| Main | Births etc |
|---|
| Benburb | |
| Irish: Beann Bhorb | |
 Benburb Benburb shown within Northern Ireland | |
| Irish grid reference | |
|---|---|
| - Belfast | 43 miles |
| District | Dungannon & South Tyrone |
| County | County Tyrone |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DUNGANNON |
| Postcode district | BT71 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | Fermanagh & South Tyrone |
| List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Tyrone | |
Benburb (from Irish: Beann Borb, meaning "proud/prominent cliff")[1]) is a hamlet and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies seven miles from Armagh and nine miles from Dungannon.
History[]
Benburb's Main Street
It is best known, in historical terms, for the Battle of Benburb that took place there in 1646. This was fought between the armies of Confederate Ireland led by Owen Roe O'Neill and the Scottish Covenanters led by Munro. The battle resulted in a crushing victory for O'Neill's men at the townland of Drumflugh around a mile outside the village. Not many know that during this battle a shining light, also known by them back then as the second sun, appeared in the sky. The sun zigzagged across the sky and then back up into the air and disappeared. Many believe this was a UFO sighting but only written documents from monks have been clarified so there is no proof as to what it was.
Since the Battle of Benburb was a rare 17th-century Irish military victory, after Irish independence the new Irish nationalist government named a street in Dublin's north inner city after the battle. Benburb Street runs between Queen Street and Blackhall Place. There is also a Benburb Street in south Belfast just off the Donegall Road.[2]
In later years Benburb became known for its linen production, as did many areas in the North and later still for agriculture, most notably apple farming, and mushroom production.
Places of interest[]
The village is also home to the impressive Benburb Castle built in 1611 by Sir Richard Wingfield on a limestone cliff overlooking the River Blackwater, the border between County Tyrone and County Armagh. The castle is in excellent condition having been recently restored and stands in the grounds of the imposing Servite Priory, a religious order based in the village. Benburb is also located on the Ulster Canal.
Education[]
- Benburb Primary School
- Benburb Community Playgroup
Demographics[]
19th century population[]
The population of the village decreased during the 19th century:[3][4]
| Year | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 330 | 253 | 275 | 192 | 222 | 241 |
| Houses | 63 | 63 | 60 | 45 | 49 | 58 |
21st century population[]
Benburb in the Northern Ireland UK Census in 2011 was classified as a Hamlet, with a population of 598 people.
- 8.9% were 18 or younger
- 11.7% were aged 60 and over
- 40.0% were male
- 60.0% were female
- 55.6% were from a Catholic background
- 25.4% were from a Protestant background
- 19.0% stated another Religion or had no religion
Townland[]
The townland is situated in the historic barony of Dungannon Middle and the civil parish of Clonfeacle and covers an area of 185 acres.[5]
The population of the townland declined during the 19th century:[6][7]
| Year | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64 | 58 | - | 56 | 121 | 35 |
| Houses | 12 | 12 | - | 13 | 24 | 10 |
The increase seen in the 1881 Census was ascribed mainly to the building of houses for millworkers.
See also[]
- Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Tyrone)
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of townlands of County Tyrone
- Ulster Canal
References[]
- ^ "Benburb". Place Names NI. http://www.placenamesni.org/historicforms.php?getPnameId=10172. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ Google Maps
- ^ "Census of Ireland 1851". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/13130/eppi_pages/336879. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ "Census of Ireland 1891". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/18814/eppi_pages/505460. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
- ^ "Townlands of County Tyrone". IreAtlas Townland Database. http://www.seanruad.com. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Census of Ireland 1851". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/13130/eppi_pages/336877. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
- ^ "Census of Ireland 1891". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. http://eppi.dippam.ac.uk/documents/18814/eppi_pages/505459. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
External links[]
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| This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Benburb. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License. |