Sixmilecross is a small village in County Tyrone

County Tyrone

Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

. Its toponym

Toponymy

Toponymy is the scientific study of place names , their origins, meanings, use and typology. The word "toponymy" is derived from the Greek words tópos and ónoma . Toponymy is itself a branch of onomastics, the study of names of all kinds...

 is said to be derived from a Celtic cross

Celtic cross

A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...

 that stood in a field at the top of the village and also from its distance of six Irish miles from Omagh

Omagh

Omagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...

. The village has a wide, tree lined main street and a population of 282 in the 2001 Census

United Kingdom Census 2001

A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....

. Sixmilecross is in the Omagh District Council

Omagh District Council

Omagh District Council is a local council in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters is in the town of Omagh, which is the traditional county town of Tyrone. The council area is about , making it the second largest local council area in Northern Ireland with a population of just over...

 area about 9 miles (14.5 km) south-east of Omagh town.

People

• Sixmilecross was the home of the poet W.F. Marshall, whose contribution to the cultural heritage of mid- and west Tyrone has been commemorated by the Marshall Trail, a tourist trail featuring many of the places mentioned in his works.
• Willie Anderson (rugby coach)
  Willie Anderson (rugby coach)
  Willie Anderson is a rugby union coach and former Ireland international. A lock, Anderson was capped 27 times for the national side between 1984 and 1990, some of which as captain...
  
   was born here.
• Mic Christopher
  Mic Christopher
  Mic Christopher was an Irish singer-songwriter, best known for his posthumously-released debut album Skylarkin.-Early life:...
  
  , singer-songwriter, has maternal roots here. His mother, Vaun (nee Heaney), comes from Sixmilecross.
• Una May (nee Kelly), mother-in-law of the singer and composer Johnny Logan
  Johnny Logan (singer)
  Johnny Logan , is an Australian-born Irish singer and composer. He is regarded as "Mister Eurovision", having participated in the Eurovision Song Contest many times since the 1970s, and, since 1992, has been the most successful artist in Eurovision history.Logan has won the international contest on...
  
  .
• Bridie McDermott (nee Kelly), wife of Peter McDermott
  Peter McDermott
  Peter 'The Man in the Cap' McDermott was an inter-county Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland who enjoyed much success in the 1940s and 50s. During his playing career he won 2 Senior All Ireland medals as well as 6 Leinster medals...
  
  , Gaelic footballer for County Meath
  County Meath
  County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
  
  .

Transport

The Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway

Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway

The Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway was an Irish gauge railway in County Armagh and County Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland .-Early development:...

 opened Sixmilecross railway station on 2 September 1861. The Ulster Transport Authority

Ulster Transport Authority

The Ulster Transport Authority ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland from 1948 until 1966.-Formation and consolidation:The UTA was formed by the Transport Act 1948, which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board and the Belfast and County Down Railway...

 closed the station and the PD&O line on 15 February 1965.

See also

• List of villages in Northern Ireland
• List of towns in Northern Ireland