Ballyrag is a rather unusual and potentially confusing word, but it essentially means to admonish or criticize someone harshly or unfairly. If you're looking for some more common and easy-to-understand synonyms for this term, you might consider berate, scold, reprimand, reproach, or castigate. Each of these words conveys a sense of strong disapproval or chastisement towards someone, but they might be more likely to be recognized by a wider audience than the somewhat archaic ballyrag. Of course, there are many other synonyms that could also fit depending on the context and tone of your message, but these are a few that might come in handy!