Carrickmore
Carrickmore
| |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 | |
  Location within Northern Ireland | |
| Population | 625 (2021 census) |
| Irish grid reference | H6172 |
| • Belfast | 52 mi (84 km) |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OMAGH |
| Postcode district | BT79 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
Carrickmore (from Irish an Charraig Mhór, meaning 'the big rock'[1]) is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated in the historic barony of Omagh East, the civil parish of Termonmaguirk and the Roman Catholic Parish of Termonmaguirc between Cookstown, Dungannon and Omagh.[2] It had a population of 625 as of the 2021 census.[3]
History
[edit]The current settlement can trace its origins back thousands of years to the pre-Christian era. A wide range of historic monuments can be found in the Carrickmore area, including cairns, stone circles, standing stones and raths. It lies in the centre of the county on a raised site colloquially called "Carmen". An alias name for Carrickmore village is Termon Rock, Termonn being the first element of the parish name Termonmaguirk (Ir. Tearmann Mhig Oirc ‘McGurk’s sanctuary’) and rock referring to the rocky hill on which the village is situated. The McGurks were the Coarb family or hereditary lay custodians of the parish's church lands. The site of the former parish church is adjacent to the village of Carrickmore.
On Easter Sunday 1916, 60 men mobilised in Carrickmore in anticipation the Easter Rising.[4] A garden of remembrance on the edge of the village is the location for an annual commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising.[5]
Places of interest
[edit]
- St Columbkille Church of Ireland: The current church building was completed in 1792, funded by a grant from the Board of First Fruits.[6] On 18 April 1854, Samuel and Letitia Cobane, ancestors of musician Kurt Cobain, were married here.[7] The tower was restored and a spire erected in 1861 to commemorate the late Rector, Rev C.C. Beresford. It serves the parish of Termonmaguirk and remains part of the Sixmilecross and Carrickmore group of parishes within the Diocese of Armagh.[6] Several distant relatives of Kurt, from the Cobane/Cobain family line, are buried in the churchyard behind the building.[8] The church is located on Termon Road, just beside the town centre.[9]
- Mullinalap Monastic Settlement: This early Christian settlement is located on the site of an older Celtic settlement. Pilgrims from across Ireland and Europe came to this site to seek spiritual renewal and cures from ailments as water from a well at the site was reputed to have healing power. Saint Colmcille founded a monastery here in 550AD. Situated on the hill beside St Colmcille's Roman Catholic Church, Creggan Road.[10]
- Dunmisk Fort: It is assumed to be one of the few industrial centres of Ireland during prehistoric times. The site is hugely significant in that it is the first evidence for glass-making to be published for Early Christian Ireland. It shows that both glass-making and glass-working occurred, and therefore that not all glass was imported. Evidence was found there during an archaeology survey in the 1980s. It was also discovered that the site was home to a complex monastic settlement and a cemetery of over 400 graves. Accessed from the main Galbally to Carrickmore Road (Inishatieve Road).[11]