Population 517 (2001 Census) Sovereign state United Kingdom Local time Saturday 6:25 AM Province Ulster | Irish grid reference H380410 Dialling code 028 | |
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Weather 4°C, Wind N at 13 km/h, 96% Humidity UK parliament constituency | ||
Brookeborough (/brʊkˈbʌrə/) is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland at the Westerly foot of Slieve Beagh. It lies about eleven miles east of Enniskillen, just off the A4 trunk road, and about five miles west of the County Tyrone boundary. It is situated in the civil parish of Aghavea and the historic barony of Magherastephana. It is situated within Fermanagh and Omagh district.
Contents
- Map of Brookeborough Enniskillen UK
- History
- Places of interest
- People
- Transport
- 2001 Census
- Sport
- References
Map of Brookeborough, Enniskillen, UK
According to the 2001 Census, Brookeborough had a population of 517. The economy is heavily dependent on cattle and sheep farming. There are five places of Christian worship; a Catholic church, a Methodist church (built in 1839), an Elim Pentecostal church, a Church of Ireland church and a Baptist church; three public houses; and two primary (elementary) schools.
The Boer War memorial at the head of the town was carved by a local man named Harte in 1901. Behind it is the Lady Brooke Memorial Hall of the same date, a period building preserving all its original features including a clocktower and transverse stained glass window panels.
History
Before the Plantation of Ulster the area of Brookeborough was known as Achadh Lon (anglicised as Aghalun), the townland in which it lies. It is believed that the Irish name refers to a "field of blackbirds". Aghalun was in the hands of the Maguire Clan until the 1641 rebellion when it was given to the Brooke family. The village was then named after Sir Henry Brooke, who was granted the village in 1666 and settled at Colebrooke Park nearby.
On 1 January 1957, there was a well-known attack on Brookeborough R.U.C. Barracks by the I.R.A. during its 1950s Border Campaign. This attack was led by Seán Garland, and included Seán South and Fergal O'Hanlon, both the subjects of well-known Irish republican ballads, who were shot dead during the attack.
In 2002, the Brookeborough Community Development Association, in conjunction with a similar organisation in Riverstown, County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, launched the Riverbrooke Cross-Border Initiative linking the two villages in a programme of cross-community/cross-border working.
Places of interest
This renovation of Colebrooke included the installation of the new Colebrooke spa which was featured on the television show Country House Rescue in June 2012 Part of this renovation also includes additional accommodation in the form of The Triumphal Arch Lodge Today Colebrooke Park, and the buildings around it, provide a tranquil getaway from the rush of the main A4 road between Brookeborough and Fivemiletown, which eventually becomes a section of motorway between Ballygawley and Dungannon, on the way to Belfast. This homely and historic rural retreat has also featured in a number of programmes and publications on the culture of Northern Ireland and also includes holiday cottages and The Ashbrooke Riding School. Equestrianism has long been a part of the history of this area.
People
Others who were born in the village and have achieved success of note include the Breen brothers - Paul, academic and author of such works as The Charlton Men and Martin, editor of the Sunday Life newspaper; Amanda Montgomery, artist, and Kieran Donnelly former Fermanagh GAA Senior Team Assistant manager.
Transport
2001 Census
Brookeborough is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population of between 500 and 1,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 517 people living in Brookeborough. Of these:
For further details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service