The Wallace family at Ballymather would have had its origin in Scotland perhaps as far back as the Plantation in the early 1600’s.
Ulster was the last province in Ireland to be brought under the control of the English Crown. This was finally accomplished following the end of the Nine Years’ War in 1607 and ‘The Flight of the Earls’; Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and Red Hugh O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, and about ninety followers fleeing to mainland Europe.
This coincided with the accession of James VI of Scotland to the English throne as James I and the Government taking the lands of the O’Neills, the O’Donnells and granting them to Scottish and English settlers. An earlier and private settlement of Presbyterian Scots had been underway in the Counties of Antrim and Down, the closest to Scotland.
The list of Scottish surnames, contained on Muster Rolls and Estate Maps of the Plantation Counties of Ulster for the period 1607 – 1633 includes Wallace in Co. Antrim.
Most of the Scots who came to Ireland were Presbyterian and this has been the religious denomination of the Wallace family since that time.
This is the story of the Wallace family living at Ballymather from the late 1700's and one descendant and his family who lived at Ballysculty/Carmavy from 1943. The closest main town is Antrim with the smaller settlements of Templepatrick, Lylehill and Loanends nearby.