Old Ruins
The ruins of a prison stand in this place and from that prison this district got its name.
It was a very large building the floor was 1/2 rood in area. There are three of its chimneys still standing. They are about 40' high. There is also a portion of the walls still in existence. When in full repair it had all the appearance of a dungeon. There were no windows in the lower walls. There were eight windows on the upper storeys.
The female prisoners were housed up-stairs and there too the keepers and officers of the jail dwelt. The under portion was always in complete darkness.
There is a little stream flowing quite near the site of the jail. From this stream the prisoners had to pump water for the use of the house. It was in that prison the first thread mill was worked.
The governor of this jail was Toby Bourke-better know by the name "Tibóid na luinge!
He used to try and pass sentence on the prisoners as he wished.
There were one hundred and six people executed there. As many more died from confinement and want. The creatures remains are all buried in the immediate vicinity of the prison, but no special burial plot was laid out.
The hangman's name was Neilén Brady. He had a farm of sixty acres of the best land in Prison and this land is to this day called "Trían Neilén."
This was the only jail in Mayo until after the death of Queen Elizabeth.
The Bingham's then came into power and the prison was then closed and a new jail built in Castlebar where the Bank of Ireland stands now.
Tibóid was assasinated between Castle Carra and Castle Burke and he is buried in Ballintubber abbey. His mother Gráine O'Malley died of heart -break because her son betrayed his country.
In Balla there are the ruins of two churches. The first was built by St Cronan thirteen hundred years ago, and its ruins are in the old grave-yard.
After St. Cronan's death a larger church was built where the creamery now stands and the field near it is still called Chapel-field.
The 3rd church was built in the centre of the old grave-yard and its altar is still there. The fourth church is still perfect though not now used as a church and the 5th church is the one which was erected in 1919 by the late Very Rev. Canon Reidy P.P.
There is a ruined tower near the ruins of St. Cronans church.
It is said that the 2nd church was plundered and burned but it is not known by whom.
Old Mill
There are the ruins of a mill at Ballyrourke. It was owned by people called Flanagans. It was closed about fifty years ago.
“COLLECTOR
Mary A. O’ Doherty, female
INFORMANT
Patsy Ansbro; Gender; male, Age; 84, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo
”