Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Ardboe

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Population
  
2,221 (2001 Census)

Country
  
Northern Ireland

Post town
  
DUNGANNON

Local time
  
Tuesday 4:14 PM

Dialling code
  
028

County
  
County Tyrone

Sovereign state
  
United Kingdom

Postcode district
  
BT71

Province
  
Ulster

UK parliament constituency
  
Mid Ulster

Ardboe

Weather
  
6°C, Wind NW at 23 km/h, 83% Humidity

District
  
Cookstown District Council

Ardboe (from Irish Ard Bó, meaning "height of the cows") 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 is spelt as Arboe, which also incorporates Moortown.

Contents

Map of Ardboe, Cookstown, UK

Ardboe Development Association, which developed a small business park, and Ardboe Community Group are based in the village.

History

During the Second World War, in 1941, a 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. Remains of the Cluntoe Airfield around Ardboe can still be seen.

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. 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

    • Townlands

    Arboe civil parish contains the following townlands (four of which are in County Londonderry):

    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.
  • Diane McCormick, ceramics artist.
  • Kyle Coney, Tyrone minor Gaelic player
  • Screenwriter and member of the Horslips, Barry Devlin, brother of Polly Devlin and brother in law of Seamus Heaney

    • 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

    • References

    Ardboe Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA