Bartholomew Ball

Who is Bartholomew Ball?

Bartholomew Ball was Mayor of Dublin in 1553-54.

He was the son of Thomas Ball and Margaret Birmingham. The Ball family owned land and operated the bridge over the River Dodder after which Ballsbridge, Dublin is named.

A merchant, Bartholomew Ball served as High Sheriff of Dublin City for 1541–42 before becoming Mayor for 1553–54.

He married Margaret Bermingham in 1530 and lived in Ballygall, County Dublin. The had ten children of whom only five survived. Their sons Walter Ball and Nicholas Ball both served as Mayors of Dublin. On becoming Mayor, Walter arrested his aged mother for her Roman Catholic sympathies and incarcerated her in Dublin Castle until her death.

Bartholomew Ball died in 1573, and is buried in St. Audoen's Church, Dublin.