During an irregular visit to this site my interest in finding the "real" location of the Ballavargher referred to in bdm records for my Quirk line forebears was re-kindled as it gained a mention in these posts and the ones more directly looking for places in Patrick.
Because of earlier mentions of links to Ballavar in the Manxnotebook pages I jumped on the suggestion of the Ballavar links, great photos and all, in Santon.
Having had direct and helpful contact with owners there now realise that more likely "real" home location for my John Quirk b. Ballavagher 1670 and later Philip Quirk b.1726 Ballavagher .... may be the property described by Francis under Ballavar listing in notebook as:
1703 M.R. Ballavargher; Field-land farm as opposed to moorland ... and apparently Registered in 1623 Dioc.Reg. as Villa Castrensis.
As years go by I have found more and more references to family activity in or near Peel ... the family must have moved from their "Ballavagher" to Knockaloe when James QUIRK (m.Mary PARR) succeeded Ceasar PARR there and which marked the time when the Philip mentioned above left for Liverpool where James' brother William was born in 1769.
Characteristically William's son Robert b.1819 returned to Peel and farmed Ballaquane Farm 1840's to 1850 off Poortown Road when he found himself in debtors courts back in Cheshire.
We visited IOM a year or two back, stayed St John's and Peel, visited Knockaloe and even had chance "encounter" meeting with Frances on steps leading up to Museum in Douglas ... but 'putting my finger on Ballavagher' birth place has remained a small mystery.
Did anyone happen to locate a property that could have been Ballavagher in the 1700's to put me out of my misery of being close but not close enough to "ancestral lands" related to one of the many "quirk" families from the Isle.
Any hints or comments greatly appreciated.