m. N.N.E. of Dublin by the Great Northern
railway. Pop. (1901) 2236. The harbour, though dry at low tides, has a
depth of 14 ft. at high-water springs, and affords a good refuge from the
east or southeast gales. There are two piers, and a railway viaduct of
eleven arches crosses the harbour. The town has considerable manufactures
of cottons and hosiery, "Balbriggan hose" being well known. The industry
was founded by Baron Hamilton in 1761. There is some coast trade in grain,
&c., and sea-fishery is prosecuted. Balbriggan is much frequented as a
watering-place in summer.

BALBUS, literally "stammerer," the name of several Roman families. Of the
Acilii Balbi, one Manius Acilius Balbus was consul in 150 B.C., another in
114. To another family belonged T. Ampius Balbus, a supporter of Pompey,
but afterwards pardoned by Julius Caesar (cf. Cic. _ad Fam._ vi. 12 and
xiii. 70). We know also of Q. Antonius Balbus, praetor in Sicily in 82
B.C., and Marcus Atius Balbus, who married Julia, a sister of Caesar, and
had a daughter Atia, mother of Augustus. The most important of the name
were the two Cornelii Balbi, natives of Gades (Cadiz).

1. LUCIUS CORNELIUS BALBUS (called _Major_ to distinguish him from his
nephew) was born early in the last century B.C. He is generally considered
to have been of Phoenician origin. For his services against Sertorius in
Spain, the Roman citizenship was conferred upon him and his family by
Pompey. Becoming friendly with all parties, he had much to do with the
formation of the First Triumvirate, and was one of the chief financiers in
Rome. He was careful to ingratiate himself with Caesar, whom he accompanied
when propraetor to Spain (61), and to Gaul (58) as chief engineer
(_praefectus fabrum_). His position as a naturalized foreigner, his
influence and his wealth naturally made Balbus many enemies, who in 56 put
up a native of Gades to prosecute him for illegally assuming the rights of
a Roman citizen, a charge directed against the triumvirs equally with
himself. Cicero, Pompey and Crassus all spoke on his behalf, and he was
acquitted. During the civil war he endeavoured to get Cicero to mediate
between Caesar and Pompey, with the object of preventing him from
definitely siding with the latter; and Cicero admits that he was dissuaded
from doing so, against his better judgment. Subsequently, Balbus became
Caesar's private secretary, and Cicero was obliged to ask for his good
offices with Caesar. Afte