Magheralin
| Magheralin | |
|---|---|
 Magheralin Parish Church | |
  Magheralin Location within County Down | |
| Population | 2,041 |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CRAIGAVON |
| Postcode district | BT67 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
Magheralin (from Irish Machaire Lainne, meaning "plain of the church")[2] is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A3 road between Moira and Lurgan, beside the River Lagan. It had a population of 2,041 people in the 2021 Census. The civil parish of Magheralin covers an area of County Down.[3]
Its original name was Lann Rónáin Fhinn, "church of Ronan Finn", a saint from the famous tale Buile Shuibhne (The Madness of Sweeney).[2]
Culture[edit]
Religion[edit]
Magheralin is a generally mixed village, with many people from both Protestant and Catholic backgrounds. Protestantism, however, is the largest religion in the village.[4]
Magheralin has two churches: one Protestant Church and one Catholic Church respectively. The Protestant Church is Magheralin Parish, which also has a second church building in Dollingstown.[5]
Magheralin's Catholic Church, Parish of Magheralin, contains two church buildings; similar to Magheralin Parish. These buildings are St. Patrick's & St. Ronan's and St. Colman's Kilwarlin.[6]
The Ducks of Magheralin[edit]
There is an old song called "The Ducks of Magheralin". The Ducks of Magheralin is an Irish Polka, with its namesake representing the 'ducks of Magheralin', who were the weavers of the town because they used duck grease to lubricate their looms.[7] In the preface to a well-known version by the Glenfolk Four, a singer insists that the intent of the song is to address the "myth" that the capital of Ireland is Dublin. The first verse is as follows:
- It is just about a year ago that I went to see the King,
- And on my voyage in Ulster my troubles they were twin;
- He decorated me with medals, and they were made of tin,
- "Go home," says he, "you skitter ye. You're the Mayor of Magheralin."[8]
The Troubles[edit]
1989
- 18 October 1989 - Robert Metcalfe (40), a Protestant civilian was shot and killed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) while at his home in Drumnabreeze Road, Magheralin.[9]
1991
- 5 January 1991 - Jervis Lynch (26), a Catholic civilian, was shot and killed by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) while at his home in Acres Road, Magheralin.[10]
Notable people[edit]
- Lt Col Peter Brush.
- Robert William Radclyffe Dolling, "Father Dolling" (1851–1902), was born in Magheralin.[11]
- John Macoun (1831–1920) is a Canadian naturalist born in Magheralin to James Macoun and Anne Jane Nevin, who emigrated to Canada in 1850.
- Daniel Wiffen (2001-Present), an Irish swimmer, is from Magheralin.
Education[edit]
Magheralin has 2 primary schools:
Sports[edit]
St. Michael's GAC is a Gaelic football club and playing field in Magheralin, founded in 1962.[14]
Magheralin also has a football club, Magheralin Village F.C. In 2018, a member of the club, Niall O'Hanlon, died after being hit by a car on New Forge Road. He was 25 years old. Magheralin Village F.C. posted on their Facebook page, describing him as "the heart and soul of our wee football club and village". DUP MLA Carla Lockhart said that the death was "devastating news".[15][16]
Daniel Wiffen is an Olympic swimmer who grew up and currently lives in Magheralin (as of April 2024). He has broken the 800m freestyle short-course world record. By doing this, he became the first Irish swimmer to break a swimming world record.[17]
2021 Census[edit]
Age, Sex, Language, Religion, Ethnicity and Nationality[edit]
Magheralin is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e with a population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 2,041 people living in Magheralin. Of these:
- 24% were aged 0-14 years old, 36% were aged 15-39, 28% were aged 40-64, and 12% were aged 65 and above
- 49% were male and 51% were female
- 98% spoke English as a main language, 5% had some knowledge of Irish and 7% had some ability in Ulster Scots
- 27% were Catholic, 11% were Presbyterian, 25% were Anglican (Church of Ireland), 2% were Methodist, 11% adhered to other Christian denominations, <1% followed other religions and 23% followed no religion or did not state their religion
- 98% were white and 2% were of another ethnic group
- 38% identified as British only, 15% identified as Irish only, 25% identified as Northern Irish only, <1% identified as British and Irish only, 13% identified as British and Northern Irish only, 2% identified as Irish and Northern Irish only, 2% identified as British, Irish and Northern Irish only and 5% identified with another nationality
- 58% held a UK passport only, 17% held an Ireland passport only, 8% held both UK and Ireland passports, 2% held other passport(s) and 16% held no passport
- 90% were born in Northern Ireland, 5% were born in England, <1% were born in Scotland, <1% were born in Wales, 2% were born in the Republic of Ireland and 3% were born in other countries
Other Census Statistics[edit]
- 2,916/km² Population Density
- 70 ha (0.7 km²) Area[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ^ a b Place Names NI
- ^ "Parishes of Northern Ireland". Public Record Office of NI. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Lurgan_H Census Data". NISRA (Northern Ireland Statistics and Regional Agency | Gníomhaireacht Thuaisceart Éireann um Staitisticí agus Taighde). 21 March 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Home - Magheralin Parish". Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ "Parish of Magheralin". magheralinparish.com. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ^ "How this couple transformed a Georgian-era property in Co Down - steeped in six generations of family history - into five-star country retreat that's one a string of awards". Belfast Telegraph. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
during the early linen years when local weavers, known as the Ducks of Magheralin due to their practice of using duck grease to lubricate their brooms.
- ^ "Ducks of Magheralin". Traditional Tune Archive. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ Sutton, Malcolm. "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths". CAIN Archive. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Sutton, Malcolm. "CAIN: Sutton Index of Deaths". CAIN Archive. Archived from the original on 5 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ "The Life of Father Dolling" Osborne, C.E p 335: London, Edward Arnold, 1903
- ^ "Welcome to Maralin Village Primary School". 21 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "St Patricks PS, Magheralin". www.stpatricksmagheralin.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "History". St. Michael's GAC Magheralin. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "Magheralin road death victim was village's 'life and soul'". BBC News. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Edwards, Mark (12 May 2018). "Community left 'devastated' after death of Co Down footballer Niall O'Hanlon". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ Ryan, Eoin (11 December 2023). "Wiffen smashes world record to win third European gold". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
