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Castlederg
  • Irish: [Caisleán na Deirge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)
Castlederg Town Centre - geograph.org.uk - 371674.jpg
The Diamond, Castlederg
Castlederg is located in Northern Ireland
Castlederg
Castlederg
Population 2,976 (2011 Census)
Irish grid reference H262845
• Belfast 85 miles
District
  • Derry City and Strabane
County
Country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CASTLEDERG
Postcode district BT81
Dialling code 028
Police Northern Ireland
Fire Northern Ireland
Ambulance Northern Ireland
EU Parliament Northern Ireland
UK Parliament
  • West Tyrone
NI Assembly
  • West Tyrone
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Tyrone
54°42′30″N 7°35′36″W / 54.7083°N 7.5934°W / 54.7083; -7.5934

Castlederg (earlier Caslanadergy, from Irish: [Caisleán na Deirge] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), meaning "castle on the Derg") is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is near the border with County Donegal, Ireland. It stands in the townlands of Castlesessagh and Churchtown, in the historic barony of Omagh West and the civil parish of Urney. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den. It had a population of 2,976 people at the 2011 Census.

The village hosts some of the district's key events each year, including the Derg Vintage Rally, Dergfest music festival, Red River Festival and the traditional Apple Fair.

Castlederg was a traveller's stop along the ancient pilgrimage route to Station Island on Lough Derg. The town boasts ancient ruins and monastic settlements.

History

The Troubles

During the Troubles, 25 people were killed in and around Castlederg (including Killeter and Killen) and there were many bombings in the village. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) killed 11 members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Ulster Constabulary, four fellow IRA members whom it accused of being informers, and three Ulster Protestant civilians. Four IRA members were also killed when their bombs exploded prematurely. Ulster loyalist paramilitaries killed three Catholic civilians. For more information, see The Troubles in Castlederg.

2010 temperature record

Castlederg recorded a Northern Ireland record low temperature of −18.7 °C (−1.7 °F) on the morning of 23 December 2010.

Transport

The narrow-gauge Castlederg and Victoria Bridge Tramway was built in 1883, to link the village with the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) at Victoria Bridge. Castlederg railway station opened on 4 July 1884, but was finally closed on 17 April 1933.

Demography

19th century population

The population of the village increased during the 19th century:

Year 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891
Population 476 596 637 703 756 796
Horses 81 102 106 119 137 155

21st century population

Castlederg is classified as an intermediate settlement by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 2,500 and 4,999 people). On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Castlederg Settlement was 2,976, accounting for 0.16% of the NI total. Of these:

  • 19.72% were under 16 years old and 16.97% were aged 65 and above;
  • 48.42% of the population were male and 51.58% were female; and
  • 58.67% were from a Catholic community background and 40.22% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' community background.

Sport

Football

  • Dergview F.C.
  • St Patricks F.C.
  • Killen Rangers F.C.
  • Castlederg United F.C.

Gaelic games

  • Castlederg St. Eugene's

Education

Castlederg Castle - geograph.org.uk - 371758
The remains of Castlederg Castle

Primary

  • Edwards Primary School - Established 1938
  • Erganagh Primary school-closed
  • Gaelscoil na Deirge
  • Killen Primary School - Established 1935
  • Saint Patrick's Primary School - Established in 1973

Secondary

  • Castlederg High School Established 1958
  • St Eugene's High School-1961 to 2013

Notable residents

  • Conor Bradley, Liverpool and Northern Ireland full-back, grew up in Castlederg.
  • James Harper (1780–1873), U.S. Congressman, born in Castlederg

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Castlederg para niños

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