Margaret Ball (1515–1584) was a prominent figure in sixteenth-century Irish society. As the widow of a Lord Mayor of Dublin, she held a significant social standing within the city. Despite her high status, her life was dramatically altered by her steadfast commitment to her religious beliefs during a period of intense sectarian and political transition in Ireland.\n\nBall was arrested by authorities due to her refusal to renounce her Catholic faith. She was subsequently imprisoned in the dungeons of Dublin Castle, where she endured severe conditions. She ultimately died of deprivation while in captivity. Recognized for her religious devotion and endurance, she was declared a martyr by the Catholic Church and was beatified in 1992 as one of a group of seventeen Irish Catholic Martyrs.
