| Hackballscross | |
| Native Name: | Irish: Crois an Mhaoir |
| Native Name Lang: | ga |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Ireland |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Ireland |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Ireland |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Leinster |
| Subdivision Type3: | County |
| Subdivision Name3: | Louth |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Utc Offset1: | +0 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | IST (WEST) |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | -1 |
| Coordinates: | 54.0316°N -6.5249°W |
| Elevation M: | 68 |
| Blank Name: | Irish Grid Reference |
Hackballscross [1] is a small village in County Louth, Ireland. It is located primarily on the N53 road.[2]
The origins of the village's unusual name are uncertain; legend has it that a local 18th century landowner hacked thieves or rebels disturbing his property to death. This notorious incident supposedly became the basis of the area's name.[3]
On 27 June 2011, the Irish Army conducted a controlled explosion in Hackballscross on explosives suspected to be created by dissident republicans to conduct terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland. 100 kilograms (220 lbs) of homemade explosives and 120 kilograms (265 lbs) of pure ammonium nitrate were found.[4]