Ballybay (Irish: Béal Átha Beithe, meaning 'mouth of the ford of the birch')[2] is a town and civil parish in County Monaghan, Ireland.

By the 19th century, Ballybay had become a thriving market town, hosting fairs, public meetings, and events that attracted organisers and traders from the surrounding areas.

These discussions led to improvements in water supply, street lighting, and waste management, contributing to the town’s modernisation.

However, the rise of industrialisation, including steam boilers and powered sails, led to the decline of the local linen trade.

The town’s central marketplace remained vibrant, offering goods such as linseed, corn, meat, horses, and farm produce.

Bus Éireann route 162 serves the town on schooldays linking Ballybay to Doohamlet, Castleblayney, Newbliss, Clones and Monaghan.

Today, Ballybay attracts tourists, nature enthusiasts, and bird watchers, thanks to its picturesque surroundings and growing reputation as a hub for outdoor activities.

The region’s natural beauty and ecological diversity make it a perfect spot for wildlife enthusiasts looking to explore the outdoors.

The Centre also serves as a base for nature walks and guided hikes, giving visitors an immersive experience of the local environment.

One notable figure, James Jackson, fled to the United States after the failed rebellion and became a politician and owner of the Forks of Cypress plantation.

The idea of officially twinning with Gergweis originated during the 1997 All-Ireland Hurling Final, where Karl Heinz Herzegger, a frequent visitor to Ballybay, attended the event with local figures Martin McAviney and Joe O’Connell.

In January 1998, Ballybay Town Commissioners received a letter from Horst Eckl, the Mayor of Osterhofen, requesting the official twinning.

Ballybay’s twinning with Osterhofen, a small village in southeast Bavaria with 600 inhabitants, has strengthened the bond of friendship between the two communities.