Dromore, County Tyrone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dromore Irish: Droim Mór
Population	1,198 (2011 Census)
Irish grid reference	H349628
• Belfast	76 mi (122 km)
District	Fermanagh and Omagh
County	County Tyrone
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	OMAGH
Postcode district	BT78
Dialling code	028, +44 28
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	West Tyrone
NI Assembly	West Tyrone
List of places UK Northern Ireland Tyrone 54°30′48″N 7°27′32″W / 54.513309°N 7.458858°W / 54.513309; -7.458858

Dromore (which means "the large ridge" in Irish) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is about 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) southwest of Omagh and 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Enniskillen. In 2011, about 1,198 people lived in Dromore.

Discovering Dromore's Past

Dromore started as a town in 1757. The owner of the land, William Hamilton, gave a part of it called Mullinacross to two families, Stewart and Humphreys. Back then, Dromore only had four houses.

The name Mullinacross came from an old stone cross on a hill. Near this cross was an abbey built by Cistercian monks. This abbey burned down in 1690. People say it was built where Saint Patrick founded a nunnery for Saint Cettumbria, the first Irish woman to become a nun. You can still see the old walls of a Protestant church in the village, which was built in 1694.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, Dromore had many people who supported the rebellion. Lord Blayney tried to burn the town. But some brave people, like Captain Charles Muirhead, Lieutenant James Alexander, and Rev. Benjamin Marshall, helped save most of the houses from being destroyed.

Around Dromore, you can find several old earthen forts. At a place called Dullaghan, about four miles northwest, there is a "Druid's Altar." This is a small, roofless stone tomb. There was also a tannery in the village, where animal hides were turned into leather.

Mass Rocks and Hidden Churches

During a time when laws made it difficult for Catholic people to practice their faith openly, they met in secret places called "Mass Gardens." These were often hidden spots in nature. It is said that Lord Belmore, who owned land around Dromore, was impressed by the devotion of a group he found worshipping. Because of this, he gave them land to build a church. However, he had one condition: the church could not be seen from the village. This is why St. Dympna's Chapel was built in a hollow. Today, the main Catholic church in Dromore is St. Davog's Chapel, built in 1987.

A Difficult Time in 1921

In April 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, there were clashes in the Dromore area. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) ambushed police patrols. One night, a police sergeant shot and wounded a Catholic girl. Her brother, who was an IRA volunteer, then shot the sergeant. In response, special police officers took three local IRA volunteers from their homes. They were killed, and their bodies were left by the roadside.

Understanding Dromore's Townlands

Townlands are small areas of land with traditional names. Many of these names come from old Irish words. For example, "Dromore" (Droim Mor) means "the great ridge." Other words like "meen" (found in Meenagowan) describe wet land. Dromore parish has over sixty townlands. It is surrounded by other areas like Drumquin to the north and Trillick to the south.

Today, these old townland names are sometimes at risk. New computer systems for addresses in rural areas often give roads new names and numbers. For example, the old Corbally Road was renamed 'St. Dympnas Road' because St. Dympna's Catholic Church is nearby. Many local people do not like these changes. They value the old names as part of their identity and want to keep them for future generations.

Dromore's Population Over Time

The number of people living in Dromore village changed a bit during the 1800s:

Dromore Today: 21st Century Population

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) considers Dromore a village because it has between 1,000 and 2,499 people. On March 27, 2011, the population of Dromore was 1,198.

Here are some facts about the people living in Dromore in 2011:

• About 24% of the people were under 16 years old.
• About 13% of the people were 65 years old or older.
• 48.58% of the population were male, and 51.42% were female.
• 85.89% of the people were from a Catholic background.
• 11.44% of the people were from a Protestant or other Christian background.

Sports in Dromore

Dromore has a few local sports clubs:

• Dromore St. Dympna's is the local GAA club, playing Gaelic football and hurling.
• Tummery Athletic is the local soccer club.
• Dromore Ladies GFC is a Gaelic Football Club for women.

Dromore Townland Details

The Dromore townland is part of the historic barony of Omagh East and the civil parish of Dromore. It covers an area of 157 acres.

The population of the townland (not including Dromore village itself) changed during the 1800s:

Dromore's Climate

Dromore has a mild climate. This means there are not big differences between the highest and lowest temperatures. It also gets enough rain all year round. This type of climate is called a "Marine West Coast Climate" or "Oceanic climate."