Nine generations of farming at Ballykeel Farm

Ken Abraham

Ballykeel Farm came to the Orr family in 1825 on the marriage of Francis Orr to Eliza, daughter of Richard Trimble. Richard Trimble had been in possession of land in the townland of Ballykeel on the county Down coast between Kilkeel and Ballymartin since November 1797 when he had leased it from the Kilmorey Estate.

A document, dating from November 1881, produced as a result of the Land Law (Ireland) Act, passed in that year, in which tenant farmers could petition for a fixed rent, provides us with a glimpse of the farm around that time and the improvements made by the Orr family during the early decades of the 19th century. In this document, the farm is described as being “in a very barren state” and “without fences of any kind” when it passed to Francis Orr in 1825. Subsequent improvements carried out by Francis Orr’s son, William, and his grandson, also called Francis, included draining a bog “by arterial drainage”, building a dwelling house at the cost of £300 and improving fences. Between £40 and £50 had been spent on fences.

The document describes the land as hilly with a gravel and sandy subsoil, exposed to winds, and liable to drought. Crops grown on the farm in 1881 included potatoes, oats, flax and wheat.

During the 20th century Ballykeel Farm has also seen developments, particularly with regard to the farm buildings. The orchard was removed due to a roadwidening scheme and additional larger sheds were built in the 1950s and 1970s. The dwelling house was also extended and a bungalow was built in 1976.

Ballykeel Farm now comprises 40 acres and has been farmed for the past eight years by Keith Orr, the eighth generation of the family to own the farm. Keith developed an interest in farming as a child when he spent a lot of time with his grandfather, Francis Orr, who died in 1983. Keith remembers bringing in the cows for milking along with his older brother, Alan, from as young as five and growing vegetables in the greenhouse when he was older. Although his grandfather had kept pigs, sheep and chickens, and Keith’s father had dairy cattle and grew potatoes, Keith now focuses on potatoes and beef cattle. The potatoes are sold to local people and to local retail outlets.

Growing potatoes goes back through many generations of the Orr family at Ballykeel. At one time the main fertiliser for the crop was inblown wrack (seaweed) from the Ballykeel shore but nowadays commercial fertiliser is used. The soil is tested and the fertiliser is customised to each field.

Keith Orr, and his wife, Anne, have two children, Gareth and Daisy, and they are the ninth generation of the family at Ballykeel Farm since 1797.

A mower conditioner on display at the Royal Ulster Argricultural Society’s annual show at Balmoral, Belfast, in May 1975. This machine is used for harvesting grass crops, which cuts the crop and treats it to speed the drying process.

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the staff, interns and volunteers of Newry and Mourne Museum for their assistance in this exhibition and accompanying booklet:

Declan Carroll

Joanne Cummins

Lauren Devaney-Quigley

Joanne Glymond

Caroline Hegarty

Gary Martin

Anna Marie McClelland

Amanda McKinstry

Dympna Tumilty

Dr Robert Whan

We would also like to extend a special thanks to those who contributed to the exhibition through articles for the booklet, donations, loans, expertise or memories including:

Sean Barden, Armagh County Museum

Bernie Downey

Catherine Hudson

Houston Green Photography

Peter McAlinden

Eddie McAteer

Ursula Mhic An tSaoir

William McAlpine

Keith and Anne Orr

Public Records Office, Northern Ireland

Mary Savage

Francie Turley

Oliver Turley

Linda White

Compiled by Noreen Cunningham and Dr Ken Abraham

Every effort has been made to correctly attribute photographs used in this booklet and accompanying exhibition.