Castle Balfour

jeeff: 15th Jan 2006 - 19:04 GMT

wow, cool, it's ancient! i like #7 particularly. photos like this are really useful as reference when i'm trying to draw things.

Jamie: 15th Jan 2006 - 23:21 GMT

Heh, cool. These ruins used to be literally at the end of my street. I did read the history behind them once but i forget. I wish i'd taken more photos of northern ireland. I'm glad u took the time to go out photoing over new year barry. These photos you've been posting have particular relevance to me

Peter: 17th Jan 2006 - 01:58 GMT

ancient, indeed. we have nothing like that at all anywhere in america. that spiral staircase going up the tower is crazy, too. classic castle imagery.

jack: 17th Jan 2006 - 02:55 GMT

looks like the movie set for the highlander. can you imagine the heating cost for that joint.

Richard Hare: 21st Apr 2006 - 12:51 GMT

Ooops...just discovered one of my relatives ruined it (burned it down in 1803 with his mother inside). NY, USA

Chris Foster: 13th Jun 2006 - 00:58 GMT

My great-great (how ever many great's) grandmother was thrown out for marrying "wrong."

Anon: 1st Oct 2006 - 20:22 GMT

I remember the castle well,ball tig and hide and seek. Before it was all gated up and locked behind bars,Fond memories of a time not so long ago.Miss it all,if only we could turn back the clock.

Hanne: 18th Jan 2007 - 00:16 GMT

Could someone tell me about this? I know very little of my ancestors but just came across my great-grandmothers Baptism Certificate, and it mentions that she was baptized in the parish of Lisnaskea, in the county of Fermanagh, in 1879, but it lists her 'abode' as Castle Balfour. This can't be right - can it? Nobody lived there after a certain time, as I understand.
If anyone knows anything about this I hope they can tell me.

hanne: 18th Jan 2007 - 00:21 GMT

Hi there - if anyone knows of the above mentioned, could they email me at hrasmussen@rogers.com.
This really has me curious - Could anyone have lived in Castle Balfour as of 1879?

anon: 9th Feb 2007 - 13:21 GMT

hey hanne some information for you. castle balfour was ceased to be inhabited after a fire in 1803 and was acquired by the Crichtons of Crom in 1821.

barry: 10th Feb 2007 - 00:52 GMT

Hi Hanne , Castle balfour are two rows of houses that are beside the town police station.

marnie: 27th Feb 2007 - 19:06 GMT

thanks theses pics are really cool i`m doing a project on skool they help alot
i am doing lisnaskea.

hanne: 3rd Mar 2007 - 20:37 GMT

Thank you so much Barry - I forgot that I posted my question here, and I just checked back. Very helpful to know that Castle Balfour is actually two rows of houses - I guess they would have been there in 1879? That is when my great-grandmother was born. Not knowing much about our family, it was a shock to see "Castle Balfour" listed on her birth certificate, and then I see the pictures of the actual castle, and I was very confused. So thanks very much.
Hanne

pauline curran: 30th Mar 2007 - 22:27 GMT

lived inlisnaskea now in ingland remember the castle my sister lives just beside in in thrasna way never seen in side before very good well done

Wayne: 26th Sep 2007 - 19:21 GMT

hanne; Castle Balfour is an area in lisnaskea on the higher ground behind the casle the famine workhouse is situated there too as well as a graveyard in the strangest of locations.
I beleive there has been house's built on top of some of these graves, I think a few headstones remain.

Wayne: 26th Sep 2007 - 19:25 GMT

Ps the graves I Have mentioned are not as seen in that photo its a 10 min walk from the castle!

radomer :D : 27th Sep 2007 - 09:50 GMT

hey..erm just though id let you's know ... one day at about 8 o clock or so me and my friend where heading into town..was kinda dark ... we seen a black figure hanging out the window :S:S:S

any one else every seen any ghosts or something around it ?!

Wayne: 28th Sep 2007 - 15:13 GMT

Hey randomer whats ya first name?
Ive heard many tales but neva seen anythin although i beleive the workhouse is heavily haunted and thats why its boarded up so securly.

m13: 22nd Oct 2007 - 10:03 GMT

the workhouse is boarded up so securley is because a lot of kids was going in to it

Vicki: 4th Nov 2007 - 07:04 GMT

I am a descent of the Balfour who owned the castle many years ago. I was very lucky to be shared the family tree of this family going back to 1025 and further. It has a lot of information on who brought the castle and from who. It also tells when it was sold. Very interesting story if anyone wants to track that family or Jane Balfour and Francis Graham.

Bud 3rd Dec 2007 19:03 PST : 4th Dec 2007 - 02:57 GMT

Interesting, I've heard of Balfour somewhere before in my past history studies or interest as a hobby Do not recallwhen. My Grnadmother was born in in Lisnaskea. I was curious about the town

Brianna: 14th Jan 2008 - 07:46 GMT

we have a family story dating back to who knows when, about Lord Balfour's daughter who fell in love with a catholic footman, but because their marraige was forbidden since she was protestant, they ran away together and she was disowned. my grandmother's cousins researched this about 20 years ago, and found it was true and found their graves. unfortunately they have sinces passed and no one else has this informaiton. if anyone knows anything about this story or any names please let me know! BriannaFU@gmail.com

pics are beautiful, was on the island for 2 weeks for my honeymoon a few months back as was able to see the castle though we couldn't go inside - it was great!

darren mccaffrey: 7th Apr 2008 - 19:01 GMT

fond memories anon is right, wish the clock could turn back

Jim Church: 7th Jul 2008 - 05:37 GMT

Hi Pauline Curran, are you wee Paddy's daughter? If so e-mail me at j.church@cox.net. I am your cousin Jimmy Church in Escondido, California

pauline curran : 22nd Aug 2008 - 14:31 GMT

hello jimmy yes i am paddy,s daughter . its great to hear from you after so many years . i now live in london near heathrow airport have sent a e mail to your address hope to hear from you soon . all the best pauline

pauline curran : 23rd Aug 2008 - 12:03 GMT

when are we going to get more photos i heard they are fixing it all up . with all new windows put in . and doing more work on it .it wood be lovely to see if so.

fiona : 16th Sep 2008 - 20:40 GMT

very fond memories, in fact i visited 3 years ago, i remember my dad walking me round & getting stung by nettles! my great grandfather was the blacksmith ( believe the vets car park is where the house was.

pauline curran : 16th Sep 2008 - 21:54 GMT

been over to lisnaskea two weeks ago you can,t get in the castle any more all fenced off. i was told it was because of kids getting in and recking it what a shame I was looking forword to seeing the inside.

pauline curran : 16th Sep 2008 - 21:54 GMT

been over to lisnaskea two weeks ago you can,t get in the castle any more all fenced off. i was told it was because of kids getting in and recking it what a shame I was looking forword to seeing the inside.

pauline curran : 13th Nov 2008 - 18:22 GMT

hi fiona was your grandfather harry maguire if so i knew him well .

fiona: 20th Nov 2008 - 23:33 GMT

no my great grand father was joseph boyle. are you paddy curran's daughter?

pauline curran : 26th Nov 2008 - 23:38 GMT

hi fiona iam paddys daughter he was known as wee paddy .

fiona: 27th Nov 2008 - 23:07 GMT

in that case me mum knows your family! when she saw your name she immediately said that must be paddy's daughter. my grandmother was mary cox nee boyle.

pauline curran : 11th Dec 2008 - 16:27 GMT

mun remembers your mother and family. at 86 she has a better memory than me. i should know your mother.

fiona: 16th Dec 2008 - 13:07 GMT

my mum was maureen cox, she's in her late 60's. she was brought up in uk but lived in skea for some time. she loves it when i 'report' back from you.

Dennis Threndyle : 4th Apr 2009 - 19:53 GMT

I am not sure how this thread works but I would like to contact Vicki who has rhe Family history of the Balfours. - My great great grandmother Esther Balfour was born in Fermangh in the 1830"s ( 1837 is an estimated date). By the mid 1850's she is in rural Ontario Canada with a young child ( my great grandfather) and then the story starts to get interesting.

If you have any information pls drop a line denthren@rogers.com

sasha: 17th Nov 2009 - 20:30 GMT

cool i live near there but never been in there !!!!! xx