Ballymagirril () is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw. Geography Ballymagirril is bounded on the north by Bellaleenan townland, on the west by Sraloaghan townland in County Leitrim, on the south by Greagh townland and on the east by Stranadarragh and Cornagunleog townlands. Its chief geographical features are the River Blackwater, County Cavan, spring wells and dug wells. Ballymagirril is traversed by minor roads and rural lanes. The townland covers 157 statute acres. Etymology The McGirl family probably owned the townland. The name is still common in the area, e.g. John Joe McGirl. History In medieval times the McGovern barony of Tullyhaw was divided into economic taxation areas called ballibetoes, from the Irish Baile Biataigh (Anglicized as 'Ballybetagh'), meaning 'A Provisioner's Town or Settlement'. The original purpose was to enable the farmer, who controlled the baile, to provide hospitality for those who needed it, such as poor people and travellers. The ballybetagh was further divided into townlands farmed by individual families who paid a tribute or tax to the head of the ballybetagh, who in turn paid a similar tribute to the clan chief. The steward of the ballybetagh would have been the secular equivalent of the erenagh in charge of church lands. There were seven ballibetoes in the parish of Templeport. Ballymagirril was located in the ballybetagh of Ballymagauran. The historical spellings of the ballybetagh are Ballymackgawran & Ballimacgawran (Irish = Baile Mhic Shamhráin = McGovern's Town). Until the 19th century the modern townland of Greagh formed a sub-division of Ballymagirril. The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as B:McGirrill. The 1652 Commonwealth Survey lists the townland as Ballemagirrell. The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Ballymagurke. William Petty's 1685 map depicts it as Ballimagurt. In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 29 April 1611, along with other lands, King James VI and I granted four polls of Ballymagirrell to the McGovern Chief, Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin. The four polls comprised the modern day townlands of Ballymagirril, Greagh, Stranadarragh and Cornagunleog. These townlands had been part of the McGovern chief's personal demesne for several hundred years before this and it was just a Surrender and regrant confirming the existing title to the then chief. This is confirmed in a visitation by George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in autumn 1611