Tobermore
Encyclopedia
Tobermore (ˌtʌbərˈmoːr,) is a small village in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. It is located two and a half miles south of Maghera and five miles west of Magherafelt
. Tobermore lies within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan
and is part of Magherafelt District Council
. It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.
Tobermore has won the Best Kept Small Village award four times and the Best Kept Large Village award in 1986. Most recently in September 2011, Tobermore won the Translink Ulster In Bloom village category for the third year in a row.
. Prominent hills are: Calmore hill (in Calmore), 268 feet; and Fortwilliam (in Tobermore), 200 feet high.
A large oak tree
called the Royal Oak grew near Calmore Castle in Tobermore. Until it was destroyed in a heavy storm, the Royal Oak was said to have being so large that horsemen on horseback could not touch one another with their whips across it. From this vague description, it is conjectured that the Royal Oak was about 10 feet in diameter or 30 feet in circumference. Another oak tree that once grew near Tobermore was so tall and straight that it was known as the Fishing Rod. Tradition is that the whole of the townland
s were once covered with magnificent oak trees.
The Moyola River runs from west to east half a mile to the north of Tobermore village, heading through the townlands of Ballynahone Beg
and Ballynahone More, giving them their Irish name which means "homestead of the river".
Also situated in the townlands of Ballynahone Beg and Ballynahone More lies Ballynahone Bog
, one of the largest lowland raised bogs in Northern Ireland.
is situated between the Maghera and Lisnamuck
Road's in Tobermore. The fort signified in the hill's name was built c700-1000AD.
According to John O'Donovon
who worked on the Ordnance Survey
maps of the early nineteenth century, the fort and adjoining hill was originally known as Dunaguny, sic for , which he incorrectly translated as meaning "the sunny height". This Anglicisation was based on a mistranscription of the old townland name for the area, which was anglicised into a variety of forms; Dounagranan (1609), Donnagraven (1613), Grenan (1622), Dunigrunan (1654), Donnagrannan (1657), and Dunnigrinane (1661) amongst other variations. As Dún na Gréine it would mean "fort of the sun" or "fort of Grian
", however the Department of Celtic at Queen's University Belfast state that it perhaps is originally Dún na Grianán, meaning "fort of the eminent place".
The fort's modern name derives from Fort William, Scotland
which was named in honour of King Willian III
in 1690. This is stated as having encouraged the first proprietor of the area, Mr. Jackson, to adopt the name. A contradictory reason mentioned by John O'Donovan is that the O'Hagans of Ballynascreen claimed that it was built and named after Sir William O'Hagan, however John O'Donovan discounts their claims due to other claims they make that are contrary to reality.
Fortwilliam rath is presently described as a well-preserved semi-defensive high status monument, built to withstand passing raids, being relatively large at 30 meters in diameter. It is also declared a monument of regional importance giving it statutory protective status. The fort is situated close to the Moyola River, close enough that it may have witnessed the arrival of a band of Vikings who travelled from the river to raid and burn Rathluric (now known as Maghera) in 831.
. This crannog is stated as having been of a tolerable large size and constructed of an oak frame, composed of large logs and planks bound together by wooden pins. This frame was enclosed by long poles, standing upright and fastened by mortices. In April 1835, at the crannog, a flat bottomed boat of oak was discovered, containing several oak boards that served as seats. This boat appeared to have had no nail or iron work, being completely hallowed out from the trunk of a tree. In the 1780s a smaller boat of similar construction had also been found, but had been scuttled and sunk several times. It is stated that these boats may have been either pleasure or fishing boats belonging to Calmore Castle.
The O'Hagans of Ballinascreen when being questioned by John O'Donovan in 1821 as part of his letters pertaining to the antiquities of County Londonderry, claimed that Sir William O'Hagan built Calmore Castle. Local traditions however picked up by the Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1836-7 state that it was his father Shane More O'Hagan, who built it. Shane More O'Hagan is noted as being the proprietor of the Drapers
Proportion in this area together with other tracts of land, including ten townlands in Ballynascreen, and Lough Insholin (sic), the heart of a large territory of the same name.
After Sir William O'Hagan, Calmore Castle was inhabited by Owen Roe O'Hagan, who after which it is said to have been burnt. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs make note that in the neighbouring townland of Moneyshanere
, a battle was said to have been fought between the O'Hagans who are stated as ruling Tobermore and the O'Neills of Tyrone who are said to have come ravaging down from Ballynascreen.
During its control by the O'Hagan's, Calmore Castle was considered "once a place of very considerable strength, which commanded the mountain passes, and the fords of the Moyola". Yet by 1619, a plantation house was built for William Rowley, which incorporated parts of Calmore Castle. William Rowley was the brother of John Rowley
, former chief agent of The Honourable The Irish Society
, and later for the Drapers Company.
In 1689, it was burnt by a party of Irish, who were part of the Irish army retreating from the Siege of Derry
. A tradition is recorded claiming that two years after it was burnt down, the very person who led the party and was the first to throw a sheaf of burning straw into the rooms, came begging to the windows of the partly repaired building. When he was recognised he was immediately "stalled" by Mr. Rowley himself.
The last inhabitant of the estate was Henry Rowley in 1814, but was still listed as "Rowley's Castle" in Civil Survey maps from 1850. The Calmore Castle Plantation House no longer exists. Nothing remains of the castle other than part of the wall which is three feet thick and is now part of a garage.
It was requested that some of the people who'd fall under the new congregation be at least eight miles from Maghera. The boundaries between the congregations of Maghera and Tobermore was to be the Moyola River, from Newforge Bridge to Corrin Bridge. In 1743 however, nineteen families from Ballynahone, which straddles the Moyola River, were transferred from Maghera into the Tobermore congregation.
Company, leading to an engagement. Later that year, in November, a meeting was convened of the Tobermore Volunteer Company, commanded by John Stevenson, at which the Reverend James Whiteside preached at.
. It is stated that the inhabitants resisted the "pounding of their cattle, executed by him, with pitchforks and sundry other primitive implements of warfare". When they found that resistance was useless they employed Mr. Costello, one of the orators of the Corn Exchange to litigate their cause at the Magherafelt sessions, but here they were also unsuccessful.
A chancery
lawsuit going on between Ball and Co. of Dublin and Sir George Hill operated as an obstruction to the improvement of the village as it stood upon the estate disputed with non payment of rents. The main reason for the non payment was that the tenants didn't believe they had sufficient security in their rent receipts to prevent repetition for the same years rent.
During the same period it is noted that there were no illicit distillation of alcohol and no outrages for many years in the village except for a few assaults in the street on those who came to collect the rent. After the repayment of rents resumed it was remarked that "they were so long free of rent, none of them became in the end, the least degree richer", this may have been because as it was also remarked "their rent money which if saved every year would have secured some of them a comfortable competence found its way to the whiskey shops of the village and neighbourhood".
the son of Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
would found the Tobermore Unionist Club.
The Reverend J. Walker Brown in 1912 released an anti-Home Rule pamphlet titled The Siege of Tobermore, where he details how best to defend Tobermore should "the enemy" march upon the village in a manner similar to that of the Siege of Derry
.
Tobermore also receives a mention in the third verse of the anti-Home Rule ballad titled The Union Cruiser.
, 121 inhabitants of Tobermore, out of a population of around 350, enlisted with the Ulster Division, with the Mid Ulster Mail reporting that "This loyal little village has a war record that is perhaps unique". Of those that enlisted, 24 were killed and 33 were wounded.
The names of those who volunteered are preserved on a Roll of Honour painted by local man, Samuel Nelson, and was unveiled by D S Henry
MP for South Londonderry
. This roll of honour resides in Tobermore Orange & Temperance Hall.
Victory Fete. The Constitution newspaper states: "It was the first venture of its kind held in South Derry, and it was also among the very first organised 'Victory Day
' celebrations to take place in the Province. Not only that, but Tobermore's 'Victory Salute' to that great achievement which crowned the Allied
arms so magnificently little over a year ago, was availed of to give practical expression to the pride which the people of South Derry generally take...".
The Constitution also states: "In the preparatory arrangements nothing was left undone to ensure that it would prove a resounding success and certainly Tobermore's Victory Fete will long be regarded as one of the most memorable ventures in the district.".
The Victory Fete was attended by Sir Ronald Ross
, MP for the City and County of Londonderry
, the band of the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles
and the local units of the Maghera and Tobermore Army Cadet Force
.
, on Wednesday 2 April 1921, during the period of the Belfast Troubles (1920–1922), there was an attempt to blow up the bridge over the Moyola River outside Tobermore.
During the modern Troubles Tobermore came under an area known by some as the Murder triangle. All of the people killed in the Tobermore area were Protestant:
On 7 September 1968, divisions of the Ulster Protestant Volunteers
, paraded through Tobermore. It consisted of eight bands and around 450 people, most of whom wore Ulster Constitution Defence Committee
sashes. Ian Paisley
and Free Presbyterian
ministers featured prominently in the parade.
In Octobter 1972, an Ulster Vanguard political rally was held in Tobermore, where Ulster Unionist Party
deputy leader, John Taylor
, made a speech on the use of violence stating: "We should make it clear that force means death and fighting, and whoever gets in our way, whether republicans or those sent by the British government, there would be killings".
There were four bomb hoaxes in Tobermore during 2010 the most recent on 29 July 2010 and 19 August 2010, both found in the centre of the village causing a lot of traffic disruption and resulting in people being evacuated from their homes.
and Tobermore Golf Driving Range.
(1762–1832) - A British Methodist theologian and celebrated Biblical scholar born in the townland of Moybeg
north of Tobermore village.
Alexander Carson
(1776–1844) - Prominent Irish Baptist
, pastor of Tobermore Baptist Church and author of the classic Baptism, Its Mode and Subjects. In dedication to Alexander Carson, his church in Tobermore, founded in 1814, was named the Carson Memorial, and a housing estate opposite it named Carson Court.
Harry Gregg
MBE
(born 25 October 1932) -
Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland
goalkeeper. Harry Gregg was born in Tobermore though grew up in Coleraine
.
Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
, JP
, DL
(1840–1926) - A leading British
judge and diplomat, who served throughout the Far East
. In 1905 he moved with his family to the townland of Moneyshanere
, outside Tobermore. He died in September 1926 in the village.
Hiram Parkes Wilkinson
, BCL
, KC
(1866–1935) - The son of Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson. Crown Advocate of the Supreme Court for China and Japan (1897–1925) and Judge of the British Court for Weihaiwei (1916–1925)
In 1925 he retired from his position as Crown Advocate and Judge and returned to Ireland and also moved to Moneyshanere. He was admitted to the bar of Northern Ireland in 1926 and he was appointed a King's Counsel in 1928. In 1930 he was appointed High Sheriff
of Londonderry. Hiram Parkes Wilkinson also founded the Tobermore Unionist Club, which later became a branch of the Ulster Volunteers, which itself became part of the 36th Ulster Division in WWI. Hiram Parkes Wilkinson died in Shanghai in 1935.
Kathleen Forde (1 February 1876 – 8 October 1963) - Had a love affair with one of the 20th-century's most celebrated authors, Nikos Kazantzakis
, author of Zorba the Greek
.
Desmond Watters - A funeral director
who starred in the 2004 Northern Irish movie Mickybo and Me
. Having one of the only original 1970's hearses in the United Kingdom, the movie's production company contacted him for a loan of the hearse. Whilst filming, the movie director asked Desmond Watters for tips on how parts of the scene should be conducted, afterwards deciding to give him the role of the funeral director in the movie.
Every seven years the 12th of July
Orange Order parade for the region is held in Tobermore, the most recent being 2005. On 2005, The Twelfth
in Tobermore saw the participation of the Birmingham Sons of William LOL 1003 from Birmingham, Alabama
. The Canadian Orange Order
lodge Tobermore Crown and Bible Defenders LOL 2391, Toronto
, is named after its Northern Irish counterpart, and is said to have on the top of their standard a painting of the Tobermore Church of Ireland (located at the top of Main Street).
As with many other settlements in Northern Ireland, Tobermore has what is known as the Eleventh night
, the night before the 12 July Orange Order celebrations. The traditional activities of the Eleventh Night include the playing of Lambeg drum
s, the parading of the town by the local blood and thunder band and the lighting of a bonfire
.
Tobermore also contains two flute bands; Tobermore Loyal F.B. and Blackhill F.B., both of which partake in the Unionist
Marching Season. Millrow Flute Band was a former Tobermore blood and thunder band, founded in the early 1970s, disbanding in 2000. It was during the 70's that the blood and thunder style started to become popular with loyalist bands, with Millrow using this style to quickly became one of the biggest and most famous loyalist bands of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1973 Millrow F.B. released an LP and also featured on a CD titled Ulster's Greatest Bands Meet, featuring three other flute bands, where Millrow contributed more tunes to the CD than any of the other three bands did on their own.
, the Royal British Legion, as well as the local Orange Order lodge. None of these parades have been declared as contentious.
In 1747, a warrant was issued for the creation of a Dublin Masonic Lodge, lodge number 169. On 5 September 1765, this warrant was cancelled, however by 7 March 1811, the 169 lodge had resurfaced in Magherafelt. On 1 December 1825, the 169 lodge was removed from Magherafelt to Tobermore, where by 1838 it had moved onto Moneymore. The 169 lodge since 1895 has been situated in Belfast.
); 1989-2005 R. Montgomery (UUP, Independent).
Tobermore has belonged to the following constituencies:
UK Parliament constituencies
Northern Ireland Parliament constituencies
Northern Ireland Assembly constituencies
Northern Ireland local government
In the 2001 Census there were 578 people living in Tobermore. In 2004 the population was declared as being around 1,250 people.
On Census day (29 April 2001):
According to the NINIS area profile for the Tobermore electoral ward based on the 2001 Census:
on the leading road between Tobermore and Draperstown. Despite being a Church of Ireland Parish School, it was open to children of all denominations, not just those of the Church of Ireland. In 1836, there were 70 children recorded on the roll with 28 being described as Church of Ireland, 20 Presbyterian, 2 Roman Catholic, and 20 "Other Denominations". Despite being a Parish School, secular education such as arithmetic
was taught as well as English
. The local Presbyterian Church would also found its own school held in the Session House at the rear of the Presbyterian meeting house
. Private session classes for adults would also be held twice a week in the Presbyterian Session House.
Tobermore's first public school was established in 1817 in a room which was formerly a public house. It received an income from the London Hibernian Society as well as books published by them such as Thompson and Gough's Arithmetic and Murray's English Grammer. This school is now the present-day Tobermore Primary School. In 1826, Killytoney
National School was established. It was built on the old leading road between Tobermore and Desertmartin., and has been connected to the National Board since 1833. During this time, there were also another seven schools in Kilcronaghan Parish; four female schools, one of which in the townland of Brackagh Rowley
(sic) was an Irish speaking school; an Irish male school; and two national schools. By 1967, Kilcronaghan Parish School had closed and was almagated with Black Hill School and Sixtowns School to become the present-day Kilross Primary School.
There are two schools in the Tobermore area:
Football Club is the local football
club. They finished the 2010-2011 IFA Championship 2 league season as runners-up, gaining promotion to the IFA Championship 1 league. Tobermore United are most famous for being the only club George Best
played competitively for in his home country.
The Tobermore No.11 Northern Ireland Supporters Club was founded in the latter half of 2005. Its title contains No.11 as a dedication to George Best for it was the number that he wore when he played his one-off match for Tobermore United
.
The village contains only one local dart team, the Diamond Bar Dart Team. In the 2004/2005 season they won the South Derry Darts 2nd Division League and South Derry 2nd Division League Cup.
The Tobermore Golf
Driving Range, was opened in 1995, and is a two tier structure containing 34 bays.
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, 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...
. It is located two and a half miles south of Maghera and five miles west of Magherafelt
Magherafelt
Magherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...
. Tobermore lies within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan
Kilcronaghan
Kilcronaghan is a civil parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Containing one major settlement, Tobermore, and lying on the descending slope of Slieve Gallion, Kilcronaghan is bordered by the civil parishes of Ballynascreen, Desertmartin, Maghera, and Termoneeny. It lies within the former...
and is part of Magherafelt District Council
Magherafelt District Council
Magherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers...
. It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.
Tobermore has won the Best Kept Small Village award four times and the Best Kept Large Village award in 1986. Most recently in September 2011, Tobermore won the Translink Ulster In Bloom village category for the third year in a row.
Etymology
Tobermore is named after the townland of Tobermore which is an Anglicisation of the Irish words tobar meaning "well" and mór meaning "big/great", thus Tobermore means "big/great well". During the seventeenth century, Tobermore was also known as Tobarmore and Tubbermore, with Tubbermore being the preferred usage of the Masonic Order even to this day.Topography
Tobermore lies on the descending slope of Slieve GallionSlieve Gallion
Slieve Gallion is a mountain in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. By road, it is from Moneymore, from Cookstown, and from Magherafelt. It is the eastern limit of the Sperrin Mountains range...
. Prominent hills are: Calmore hill (in Calmore), 268 feet; and Fortwilliam (in Tobermore), 200 feet high.
A large oak tree
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
called the Royal Oak grew near Calmore Castle in Tobermore. Until it was destroyed in a heavy storm, the Royal Oak was said to have being so large that horsemen on horseback could not touch one another with their whips across it. From this vague description, it is conjectured that the Royal Oak was about 10 feet in diameter or 30 feet in circumference. Another oak tree that once grew near Tobermore was so tall and straight that it was known as the Fishing Rod. Tradition is that the whole of the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
s were once covered with magnificent oak trees.
The Moyola River runs from west to east half a mile to the north of Tobermore village, heading through the townlands of Ballynahone Beg
Ballynahone Beg, Maghera civil parish
Ballynahone Beg is a townland lying within the civil parish of Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the south-west of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of; Ballynahone More, Clooney, Craigadick, Drumballyhagan, Drumballyhagan Clark, Fallagloon, Falgortrevy, Mullagh,...
and Ballynahone More, giving them their Irish name which means "homestead of the river".
Also situated in the townlands of Ballynahone Beg and Ballynahone More lies Ballynahone Bog
Ballynahone Bog
Ballynahone Bog is a raised bog, situated in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, about 3 km south of Maghera, on low-lying ground immediately north of the Moyola River about 14 km from its mouth at Lough Neagh...
, one of the largest lowland raised bogs in Northern Ireland.
Origins of Tobermore village
The earliest reference to the actual settlement of Tobermore is in the mid-18th century of a house built in 1727 that belonged to a James Moore. At some point in the 18th century, the fair that was held at the Gort of the parish church was relocated to Tobermore, which is described as consisting of only James Moore's house and a few mud huts. The development and growth of the village can be traced back to this period.Pre-modern history
Fortwilliam rath
Fortwilliam rathRath
-Things:*Rath, as an alternative spelling of Rat, a German advisory or ruling council, see, e.g., Parlamentarischer Rat*Ráth, Irish ringfort, fortified earthen works* Rath, a plane in the Magic: The Gathering trading card game...
is situated between the Maghera and Lisnamuck
Lisnamuck, Maghera civil parish
Lisnamuck is a townland lying within the civil parish of Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies south-west boundary of the parish beside that of Ballynascreen, with the Moyola River forming most of its southern boundary. It is bounded by the townlands of; Bracaghreilly,...
Road's in Tobermore. The fort signified in the hill's name was built c700-1000AD.
According to John O'Donovon
John O'Donovan (scholar)
John O'Donovan , from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland.-Life:...
who worked on the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
maps of the early nineteenth century, the fort and adjoining hill was originally known as Dunaguny, sic for , which he incorrectly translated as meaning "the sunny height". This Anglicisation was based on a mistranscription of the old townland name for the area, which was anglicised into a variety of forms; Dounagranan (1609), Donnagraven (1613), Grenan (1622), Dunigrunan (1654), Donnagrannan (1657), and Dunnigrinane (1661) amongst other variations. As Dún na Gréine it would mean "fort of the sun" or "fort of Grian
Grian
Grian or Greaney is the name of a river, a lake, and region in the portion of the Sliabh Aughty mountains in County Clare. It formed part of the boundary of the kingdom of Síol Anmchadha....
", however the Department of Celtic at Queen's University Belfast state that it perhaps is originally Dún na Grianán, meaning "fort of the eminent place".
The fort's modern name derives from Fort William, Scotland
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the second largest settlement in the highlands of Scotland and the largest town: only the city of Inverness is larger.Fort William is a major tourist centre with Glen Coe just to the south, Aonach Mòr to the north and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles...
which was named in honour of King Willian III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in 1690. This is stated as having encouraged the first proprietor of the area, Mr. Jackson, to adopt the name. A contradictory reason mentioned by John O'Donovan is that the O'Hagans of Ballynascreen claimed that it was built and named after Sir William O'Hagan, however John O'Donovan discounts their claims due to other claims they make that are contrary to reality.
Fortwilliam rath is presently described as a well-preserved semi-defensive high status monument, built to withstand passing raids, being relatively large at 30 meters in diameter. It is also declared a monument of regional importance giving it statutory protective status. The fort is situated close to the Moyola River, close enough that it may have witnessed the arrival of a band of Vikings who travelled from the river to raid and burn Rathluric (now known as Maghera) in 831.
Calmore crannog
In the townland of Calmore once lay an ancient lake containing a crannogCrannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
. This crannog is stated as having been of a tolerable large size and constructed of an oak frame, composed of large logs and planks bound together by wooden pins. This frame was enclosed by long poles, standing upright and fastened by mortices. In April 1835, at the crannog, a flat bottomed boat of oak was discovered, containing several oak boards that served as seats. This boat appeared to have had no nail or iron work, being completely hallowed out from the trunk of a tree. In the 1780s a smaller boat of similar construction had also been found, but had been scuttled and sunk several times. It is stated that these boats may have been either pleasure or fishing boats belonging to Calmore Castle.
Calmore castle
Calmore Castle was an ancient castle that once stood in the townland of Calmore just outside Tobermore.The O'Hagans of Ballinascreen when being questioned by John O'Donovan in 1821 as part of his letters pertaining to the antiquities of County Londonderry, claimed that Sir William O'Hagan built Calmore Castle. Local traditions however picked up by the Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1836-7 state that it was his father Shane More O'Hagan, who built it. Shane More O'Hagan is noted as being the proprietor of the Drapers
Worshipful Company of Drapers
The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London but is more usually known...
Proportion in this area together with other tracts of land, including ten townlands in Ballynascreen, and Lough Insholin (sic), the heart of a large territory of the same name.
After Sir William O'Hagan, Calmore Castle was inhabited by Owen Roe O'Hagan, who after which it is said to have been burnt. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs make note that in the neighbouring townland of Moneyshanere
Moneyshanere
Moneyshanere is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-west of the parish on the boundary with the civil parish of Ballynascreen, and it is bounded by the townlands of: Calmore, Drumcrow, Drumballyhagan Clark, Duntibryan,...
, a battle was said to have been fought between the O'Hagans who are stated as ruling Tobermore and the O'Neills of Tyrone who are said to have come ravaging down from Ballynascreen.
During its control by the O'Hagan's, Calmore Castle was considered "once a place of very considerable strength, which commanded the mountain passes, and the fords of the Moyola". Yet by 1619, a plantation house was built for William Rowley, which incorporated parts of Calmore Castle. William Rowley was the brother of John Rowley
John Rowley
John Vincent D'Alessio Rowley was a South African born English cricketer and colonial governor. Rowley was a right-handed batsman who fielded as a wicket-keeper. He was born in Graaff-Reinet, Cape Province....
, former chief agent of The Honourable The Irish Society
The Honourable The Irish Society
The Honourable The Irish Society is the organisation created by royal charter consisting of members nominated by livery companies of the City of London, set up to colonise County Londonderry during the plantation of Ulster. Notably it was involved in the construction of the city of Londonderry,...
, and later for the Drapers Company.
In 1689, it was burnt by a party of Irish, who were part of the Irish army retreating from the Siege of Derry
Siege of Derry
The Siege of Derry took place in Ireland from 18 April to 28 July 1689, during the Williamite War in Ireland. The city, a Williamite stronghold, was besieged by a Jacobite army until it was relieved by Royal Navy ships...
. A tradition is recorded claiming that two years after it was burnt down, the very person who led the party and was the first to throw a sheaf of burning straw into the rooms, came begging to the windows of the partly repaired building. When he was recognised he was immediately "stalled" by Mr. Rowley himself.
The last inhabitant of the estate was Henry Rowley in 1814, but was still listed as "Rowley's Castle" in Civil Survey maps from 1850. The Calmore Castle Plantation House no longer exists. Nothing remains of the castle other than part of the wall which is three feet thick and is now part of a garage.
Founding of Presbyterian congregation
In 1736, an application was made to the Presbyterian Synod of Ulster to create a congregation in Tobermore. This initial request was denied as it would have depleted the congregation in neighbouring Maghera. In 1737 a renewed application was made with "such a strong case" put forward it was accepted by the Synod.It was requested that some of the people who'd fall under the new congregation be at least eight miles from Maghera. The boundaries between the congregations of Maghera and Tobermore was to be the Moyola River, from Newforge Bridge to Corrin Bridge. In 1743 however, nineteen families from Ballynahone, which straddles the Moyola River, were transferred from Maghera into the Tobermore congregation.
Volunteers
In May 1780, a "riotous mob" assembled from the neighbouring mountains, insulting the local VolunteerIrish Volunteers (18th century)
The Irish Volunteers were a militia in late 18th century Ireland. The Volunteers were founded in Belfast in 1778 to defend Ireland from the threat of foreign invasion when regular British soldiers were withdrawn from Ireland to fight across the globe during the American War of Independence...
Company, leading to an engagement. Later that year, in November, a meeting was convened of the Tobermore Volunteer Company, commanded by John Stevenson, at which the Reverend James Whiteside preached at.
Fortwilliam House
Fortwilliam House, a listed building situated on Fortwilliam hill, is named after the ancient rath located to the rear of it, Fortwilliam. It was built in 1795 by John Stevenson Esq of "The Stevensons the Linen People", who was then the only resident landlord in the district. Fortwilliam House is described by John MacCloskey in 1821 as having a commanding position and being amongst the most pleasing of buildings and the most prominent in the district.Non-payment of rents
During the early nineteenth century, the inhabitants of Tobermore are recorded as having displayed a very unruly disposition towards the payment of their rents towards their landlord Mr. Miller of MoneymoreMoneymore
Moneymore is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,369 in the 2001 Census.It is an example of a Plantation village in Mid-Ulster. It was the first town in Ulster to have piped water.-Geography:...
. It is stated that the inhabitants resisted the "pounding of their cattle, executed by him, with pitchforks and sundry other primitive implements of warfare". When they found that resistance was useless they employed Mr. Costello, one of the orators of the Corn Exchange to litigate their cause at the Magherafelt sessions, but here they were also unsuccessful.
A chancery
Irish Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court which exercised equitable jurisdiction in Ireland until its abolition as part of the reform of the court system in 1877. It was the court in which the Lord Chancellor of Ireland presided. Its final sitting place was at the Four Courts in Dublin.-History:The...
lawsuit going on between Ball and Co. of Dublin and Sir George Hill operated as an obstruction to the improvement of the village as it stood upon the estate disputed with non payment of rents. The main reason for the non payment was that the tenants didn't believe they had sufficient security in their rent receipts to prevent repetition for the same years rent.
During the same period it is noted that there were no illicit distillation of alcohol and no outrages for many years in the village except for a few assaults in the street on those who came to collect the rent. After the repayment of rents resumed it was remarked that "they were so long free of rent, none of them became in the end, the least degree richer", this may have been because as it was also remarked "their rent money which if saved every year would have secured some of them a comfortable competence found its way to the whiskey shops of the village and neighbourhood".
Home Rule
The major issue in Ireland at the end of the nineteenth century and the start of the twentieth century was Irish Home Rule. In 1893 Viscount Templeton formed the first Unionist Clubs to coordinate opposition against Home Rule. Hiram Parkes WilkinsonHiram Parkes Wilkinson
Hiram Parkes Wilkinson, BCL, KC served as Crown Advocate of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan from 1897 to 1925. He was also Acting Assistant Judge of the British Court for Siam from 1903 to 1905 and Judge of the British High Court for Weihaiwei from 1916 to 1925...
the son of Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson, JP, DL was a leading British judge and diplomat, serving in China and Japan-Early life:Hiram Shaw Wilkinson was born in 1840, the son of John Wilkinson Esq., of Belfast and Annabella Shaw, daughter of William Shaw, Esq., of Holden's Valley, County Down...
would found the Tobermore Unionist Club.
The Reverend J. Walker Brown in 1912 released an anti-Home Rule pamphlet titled The Siege of Tobermore, where he details how best to defend Tobermore should "the enemy" march upon the village in a manner similar to that of the Siege of Derry
Siege of Derry
The Siege of Derry took place in Ireland from 18 April to 28 July 1689, during the Williamite War in Ireland. The city, a Williamite stronghold, was besieged by a Jacobite army until it was relieved by Royal Navy ships...
.
Tobermore also receives a mention in the third verse of the anti-Home Rule ballad titled The Union Cruiser.
World War I
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, 121 inhabitants of Tobermore, out of a population of around 350, enlisted with the Ulster Division, with the Mid Ulster Mail reporting that "This loyal little village has a war record that is perhaps unique". Of those that enlisted, 24 were killed and 33 were wounded.
The names of those who volunteered are preserved on a Roll of Honour painted by local man, Samuel Nelson, and was unveiled by D S Henry
Sir Denis Henry, 1st Baronet
Sir Denis Stanislaus Henry, 1st Baronet KBE, PC, QC , was an Irish lawyer and politician who became the first Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland....
MP for South Londonderry
South Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
South Londonderry was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1885 until it was abolished in 1922.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:...
. This roll of honour resides in Tobermore Orange & Temperance Hall.
Victory Day
In 1946, Tobermore held a World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Victory Fete. The Constitution newspaper states: "It was the first venture of its kind held in South Derry, and it was also among the very first organised 'Victory Day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
' celebrations to take place in the Province. Not only that, but Tobermore's 'Victory Salute' to that great achievement which crowned the Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
arms so magnificently little over a year ago, was availed of to give practical expression to the pride which the people of South Derry generally take...".
The Constitution also states: "In the preparatory arrangements nothing was left undone to ensure that it would prove a resounding success and certainly Tobermore's Victory Fete will long be regarded as one of the most memorable ventures in the district.".
The Victory Fete was attended by Sir Ronald Ross
Sir Ronald Ross, 2nd Baronet
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ronald Deane Ross, 2nd Baronet MC was an Ulster Unionist Northern Irish Member of Parliament .-Military career:...
, MP for the City and County of Londonderry
Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
, the band of the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles
Royal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
and the local units of the Maghera and Tobermore Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force
The Army Cadet Force is a British youth organisation that offers progressive training in a multitude of the subjects from military training to adventurous training and first aid, at the same time as promoting achievement, discipline, and good citizenship, to boys and girls aged 12 to 18 and 9...
.
The Troubles
Prior to the modern TroublesThe Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, on Wednesday 2 April 1921, during the period of the Belfast Troubles (1920–1922), there was an attempt to blow up the bridge over the Moyola River outside Tobermore.
During the modern Troubles Tobermore came under an area known by some as the Murder triangle. All of the people killed in the Tobermore area were Protestant:
- Samuel Porter (30), killed 22 November 1972 by the IRAProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
- Samuel was a member of the Ulster Defence RegimentUlster Defence RegimentThe Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
, and was shot dead outside his home in Ballynahone while off-duty. - Noel Davis (22), killed 24 May 1975 by the INLAIrish National Liberation ArmyThe Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
- Noel was a member of the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
. He was murdered by a booby trapped bomb in an abandoned car in Ballynahone, outside Tobermore. - Alexander Watters (62), killed 16 March 1977 - A civilian, Alexander was shot dead whilst cycling along the road between Tobermore and DraperstownDraperstownDraperstown is a village in the Sperrin Mountains of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 1,638 people in the 2001 Census.-Name:...
. It is not known who killed him.
On 7 September 1968, divisions of the Ulster Protestant Volunteers
Ulster Protestant Volunteers
The Ulster Protestant Volunteers were a loyalist and fundamentalist Christian paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. They were active between 1966 and 1969 and closely linked to the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee , established by Ian Paisley in 1966.The UPV launched a bombing campaign to...
, paraded through Tobermore. It consisted of eight bands and around 450 people, most of whom wore Ulster Constitution Defence Committee
Ulster Constitution Defence Committee
The Ulster Constitution Defence Committee was established in Northern Ireland in April 1966. The UCDC was the governing body of the loyalist Ulster Protestant Volunteers...
sashes. Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
and Free Presbyterian
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
ministers featured prominently in the parade.
In Octobter 1972, an Ulster Vanguard political rally was held in Tobermore, where Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
deputy leader, John Taylor
John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney
John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:...
, made a speech on the use of violence stating: "We should make it clear that force means death and fighting, and whoever gets in our way, whether republicans or those sent by the British government, there would be killings".
There were four bomb hoaxes in Tobermore during 2010 the most recent on 29 July 2010 and 19 August 2010, both found in the centre of the village causing a lot of traffic disruption and resulting in people being evacuated from their homes.
Killing of Ronald Mackie
On 29 July 2006, Ronald Mackie, a visitor from Scotland, was kicked and beaten before being run over and killed after a row flared during a disco held at Tobermore United Football Club. Four men were charged with his murder and two; John Richard Stewart, from Maghera, and Paul Johnston, from Castledawson, were later convicted of his manslaughter.Moyola River flooding
On the 16 August 2008, over twelve hours of torrential rain caused the Moyola River to burst its banks and saw the flooding of the main Tobermore-Maghera road, the neighbouring football club buildings and pitch of Tobermore United F.C.Tobermore United F.C.
Tobermore United is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1965, is based in Tobermore, near Magherafelt, County Londonderry and currently plays its home matches at Fortwilliam Park. Club colours are red and black...
and Tobermore Golf Driving Range.
Notable people
Dr. Adam ClarkeAdam Clarke
Adam Clarke was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar, born in the townland of Moybeg Kirley near Tobermore in Ireland...
(1762–1832) - A British Methodist theologian and celebrated Biblical scholar born in the townland of Moybeg
Moybeg Kirley
Moybeg Kirley is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-west of the parish, with the Moyola River forming its northern boundary. It is bounded by the townlands of Drumconready, Drumcrow, Kirley, Moneyguiggy, and...
north of Tobermore village.
Alexander Carson
Alexander Carson
Alexander Carson was an author, pastor-teacher and theologian....
(1776–1844) - Prominent Irish Baptist
Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland
The Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland is a Republic of Ireland and a United Kingdom based Baptist Christian denomination. It is a group of 121 autonomous Baptist churches on Ireland working and fellowshipping together in evangelism, training and caring ministries...
, pastor of Tobermore Baptist Church and author of the classic Baptism, Its Mode and Subjects. In dedication to Alexander Carson, his church in Tobermore, founded in 1814, was named the Carson Memorial, and a housing estate opposite it named Carson Court.
Harry Gregg
Harry Gregg
Henry "Harry" Gregg, MBE is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He played 25 times for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper and played for Manchester United during the reign of Sir Matt Busby with a total of 210 appearances.-Playing career:Gregg started his career with...
MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 25 October 1932) -
Former Manchester United and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
goalkeeper. Harry Gregg was born in Tobermore though grew up in Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
.
Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
Hiram Shaw Wilkinson
Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson, JP, DL was a leading British judge and diplomat, serving in China and Japan-Early life:Hiram Shaw Wilkinson was born in 1840, the son of John Wilkinson Esq., of Belfast and Annabella Shaw, daughter of William Shaw, Esq., of Holden's Valley, County Down...
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(1840–1926) - A leading British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
judge and diplomat, who served throughout the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
. In 1905 he moved with his family to the townland of Moneyshanere
Moneyshanere
Moneyshanere is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north-west of the parish on the boundary with the civil parish of Ballynascreen, and it is bounded by the townlands of: Calmore, Drumcrow, Drumballyhagan Clark, Duntibryan,...
, outside Tobermore. He died in September 1926 in the village.
Hiram Parkes Wilkinson
Hiram Parkes Wilkinson
Hiram Parkes Wilkinson, BCL, KC served as Crown Advocate of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan from 1897 to 1925. He was also Acting Assistant Judge of the British Court for Siam from 1903 to 1905 and Judge of the British High Court for Weihaiwei from 1916 to 1925...
, BCL
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
, KC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(1866–1935) - The son of Sir Hiram Shaw Wilkinson. Crown Advocate of the Supreme Court for China and Japan (1897–1925) and Judge of the British Court for Weihaiwei (1916–1925)
In 1925 he retired from his position as Crown Advocate and Judge and returned to Ireland and also moved to Moneyshanere. He was admitted to the bar of Northern Ireland in 1926 and he was appointed a King's Counsel in 1928. In 1930 he was appointed High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Londonderry. Hiram Parkes Wilkinson also founded the Tobermore Unionist Club, which later became a branch of the Ulster Volunteers, which itself became part of the 36th Ulster Division in WWI. Hiram Parkes Wilkinson died in Shanghai in 1935.
Kathleen Forde (1 February 1876 – 8 October 1963) - Had a love affair with one of the 20th-century's most celebrated authors, Nikos Kazantzakis
Nikos Kazantzakis
Nikos Kazantzakis was a Greek writer and philosopher, celebrated for his novel Zorba the Greek, considered his magnum opus...
, author of Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek is a 1964 film based on the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. The film was directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and the title character was played by Anthony Quinn...
.
Desmond Watters - A funeral director
Funeral director
A funeral director , also known as a mortician or undertaker, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming and burial or cremation of the dead, as well as the planning and arrangement of the actual funeral ceremony...
who starred in the 2004 Northern Irish movie Mickybo and Me
Mickybo and Me
Mickybo and Me is a 2004 British comedy-drama film written and directed by Terry Loane and based on the stage play Mojo Mickybo by Owen McCafferty...
. Having one of the only original 1970's hearses in the United Kingdom, the movie's production company contacted him for a loan of the hearse. Whilst filming, the movie director asked Desmond Watters for tips on how parts of the scene should be conducted, afterwards deciding to give him the role of the funeral director in the movie.
Local culture
The Twelfth
The Twelfth is a yearly Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It originated in Ireland during the 18th century. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution and victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne...
Orange Order parade for the region is held in Tobermore, the most recent being 2005. On 2005, The Twelfth
The Twelfth
The Twelfth is a yearly Protestant celebration held on 12 July. It originated in Ireland during the 18th century. It celebrates the Glorious Revolution and victory of Protestant king William of Orange over Catholic king James II at the Battle of the Boyne...
in Tobermore saw the participation of the Birmingham Sons of William LOL 1003 from Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. The Canadian Orange Order
Orange Order in Canada
The Orange Order is a Protestant fraternal organisation based predominantly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and has lodges in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana, Togo, the U.S.A, etc..-History:...
lodge Tobermore Crown and Bible Defenders LOL 2391, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, is named after its Northern Irish counterpart, and is said to have on the top of their standard a painting of the Tobermore Church of Ireland (located at the top of Main Street).
As with many other settlements in Northern Ireland, Tobermore has what is known as the Eleventh night
Eleventh night
In Northern Ireland, the Eleventh Night or 11th Night refers to the night before the Twelfth of July, an annual Protestant commemoration of the Battle of the Boyne . On this night, many Protestant, unionist and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland light bonfires...
, the night before the 12 July Orange Order celebrations. The traditional activities of the Eleventh Night include the playing of Lambeg drum
Lambeg drum
A Lambeg drum is a large Irish drum, beaten with curved malacca canes. It is used primarily in Northern Ireland by Unionists and the Orange Order traditionally in street parades held in the summer, particularly on and around 12 July...
s, the parading of the town by the local blood and thunder band and the lighting of a bonfire
Bonfire
A bonfire is a controlled outdoor fire used for informal disposal of burnable waste material or as part of a celebration. Celebratory bonfires are typically designed to burn quickly and may be very large...
.
Tobermore also contains two flute bands; Tobermore Loyal F.B. and Blackhill F.B., both of which partake in the Unionist
Unionism in Ireland
Unionism in Ireland is an ideology that favours the continuation of some form of political union between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain...
Marching Season. Millrow Flute Band was a former Tobermore blood and thunder band, founded in the early 1970s, disbanding in 2000. It was during the 70's that the blood and thunder style started to become popular with loyalist bands, with Millrow using this style to quickly became one of the biggest and most famous loyalist bands of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1973 Millrow F.B. released an LP and also featured on a CD titled Ulster's Greatest Bands Meet, featuring three other flute bands, where Millrow contributed more tunes to the CD than any of the other three bands did on their own.
Parades
In 2010 there are six scheduled parades or processions in Tobermore, ranging from the local flute band Tobermore Loyal, the Tobermore branch of the Walker Club of the Apprentice Boys of DerryApprentice Boys of Derry
The Apprentice Boys of Derry is a Protestant fraternal society with a worldwide membership of over 80,000, founded in 1814. They are based in the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. However, there are Clubs and branches across Ireland, Great Britain and further afield...
, the Royal British Legion, as well as the local Orange Order lodge. None of these parades have been declared as contentious.
Masonic order
Tobermore has its own Masonic Order lodge with the lodge name of Eureka and lodge number 309. At the time of its founding, Tobermore was commonly referred to as Tubbermore and lodge 309 is still referred to by the Masonic Order as being situated in Tubbermore.In 1747, a warrant was issued for the creation of a Dublin Masonic Lodge, lodge number 169. On 5 September 1765, this warrant was cancelled, however by 7 March 1811, the 169 lodge had resurfaced in Magherafelt. On 1 December 1825, the 169 lodge was removed from Magherafelt to Tobermore, where by 1838 it had moved onto Moneymore. The 169 lodge since 1895 has been situated in Belfast.
Politics
Tobermore lies within the Tobermore electoral ward of Magherafelt District Council's Sperrin electoral region. Tobermore ward being the only ward in Sperrin with a Protestant majority is regarded as the main base of support for the sole Unionist councillor elected for Sperrin since its inception (except in 1977 when two Unionist councillors where elected). Between 1985 and 2005, the sole Unionist councillor elected for Sperrin came from Tobermore; 1985-1989 W. Richardson (Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
); 1989-2005 R. Montgomery (UUP, Independent).
Tobermore has belonged to the following constituencies:
UK Parliament constituencies
- LondonderryLondonderry (UK Parliament constituency)Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
- 1801 to 1885 (abolished and divided into North and South Londonderry) - South LondonderrySouth Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)South Londonderry was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1885 until it was abolished in 1922.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:...
- 1885 to 1922 (abolished and merged with North Londonderry) - LondonderryLondonderry (UK Parliament constituency)Londonderry was a Parliamentary Constituency in the House of Commons and also a constituency in elections to various regional bodies. It was replaced in boundary changes in 1983...
- 1922 to 1985 (abolished and divided into Foyle and East Londonderry) - East LondonderryEast Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)East Londonderry is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency...
- 1985 to 1995 (boundary change) - Mid UlsterMid Ulster (UK Parliament constituency)Mid Ulster is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons.-Boundaries:The constituency was created in 1950 when the old two-seat constituency of Fermanagh and Tyrone was abolished as part of the final move to single member seats...
- 1995 to present
Northern Ireland Parliament constituencies
- LondonderryLondonderry (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)Londonderry was a county constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland from 1921 - 1929. It returned five MPs, using the single transferable vote method of proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
- 1921 to 1929 (abolished) - South LondonderrySouth Londonderry (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency)The South Londonderry constituency for the Parliament of Northern Ireland was created in 1929 and continued until the abolition of the Parliament in 1973...
- 1929 to 1973 (abolished)
Northern Ireland Assembly constituencies
- Mid-UlsterMid Ulster (Assembly constituency)Mid Ulster is a constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly.The seat was first used for a Northern Ireland-only election for the Northern Ireland Assembly, 1973...
- 1998 to present
Northern Ireland local government
- Magherafelt Poor Law UnionPoor Law UnionA Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
- 1838 to 1898 - Magherafelt Rural Sanitary DistrictSanitary districtSanitary districts were established in England and Wales in 1875 and in Ireland in 1878. The districts were of two types, based on existing structures:*Urban sanitary districts in towns with existing local government bodies...
- 1878 to 1898 - Magherafelt Rural DistrictRural districtRural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
(Ireland) - 1898 to 1921 - Magherafelt Rural District (Northern Ireland) - 1921 to 1973
- Magherafelt District CouncilMagherafelt District CouncilMagherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers...
- 1973 to 2011 - Mid-Ulster District Council - 2011 onwards
Village
Tobermore is classified as a small village or hamlet.In the 2001 Census there were 578 people living in Tobermore. In 2004 the population was declared as being around 1,250 people.
On Census day (29 April 2001):
- 19.9% were aged under 16 years and 20.6% were aged 60 and over.
- 50.4% of the population were male and 49.7% were female.
- 3.1% were from a CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
background and 95.5% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background. - 3.0% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
- 55.6% of residents have no qualifications and only 5.8% have a degreeAcademic degreeAn academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
level education or higher. - 3.8% of residents were born outside of Northern Ireland.
- 1.2% of residents are from an ethnic groupEthnic groupAn ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
other than whiteWhite peopleWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
.
Electoral ward
The Tobermore electoral ward covers a wide area around the village of Tobermore, which spans right up to the borders of the neighbouring settlements of Desertmartin, Draperstown, and Maghera. The population of the Tobermore ward increased by 15% from the 1991 Census figure of 1,802 to the 2001 Census figure of 2,076. The Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS) in 2008 estimated the population of the ward as being 2,517 people, an increase of 21.2% on the 2001 figure.According to the NINIS area profile for the Tobermore electoral ward based on the 2001 Census:
- 34.2% were from a Catholic background, and 65.2% were from a Protestant background.
- 51.3% of the population are male and 48.7% of the population are female.
- 23% of the population are 16 years old or younger and 18.5% of the population are 60 years old or older.
- Accounted for just 3.9% of recorded crime in Magherafelt District in 2007.
- Median age of death being 72.5 years compared to average of 79 years for Magherafelt District.
- Fertility rate of 2.92, compared to the average fertilityFertilityFertility is the natural capability of producing offsprings. As a measure, "fertility rate" is the number of children born per couple, person or population. Fertility differs from fecundity, which is defined as the potential for reproduction...
rate of 2 for Magherafelt District. - Average age of residents 36.2 years compared to average 33.8 years for Magherafelt District.
Education
Prior to the stablishment of national primary schools, education lay mainly in the hands of the church. In Tobermore the Church of Ireland parish of Kilcronaghan has records of its school masters going as far back as Mr. Alex Trotter in 1686. The Parish School was originally built in the townland of GrannyGranny (townland)
Granny is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the west of the parish on the boundary of the civil parish of Ballynascreen, and is bounded by the townlands of; Calmore, Duntribryan, Moneyshanere, Mormeal, and Tamnaskey...
on the leading road between Tobermore and Draperstown. Despite being a Church of Ireland Parish School, it was open to children of all denominations, not just those of the Church of Ireland. In 1836, there were 70 children recorded on the roll with 28 being described as Church of Ireland, 20 Presbyterian, 2 Roman Catholic, and 20 "Other Denominations". Despite being a Parish School, secular education such as arithmetic
Arithmetic
Arithmetic or arithmetics is the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used by almost everyone, for tasks ranging from simple day-to-day counting to advanced science and business calculations. It involves the study of quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers...
was taught as well as English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The local Presbyterian Church would also found its own school held in the Session House at the rear of the Presbyterian meeting house
Meeting house
A meeting house describes a building where a public meeting takes place. This includes secular buildings which function like a town or city hall, and buildings used for religious meetings, particularly of some non-conformist Christian denominations....
. Private session classes for adults would also be held twice a week in the Presbyterian Session House.
Tobermore's first public school was established in 1817 in a room which was formerly a public house. It received an income from the London Hibernian Society as well as books published by them such as Thompson and Gough's Arithmetic and Murray's English Grammer. This school is now the present-day Tobermore Primary School. In 1826, Killytoney
Killytoney
Killytoney is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the center of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of Calmore, Cloughfin, Coolsaragh, Gortamney, Killynumber, and Moyesset...
National School was established. It was built on the old leading road between Tobermore and Desertmartin., and has been connected to the National Board since 1833. During this time, there were also another seven schools in Kilcronaghan Parish; four female schools, one of which in the townland of Brackagh Rowley
Bracaghreilly
Bracaghreilly is a townland lying within the civil parish of Maghera, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies on the west boundary of the parish, and is bounded by the townlands of; Drumballyhagan, Fallagloon, Glenshane, Kirley, and Lisnamuck...
(sic) was an Irish speaking school; an Irish male school; and two national schools. By 1967, Kilcronaghan Parish School had closed and was almagated with Black Hill School and Sixtowns School to become the present-day Kilross Primary School.
There are two schools in the Tobermore area:
- Tobermore Primary School, located within the North Eastern Education and Library BoardNorth Eastern Education and Library BoardThe North Eastern Education and Library Board is an organisation providing education and library services for the north-eastern Local Government Districts, Northern Ireland, in County Antrim and eastern County Londonderry...
area. - Kilross Primary School, located within the North Eastern Education and Library BoardNorth Eastern Education and Library BoardThe North Eastern Education and Library Board is an organisation providing education and library services for the north-eastern Local Government Districts, Northern Ireland, in County Antrim and eastern County Londonderry...
area.
Sport
Tobermore UnitedTobermore United
Tobermore United is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1965, is based in Tobermore, near Magherafelt, County Londonderry and currently plays its home matches at Fortwilliam Park. Club colours are red and black...
Football Club is the local football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club. They finished the 2010-2011 IFA Championship 2 league season as runners-up, gaining promotion to the IFA Championship 1 league. Tobermore United are most famous for being the only club George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
played competitively for in his home country.
The Tobermore No.11 Northern Ireland Supporters Club was founded in the latter half of 2005. Its title contains No.11 as a dedication to George Best for it was the number that he wore when he played his one-off match for Tobermore United
Tobermore United
Tobermore United is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1965, is based in Tobermore, near Magherafelt, County Londonderry and currently plays its home matches at Fortwilliam Park. Club colours are red and black...
.
The village contains only one local dart team, the Diamond Bar Dart Team. In the 2004/2005 season they won the South Derry Darts 2nd Division League and South Derry 2nd Division League Cup.
The Tobermore Golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
Driving Range, was opened in 1995, and is a two tier structure containing 34 bays.