Hackballscross

Hackballscross (Irish: Crois an Mhaoir)^[1] is a small village in County Louth, Ireland. It is located primarily on the N53 road.^[2]

Hackballscross Crois an Mhaoir
Village
The N53 at Hackballs Cross
Hackballscross Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 54°01′54″N 6°31′30″W
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	Louth
Elevation	68 m (223 ft)
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))
Irish Grid Reference	H96720 10138

Etymology

The origins of the village's unusual name are uncertain; legend has it that a local 18th century landowner hacked thieves or rebels disturbing his property to death. This notorious incident supposedly became the basis of the area's name.^[3]

History

On 27 June 2011, the Irish Army conducted a controlled explosion in Hackballscross on explosives suspected to be created by dissident republicans to conduct terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland. 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of homemade explosives and 120 kilograms (265 lbs) of pure ammonium nitrate were found.^[4]