the spelling is different, it is pronounced the same as the English name.
Of the several Ballabegs in the Isle of Man the most well-known, and most populous, is a village is the south of the Island near to Castletown. The village is famed for its parish church (Kirk Arbory), Methodist chapel and railway station, served by the Isle of Man Railway. The village also had a tiny shop and Post Office, but this closed in April 2006.
It also has Arbory Primary School, serving the villages of Ballabeg and Colby, as well as the outlying areas. Its largest house is 'Parville', a large residence with landscaped grounds in the centre of the village. The Parish Church has a large churchyard with many graves dating back at least to the mid-1700s, although there has been a church on the site for much longer. Its most famous occupant is Captain John Quilliam, who steered the Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Every year a parish festival, Laa Columb Killey, is held in the parish of Arbory. This festival traditionally alternates between Ballabeg and Colby, but in recent years has been held only in Ballabeg, and is in commemoration of the parish's patron saint, Columba. Laa Columb Killey is Manx for St. Columba's Day. |
