Hi Listers After looking on from the shadows for some time, hopefully someone can help with my query. My gg grandfather William McKEOWN's place of birth is shown as BALLYMAENA Co Antrim (exact spelling) on his army muster roll for 1864. The only other source I can find for him in Ireland is an IGI baptism for Kirkinriola (i cannot be certain it is him). Would Ballymena refer to the townland or poor law union? Best Wishes Steve McKeown

http://www.seanruad.com/ Shows the town of Ballymeana in the civil parish of Kirkinriola, PLU of Ballymena. The Ballymena on your document would refer to the town of Ballymena. If his birth is listed in the yearly INDEXES to civil registration of births in Ireland, which start in 1864, the place of birth given would be the PLU, not townland or civil parish. The PLU for any given area in Ireland will often include quite a few civil parishes, and sometimes parts of more than one county. Colman Ahern, Berkeley.