Blessington

Blessington, formerly called Ballypayne, is a small village located in the rolling countryside near Kilmichael, roughly 70 miles from Alon City, in the middle of Alonia. It holds a population of around 100 people. It has always been noted for having naturally fertile land, and most residents work in the agricultural industry.

History
Traces of earlier civilisations date to the 400's. These were mainly farming communities who settled there due to its famously fertile soil. It is recorded in manuscripts dating from 730 as Ballypayne, meaning  'Payne's Townland', after the Payne family, the local landlords.

Alonian Revolution
In the early 12th Century, beginning in 1022 with the death of the King, Ballypayne and its surrounding villages were the first headquarters of a large rebel force under the control of Sir Lucas Payne, who sought to overthrow the new King (then aged just 14) and proclaim Alonia a republic. They besieged and took several cities, including Caraint, headquarters of the Royal Navy, which crippled the Kingdom's defences.

by the newly (and secretly) formed Alonian Guard, led by Robert Fletcher, a humble man from Ryston.

For his bravery and leadership of the Guard, Fletcher was knighted, awarded the title of Duke, and gifted the land which had belonged to the Payne family. He had the name of the village changed to Blessington, in honour of his patron saint, the Blessed Virgin Mary, who he believed had given him victory.

The Great Invasion
In April 1316, King Michael III died. Seeing an opportunity, the Isterian Empire sought to annex Alonia. They invaded in late May 1316, just after the end of Ramadan. Michael's heir, Lionel, was

Politics
In contrast to its earlier history, Blessington is an almost completely Loyalist village, and is noted as a stronghold of Loyalism in what is considered by most to be a fairly rebellious area.

Lore
Blessington is the home of Aidan, the overall protagonist of the series.