Tallagh gets its name from the round shaped hills which are prevalent in this townland.

It contains 1,750 acres and occupiers of houses and lands then used were Terance Doran, Mary Noone, Thaddeas Keane, Noel Conway, Patrick Cafferkey, Timothy Conway, Hugh Conway, Michael Conway, Patrick Bradley, John Cooney, John O'Hara, Timothy McManamon, John Conway, (Neal), Hugh McManamon, Phelim McManamon, Michael Calvey, James McGinty, Michael McGinty, Brian Maguire, Bridget Conway, John McManamon, William Knight, and Denis Godley who was the highest valued: the house being at £10 and the land at £22. William Knight was the first to open a licensed premises in Ballycroy on or about this time i.e. 1860.

The present Catholic Church, which lies in the village of Tallagh, was valued at £12-5-0 being the highest for the townland followed by Denis Godley whose house was valued at £10-0-0. A Thaddeas Keane had a house and school house a short distance South West of the road leading to Dooriel. It was a long thatched building used as a school and dwelling house. He remained as teacher until Drumslide school was opened in 1869.

The remains of a lace school are to be seen in Cafferkeys land. It was a galvanised structure. A Miss M.Elory taught here and the last teacher was a Miss McSharry, who later married John Corrigan of Castlehill. She was grand aunt of the present E.C Commissioner. Ray McSharry.

The present church dates from 1845 during Fr. T. Walshes time and was completed about 1853 after having survived initial difficulties caused by the Famine, which was rampant in Ireland at that time.

There is a Penal Days Mass Rock on site not far from the main road near Cleary's shop at a place called Caban. Nearby, as well, there was a shelter or sand pit where people changed or put on their shoes on their way to mass - to this day it is called Clasai an mbrog (enclosure of shoes) - people used travel barefoot to that point.

The townland of Tallagh, is being in the centre of the parish near the sea, was an ideal place for trading in years gone by. Much of the goods came by boat to Tallagh pier and from there by horse and cart to their different destinations.

It is no surprise then that the island of Inis Aghoo was recommended as a trading port for Ballycroy and that roads built there to most of the present day activities of Ballycroy are centered in Crosshill, which is in this townland.

written by Martin Costello, NT