Ardboe
Ardboe (from Irish Ard Bó, meaning 'height of the cows'[1]) is a small village and civil parish in the north east of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is near the western shore of Lough Neagh and lies within the Cookstown District Council area. It is also the name of the local civil parish, which also incorporates Moortown.[2]
Ardboe
| |
---|---|
Ardboe High Cross | |
Ardboe Location within Northern Ireland | |
Population | 2,221 (2001 Census) |
District | |
County | |
Country | Northern Ireland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | DUNGANNON |
Postcode district | BT71 |
Dialling code | 028 |
UK Parliament | |
Ardboe Development Association, which developed a small business park, and Ardboe Community Group are based in the village.[3]
The name "Ard Boe" means "high cow" comes from a legend that the monastery of Ardboe was built from the milk of a magic cow which emerged from nearby Lough Neagh.
History
During the Second World War, in 1941, an RAF station was built in the townland of Kinrush in Ardboe. RAF Cluntoe was initially used by the Royal Air Force, but quickly handed over as a training station for the United States Army Air Forces, and by 1943, over 3,500 troops were stationed there. By 1946 the war was over and the Americans had left. The RAF kept the airfield ticking over and it was reopened in 1952 as a training station for pilots going to the Korean War. By 1955 it closed for good.[4][5] Remains of the Cluntoe Airfield around Ardboe can still be seen, with the area known as the Aerodrome among locals.
The Troubles
For more information see The Troubles in Ardboe, which includes a list of incidents in Ardboe during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.
Places of interest
- One of the finest examples of the Irish High cross in Ulster, can be found in Ardboe and is located on a small hillock close to the shores of Ardboe Lough. Ardboe High Cross, which dates to the 9th/10th century, is all that now remains of a 6th-century monastery, which was established by Saint Colman mac Aed.[1] The Cross, made of sandstone, stands about eighteen feet high. Although slightly weathered and damaged, Ardboe High Cross is a superb example of figure carving, incorporating 22 panels of sculpture of biblical events.[6]
- The adjoining graveyard was the site of a tree, known locally as the Ardboe Pin Tree, into which people had traditionally put coins or pins, believing it to cure them of ailments. The tree was blown down during the Boxing Day storms of 1998.
- The Battery Harbour, in the townland of Kinturk, with public access to Lough Neagh, is the base for Lough Neagh Rescue.[4]
- Coyle’s Cottage is a 300-year-old restored fisherman’s cottage in the townland of Aneeter Beg. It is the home of the Muintirevlin Historical Society and Gort Moss Walking Club and hosts music nights and traditional music classes.[4]
Townlands
Arboe civil parish contains the following townlands (four of which are in County Londonderry):[2]
- Aghacolumb
- Annaghmore
- Annahavil
- Anneeter More
- Ardean
- Ballygonny More
- Ballymaguire
- Ballymurphy
- Ballynafeagh
- Ballynargan
- Blackers Rock
- Brookend
- Carnan
- Cluntoe (Quin)
- Cluntoe (Richardson)
- Dromore
- Drumard
- Drumenny (Conyngham)
- Drumenny (Stewart)
- Drumhubbert
- Drummullan
- Eary Lower
- Elagh
- Farsnagh
- Feagh
- Gortigal
- Gortnagwyg
- Killycanavan Lower
- Killycolpy
- Killygonlan
- Killymenagh
- Killywoolaghan
- Kilmascally
- Kinrush
- Kinturk
- Lurgyroe
- Moneyhaw
- Mullaghglass
- Mullaghwotragh
- Mullanahoe
- Sessia (in Coagh division)
- Sessia (in Mullanahoe division)
- Stuart Hall
- Tamlaghtmore
- Tamnavally
- Trickvallen
Notable people
- Provisional Irish Republican Army member Matt Devlin who took part in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike and was later a leading member of Sinn Féin in County Westmeath
- Tyrone Gaelic footballers Tommy McGuigan, Brian McGuigan and their father, Frank McGuigan, are from the area.
- Polly Devlin, author, journalist, broadcaster and film-maker.[4]
- Diane McCormick, ceramics artist.
- Kyle Coney, Tyrone minor Gaelic player
- Screenwriter and member of the Horslips, Barry Devlin, whose My Mother and Other Strangers is set in Moybeg, a fictional village on Lough Neagh which was based on Ardboe
Communications
- Telephone Numbers in the Ardboe area either begin with 867 Coagh or 877 Stewartstown. Most numbers begin with 867 however 877 applies to those around most of the Carnan area and some of the Killycoply area.
Sport
- Ardboe O'Donnovan Rossa GAC is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.
Census 2011
Ardboe Is Classified A Small Village By The NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA): there were 986 people living there in 2011.
- 69% of the population was from a *Roman Catholic* background
- 20% of the population was from a *Protestant* background
- 3% of the population had *no* religion
- 8% of the population was from a *foreign* country
- 63% of the population was aged 18 – 75
- 30% of the population was aged 0 – 18
- 7% of the population was aged 75+
- 59% of the population were female
- 41% of the population were male
- 36% of the population were unemployed
See also
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Tyrone)
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of civil parishes of County Tyrone
References
- "Ardboe High Cross". Geography in Action. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
- Public Records Office Northern Ireland. "Townlands in Arboe". Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
- "Ardboe". Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
- "Ardboe". Culture Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 11 January 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
- John McAliskey. "Cluntoe Airfield". Your Place and Mine - BBC NI. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
- "Ardboe High Cross". The Chrono Centre - Queens University Belfast. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ardboe. |