13 Facts About Margaret Ball

Margaret Ball was declared a martyr for the faith by the Catholic Church and beatified in 1992, one of a group of 17 Irish Catholic Martyrs.

Margaret Ball was born Margaret Bermingham in Corballis, a townland now part of the village of Skryne in County Meath, where her father, Nicholas, had purchased a farm when he emigrated from England.

When she was 16 years old, Margaret Bermingham married Bartholomew Ball, an alderman of the City of Dublin, whose wealthy family operated the bridge over the River Dodder, which is still known as Ballsbridge.

Margaret Ball then moved to the city, where the couple lived at Ballygall House in north county Dublin and had a townhouse on Merchant's Quay.

Margaret Ball had a comfortable life with a large household and many servants, and she was recognised for organising classes for the children of local families in her home.

Margaret Ball was disappointed with her son's change of faith and tried to change his mind.

Margaret Ball would be allowed to go free if she "took the Oath", which probably referred to the Oath of Supremacy.

Margaret Ball outranked Nicholas and kept him from securing their mother's release from prison.

Margaret Ball died in 1584 at the age of 69, which was an advanced age at the time.

Margaret Ball was crippled with arthritis and had lived for three years in the cold, wet dungeon of Dublin Castle with no natural light.

Margaret Ball had remained in the dungeon when she could have returned to a life of comfort at any time by simply "taking the oath".

Margaret Ball likewise refused to "take the oath" and died in Dublin Castle in 1621.

Margaret Ball's statue stands outside St Mary's Pro-Cathedral; she is one of only five historical women to have a public statue in Dublin, the others being Catherine MacAuley, Veronica Guerin, Constance Lloyd and Constance Markiewicz.