Maghera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Maghera Scots: Machera Irish: Machaire Rátha
Maghera Town Centre
Maghera
Population	4,220 (2011 Census)
District	Mid-Ulster
County	County Londonderry
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MAGHERA
Postcode district	BT46
Dialling code	028
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	Mid-Ulster
NI Assembly	Mid-Ulster
List of places UK Northern Ireland County Londonderry 54°50′38″N 6°40′23″W / 54.844°N 6.673°W / 54.844; -6.673

Galwilly Bridge Over The Milltown Burn Located Outside Maghera In Glen Housing Estate.

Maghera (pronounced mah-HƏ-rah, from Irish: Machaire Rátha, meaning "plain of the ringfort") is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,220 in the 2011 Census, increasing from 3,711 in the 2001 Census. It is situated within Mid-Ulster District, as well as the civil parish of Maghera, which it was named after, and the former barony of Loughinsholin.

History

The Annals of Ulster say that the seat of the Cenél nEoghain was at Ráth Luraig in Maghera.

On 12 July 1830, Orange Order marches led to clashes between Orangemen and Ribbonmen in Maghera and Castledawson. Several Catholic homes were then burnt by Protestants following these clashes.

The Troubles

Maghera suffered significant violence during the Troubles. In total, 14 people were killed, half of them members of the security forces and a further two as a result of family membership of the Ulster Defence Regiment. The Provisional Irish Republican Army were responsible for ten of the deaths.

Maghera Church of Ireland

The old St Lurach's Church

Demography

Maghera is classified as an intermediate settlement by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 2,250 and 4,500 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 3,711 people living in Maghera. Of these:

• 28.6% were aged under 16 years and 13.3% were aged 60 and over
• 49.3% of the population were male and 50.7% were female
• 72.4% were from a Catholic background and 27.1% were from a Protestant background
• 3.9% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.

For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service

Places of interest

Notable buildings in Maghera include St Lurach's Church, which was founded in the year 500AD, originally as a monastery. The town of Maghera grew up around this church. The importance of the monastery was such that Maghera was a bishop's seat in the 12th and 13th centuries. However, the Church was raided by the Vikings and fell into disrepair and is now maintained by the Environmental Heritage Service. Within the ruins, as an inset to the west wall is a sculpture of the crucifixion, which is thought to date from the 10th century – making it one of earliest surviving representations of the crucifixion in Ireland. St Lurach is also the saint of the town.

Transport

Maghera railway station opened on 18 December 1880, shut for passenger traffic on 28 August 1950 and shut altogether on 1 October 1959.

Maghera Goods Shed, now at Downpatrick railway station on the Downpatrick and County Down Railway.

Sport

• The local Gaelic football club is Watty Graham's Gaelic Athletic Club.
• The local football team is Maghera Strollers F.C.
• The nearest golf driving range is at Tobermore.
• The local leisure centre is Maghera Leisure Centre, on the Coleraine Road.
• The local Cycling Club is Carn Wheelers
• The local Cricket Club is Maghera Cricket Club.

Images for kids

• 

  St. Mary's RC Church, Maghera

See also

In Spanish: Maghera para niños