Ballyconnell () is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It is situated on the N87 national secondary road at the junction of four townlands: Annagh, Cullyleenan, Doon (Tomregan) and Derryginny in the parish of Tomregan, Barony of Tullyhaw. Ballyconnell won the Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1971 and was also the winner in 1975. According to the 2016 Census, the population of the town was then 1,105 persons, an increase of 4% on the previous 2011 census. Name The earliest surviving mention of the name Ballyconnell is an entry in the Annals of the Four Masters for the year 1323 A.D., which states "Rory Mac Mahon, son of the Lord of Oriel, Melaghlin O'Seagannain, and Mac Muldoon, were slain by Cathal O'Rourke at Bel-atha-Chonaill". Before being named Ballyconnell it was named Maigen which means 'The Little Plain' with the local ford called which means 'Ford of the Miners'. It was also named Gwyllymsbrook between 1660 and 1702 by its then owner, Thomas Gwyllym. Ballyconnell is an anglicisation of which means "the entrance to Conall's ford". The ford was a shallow crossing over the River Gráinne (now known as the Woodford River) and was the ancient border crossing for travellers going between Ulster and Connacht. The ford was caused by silt and gravel washed down from the nearby Slieve Rushen mountain by the Tanyard Stream, which flows into the Grainne about 20 yards upriver from Ballyconnell Bridge on the western outskirts of the town. Conall was the great Ulster Hero and Red Branch knight Conall Cernach, who was killed at Ballyconnell by the three Ruadhcoin sent by Queen Maeve of Connacht to avenge the slaying of her husband Ailill by Conall. History Prehistoric The area was settled at an early date, as evidenced by the double-court tomb in the town dating from c. 3,500 B.C. and a ring barrow in the same field. The ford would have been a logical place to erect a settlement and it probably dates from the time of the court tomb. The earliest inhabitants lived by fishing, hunting wild game and foraging for berries and nuts. This area would have been thickly wooded at the time, with no roadways. The easiest way to travel would have been by boat via the river and the lakes and streams in the area. The only other known megalith in the parish is a wedge tomb dating from 2000 B.C.