Hubbry Logo
BellaghyBellaghyMain
Open search
Bellaghy
Community hub
Bellaghy
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Bellaghy
Bellaghy
Bellaghy
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Bellaghy (from Irish Baile Eachaidh, meaning 'Eachaidh's townland')[1][2] is a village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies north west of Lough Neagh and about 5 miles north east of Magherafelt. In the centre of the village (known locally as The Diamond) three main roads lead to Magherafelt, Portglenone and Toome. It had a population of 1,063 people in the 2001 Census and is within Mid-Ulster District.

Key Information

Bellaghy is home to various historical landmarks, including a well-preserved 17th century fortified house, Bellaghy Bawn, which is now a museum. A Grade B+ thatched cottage is present in the Bellaghy outskirts. The village is also known as the birthplace, childhood home and resting place of poet Seamus Heaney (1939–2013), who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. There is an arts centre in the village dedicated to Heaney.[3]

History

[edit]

There had long been Gaelic settlements in this area. Archaeological evidence has been found in the village of a Gaelic ringfort.[4][5]

In the early 17th century, Bellaghy became one of many towns planned, built and settled under the authority of the Vintners Company of London, as part of the English Plantation of Ulster. In 1622, according to a manuscript of a Captain Thomas Ash, Bellaghy consisted of a church, a castle, a corn mill and twelve houses.[6]

Bellaghy Bawn in 2007

During the Plantation, English colonials built a fortified house in the village. It had surrounding walls and two circular towers at opposite corners. Recent excavations have revealed that the fortified house was built on the site of a former Gaelic ringfort. During the 1641 rebellion the house was attacked by Irish rebels, but it remained intact.[6][5] Many other houses in the village were burnt to the ground.[5] Locally it was called "The Castle" and is located on Castle Street. The refurbished house was opened to the public in 1996 as Bellaghy Bawn. It is a museum featuring exhibitions on local history.[7]

On 2 May 1922, during the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Republican Army launched an attack on Bellaghy Royal Irish Constabulary barracks - the IRA men gained access after the outer gate was mistakenly left unlocked while a 'farewell party' was being held inside for a retiring police officer.[8] One RIC officer was killed and at least two others wounded.[8] An IRA volunteer was also killed when he went to inspect a room and was shot 'through the woodwork' by a B-Special who had concealed himself behind a half-open door.[8] The three other IRA volunteers subsequently withdrew, but were captured shortly afterwards.[8][9]

Notable people

[edit]
See also: Category:People from Bellaghy

Seamus Heaney, who became a Nobel Prize-winning poet, was born as the eldest of nine children at Mossbawn, his family's farm in Bellaghy. He later lived in Dublin but is buried in the graveyard of St Mary's Catholic Church, Bellaghy. The village has an arts centre dedicated to him, known as the Seamus Heaney HomePlace. The centre features talks, poetry readings, and performances. It has exhibits of photographs, texts, and poems to show the influence of place on his language.[3]

Others to hail from the village include World Outdoor Bowls champion Margaret Johnston,[10][11] international footballer Sarah McFadden,[12] and Eurovision 2022 entrant for Ireland Brooke Scullion.[13]

Two Bellaghy natives, Francis Hughes and his cousin Thomas McElwee, died participating in the 1981 Irish hunger strike during The Troubles.[14] They were protesting at the treatment by the British and supporting political change in Northern Ireland. Other republicans from Bellaghy include former Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) leader Dominic McGlinchey.[15][14]

Demographics

[edit]

1991 Census

[edit]

On Census day (22 April 1991), there were 1,041 were living in Bellaghy. Of these:

  • 501 (48.1%) were male and 540 (51.9%) were female.[16]

2001 Census

[edit]

Bellaghy is classified as a Village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), i.e. with population between 1,000 and 2,250 people. On Census day (29 April 2001), there were 1,063 people living in Bellaghy. Of these:

  • 31.4% were aged under 16 years and 12.7% were aged 60 and over[17]
  • 49.9% of the population were male and 50.1% were female[18]
  • 86% were from a Catholic background and 14% were from a Protestant background[19]
  • 83.35% were of the Catholic faith, 13.16% were of a Protestant faith, and 15.04% were irreligious or did not state their religion.[20]
  • 4.6% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed[21]

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bellaghy.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Bellaghy

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Bellaghy is a small village in , , situated northwest of and approximately 5 miles northeast of , within the Mid Ulster District. Its population was recorded as 1,235 in the 2021 census. The area shows evidence of continuous human habitation for at least 9,000 years, with archaeological finds along the nearby underscoring its prehistoric significance. Established during the early 17th-century , Bellaghy was one of Ireland's first planned towns, developed on lands granted to the Vintners' Company of London. A defining feature is Bellaghy Bawn, a and defensive enclosure constructed around by Sir Baptist Jones as part of the efforts, now preserved as a state heritage site offering insights into Ulster's colonial history. The village gained international literary prominence through its association with , the Nobel Prize-winning poet born and raised on a nearby family farm in the Bellaghy parish, whose works frequently drew inspiration from the local landscape and culture; the Seamus Heaney HomePlace centre in Bellaghy commemorates his life and legacy. Despite its rural setting and modest size, Bellaghy's enduring historical layers—from ancient settlements to fortifications—and cultural ties continue to attract interest in , heritage, and .

Geography

Location and administrative status

Bellaghy is situated in , , at geographical coordinates approximately 54°48′N 6°31′W. The village lies northwest of and roughly 5 miles northeast of , positioning it within the broader Loughinsholin area of the county. Administratively, Bellaghy falls within Ballyscullion and the area. Its population of 1,235 recorded in the 2021 classifies it as a small village according to Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency criteria for settlements between 1,000 and 2,250 inhabitants. The village connects to surrounding regions via local roads integrated into the road network, facilitating access to larger centers such as and routes toward and Derry/Londonderry.

Physical features and environment

Bellaghy occupies low-lying, predominantly flat terrain in south County Londonderry, with an average elevation of approximately 30 meters above sea level, forming part of the broader fertile lowlands extending toward Lough Neagh. The area's hydrology is shaped by tributaries of the River Moyola, a 27-mile watercourse originating in the Sperrin Mountains and discharging into Lough Neagh, which exerts influence over local water levels and drainage patterns. Extensive peat bogs, such as those at Ballymacombs More near the village, characterize portions of the landscape, featuring acidic, waterlogged soils conducive to peat formation and long-term preservation of organic remains, as evidenced by archaeological discoveries dating to the Iron Age. The regional climate is temperate oceanic, with mean annual temperatures around 9-10°C and precipitation totaling approximately 860-940 mm, contributing to a verdant environment of grasslands and occasional arable patches amid bog remnants, while elevating susceptibility to fluvial flooding from adjacent river systems.

History

Early settlement and development

The place name Bellaghy derives from the Irish Baile Eachaidh, meaning "Eachaidh's ," referring to a settlement linked to an early proprietor or figure named Eachaidh (or Eochaidh), indicative of Gaelic origins predating Norman influence. Archaeological evidence in the surrounding parish reveals human activity extending to prehistoric periods, including a court tomb at Knockoneill with associated urns and charred bones, as well as early Christian ringforts (raths) such as at Dunglady, featuring multivallate defenses typical of Gaelic defensive structures. Pre-plantation Gaelic families, including the Scullions of Ballyscullion, maintained presence in the area under O'Neill overlordship, reflecting -based agrarian organization. Ecclesiastical records attest to organized religious activity by the early medieval era, with Church Island on Lough Beg serving as a monastic site (Iris Toide) documented in the Annals of Inisfallen in 1112, built on foundations potentially tracing to fifth-century Patrician traditions. The island's ruins include a later medieval church atop an earlier monastery, associated with orders like the Dominicans and Augustinians, and featuring artifacts such as a bullaun stone, signaling a sustained parish framework amid sparse settlement. Settlement patterns emphasized rural, subsistence farming in a boggy, wooded terrain, with no evidence of concentrated urban development or significant population aggregation until subsequent eras, limiting growth to clan territories and ecclesiastical centers.

Plantation period to 19th century

Bellaghy was integrated into the Ulster Plantation following the 1607 Flight of the Earls, with the Vintners' Company of London receiving a grant of approximately 32,600 acres in the barony of Loughinsholin in 1613. Henry Jackson, agent for the company, selected the site in 1614 as the principal settlement, renaming it Vintnerstown, and oversaw the construction of a planned town starting in 1615. By 1622, developments included fifteen timber-framed houses along a single street, a market cross, a church, and a brick bawn measuring 100 feet square with flankers, completed between 1618 and 1619 under Baptist Jones's management after John Rowley's death in 1617. Henry Conway assumed control in 1623 following his marriage to Jones's widow, granting leases that required further building of houses and planting of trees, though progress was halted by the 1641 Irish Rebellion, during which the settlement surrendered but the bawn was spared. The introduced Protestant settlers as tenants and undertakers under the London companies, establishing Bellaghy as one of several nucleated towns in to promote English-style rural organization with enclosed fields and fortified structures, yet native Catholic freeholders retained possession of designated proportions of land per the scheme's articles. This shifted land tenure toward servitors and undertakers while preserving a Catholic demographic majority, as the policy allocated only specific proportions for British settlement. In the , the landscape around Bellaghy evolved with grouped rural settlements and agricultural enclosures supporting , including production oriented toward British markets. Basic infrastructure, such as improved roads linking the town to regional trade routes and water-powered mills for grain and flax processing, facilitated exports of agricultural goods. The Great Famine of –1852 caused population declines through starvation, disease, and across , though less severely than in southern provinces due to diversified ; Bellaghy's town population fell to 608 by the 1851 census, indicative of broader trends reducing local numbers from pre-famine estimates around 1,000 in the parish.

20th century and the Troubles

Bellaghy, situated in the predominantly nationalist South Derry region, emerged as a republican paramilitary stronghold during the escalation of violence in the late 1960s and 1970s, with local Provisional IRA volunteers participating in ambushes and bombings against patrols and stations in the area. , a Bellaghy native and IRA member convicted of and explosives offenses for attacks on , died during the 1981 hunger strikes on August 8, his funeral drawing thousands to the village and underscoring local republican sympathies. Loyalist groups, including the and later the , mounted retaliatory actions amid broader sectarian targeting in rural zones, though specific pre-1990s attacks in Bellaghy remain sparsely documented beyond general South Derry patterns of tit-for-tat killings. The most prominent incident occurred on May 12, 1997, when Sean Brown, a 61-year-old Catholic father of six and caretaker for the Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Gaelic Athletic Association club, was abducted at gunpoint while locking the club's gates around 11:30 p.m. He was driven approximately 10 miles to a remote field near , , where members of the shot him six times in the head and body; the LVF claimed responsibility, citing Brown's perceived republican links despite no of paramilitary involvement. A Police Ombudsman investigation in 2007 identified significant investigative shortcomings by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, including failure to interview key witnesses, pursue forensic leads on vehicles used in the abduction, and act on intelligence about LVF informants within the group, raising questions of between loyalist perpetrators and state agents. These events exacerbated community divisions in Bellaghy, a village with a Catholic exceeding 80% by the 1991 , fostering intra-community mistrust and prompting some families to relocate due to threats from both republican feuds and loyalist incursions. Security responses included routine British Army checkpoints on approach roads, which disrupted local agriculture and trade, contributing to in the area's bogland farming economy during the conflict's peak years of 1972–1994, when South Derry recorded dozens of security-related incidents. No prosecutions have resulted from Brown's murder, with ongoing legal challenges as of compelling the UK government to establish a into potential state complicity.

Post-1998 developments

The , signed on 10 April 1998, precipitated a marked decline in violence across , with annual conflict-related deaths falling from a peak of 480 in 1972 to single digits thereafter, enabling socioeconomic stabilization in rural communities like Bellaghy. This cessation of widespread paramilitary activity facilitated targeted investments, notably the September 2016 opening of the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, a cultural center in Bellaghy honoring the local-born Nobel Prize-winning poet, which drew 40,000 visitors in its inaugural year and supported growth by highlighting regional literary heritage. Local governance within the , which includes Bellaghy, operates under the Agreement's power-sharing framework, yet electoral outcomes reflect enduring sectarian divisions, as evidenced by Sinn Féin's capture of nearly half the council seats in the May 2023 elections, underscoring that the curbed violence without substantially altering bloc voting patterns. Such dominance persists from pre-Agreement trends, with similarly prevailing in 2019 local polls, suggesting institutional accommodations have prioritized stability over reconciliation of underlying communal identities. Persistent challenges arise from unresolved Troubles-era cases, exemplified by the 1997 murder of Bellaghy GAA chairman Sean Brown, shot while locking up the club's grounds; post-1998 inquests uncovered links to 25 individuals including state agents, but faced repeated delays, culminating in the coroner's 2024 halt due to withheld materials, fueling demands for a and highlighting institutional opacity that undermines trust in the peace process's legacy mechanisms. These delays, spanning over two decades, illustrate how unaddressed allegations sustain low-level tensions, as families like Brown's continue advocating against perceived cover-ups despite the broader violence reduction.

Demographics

Population changes over time

The population of Bellaghy remained nearly stagnant between the 1991 and 2001 censuses, rising from 1,041 to 1,071 residents, a mere 2.9% increase over the decade amid broader rural depopulation trends in linked to economic emigration. Subsequent years saw steadier growth, with the figure reaching 1,115 in 2011 and 1,235 in 2021, reflecting a cumulative 15.6% rise from 2001 levels and a of about 0.8% in the 2011–2021 period.
Census YearPopulation
19911,041
20011,071
20111,115
20211,235
This trajectory exceeds the -wide growth rate of 13% from 2001 to 2021 (from 1,685,267 to 1,903,175 residents), potentially driven by post-1998 stability enabling limited rural in-migration and housing expansion, though offset by persistent net outflows of working-age individuals to urban employment hubs like and Derry-Londonderry. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency projections for small settlements indicate continued modest expansion below urban paces, contingent on regional improvements and migration balances.

Religious and ethnic composition

In the 2001 , the Bellaghy area exhibited a strong Catholic majority, exceeding 90% of the population identifying with or raised in the Catholic tradition, with Protestants comprising less than 10%. By the 2011 , this pattern persisted at the ward level, with approximately 86% from a Catholic background and Protestants at around 12%, reflecting entrenched sectarian demographics typical of rural nationalist enclaves in . The 2021 showed no substantial shift in these proportions for small rural settlements like Bellaghy, where Catholic identification remained dominant amid broader trends of stable religious divisions. Ethnically, Bellaghy maintains high homogeneity, with over 96% of residents classified as white in line with Northern Ireland's overall 2021 census figure of 96.6% white population, predominantly of Irish or British national identity. Non-white minorities are negligible, under 1%, and even EU migration post-2004 has introduced only marginal diversification—primarily Eastern European workers in agriculture—without altering the overwhelmingly white Irish/British composition in this rural setting. These demographics underpin persistent communal divisions, manifesting in electoral patterns where unionist support remains minimal; for instance, in the encompassing Mid Ulster constituency, secured 53% of the vote in the 2024 UK general election, correlating directly with the Catholic-nationalist majority and low Protestant turnout for unionist parties. Local council results in the Bellaghy district electoral area similarly favor dominance, with the party gaining seats and control in related wards by 2011, underscoring causal links between religious composition and nationalist voting persistence absent significant integration.

Economy and infrastructure

Agriculture and local industries

The local economy of Bellaghy is predominantly agricultural, mirroring Northern Ireland's broader reliance on and , which dominate output with dairying alone contributing £1.1 billion in gross value in 2024. covers approximately 95% of the region's agricultural land, supporting intensive rearing and production on family-run farms that leverage the fertile low-lying soils around . These activities provide seasonal employment but contribute to structural vulnerabilities, including dependence on volatile prices and weather patterns. Peat harvesting represents a historical adjunct to farming in Bellaghy's boglands, with extraction continuing in proximity to the village despite tightening environmental regulations aimed at preserving carbon-storing wetlands. Human remains dating to over 2,000 years ago were uncovered during routine peat cutting near Bellaghy in October 2023, underscoring the persistence of this traditional practice amid ongoing debates over its ecological impact. However, commercial peat operations have declined due to restrictions under Northern Ireland's environmental policies, shifting some focus toward sustainable alternatives like horticultural peat substitutes. Small-scale industries, primarily food processing tied to local dairy and meat outputs, supplement agriculture but remain limited in scale. In the Mid Ulster district encompassing Bellaghy, unemployment was 2.8% in 2019, slightly exceeding the Northern Ireland average of 2.6% and reflective of agriculture's seasonal labor demands. Post-1998 peace process initiatives have encouraged modest diversification into agri-tourism, yet the economy exhibits persistent rural challenges, with limited non-farm job creation evidencing barriers to broader structural adaptation.

Transport and modern amenities

Bellaghy is primarily accessed via local B-roads, including the B182, which connects the village to the A6 trunk road, providing links northwest to Derry/Londonderry (approximately 35 miles) and southeast to the M2 motorway for (34 miles driving distance). The village lacks a railway station, with the nearest rail services in or , necessitating reliance on road transport. Public bus services are operated by , including route 110/110b linking Bellaghy to and connections via to (requiring transfers, with journey times around 1-2 hours). , the closest major airport, lies approximately 20-25 miles away, reachable in about 30 minutes by car. Modern amenities in Bellaghy include essential local services such as Bellaghy Primary School, a controlled integrated primary serving the village and surrounding areas with a focus on early . Healthcare is provided through Bellaghy Medical Centre, a GP practice offering general medical services, maternity care, and minor procedures to residents. Basic retail shops and services support daily needs, while infrastructure has improved with fibre-enabled access via the local , facilitating and digital connectivity in this rural setting since the early . These facilities contribute to the village's self-sufficiency, though larger-scale services require travel to nearby towns like Magherafelt.

Culture and community life

Literary heritage and Seamus Heaney HomePlace

Seamus Heaney's deep ties to Bellaghy stem from his family's relocation from the Mossbawn farm near to The Wood farm just outside the village in 1954, during his teenage years as a boarder at in Derry. This move rooted the poet in the local landscape, which permeated his writings on rural life, though his full biography extends beyond this locale. Following his death on August 30, 2013, Heaney was buried on September 2 in the graveyard adjoining in Bellaghy, a site he selected to rest near his family, underscoring the village's enduring personal significance. The HomePlace, a purpose-built and literary centre developed by , opened in 2016 between Heaney's childhood homes at Mossbawn and , mere yards from . It features permanent exhibitions on Heaney's life and oeuvre, including interactive displays of his and , alongside temporary installations of related artifacts, though original manuscripts are limited. The centre hosts regular events such as readings, workshops, concerts, and author talks, drawing participants from local communities and international visitors to engage with Heaney's themes of place, memory, and language. Since inception, HomePlace has attracted substantial footfall, exceeding initial projections of 35,000 annual visitors by welcoming over 40,000 in its first year and accumulating more than 73,000 paying visitors by mid-2019. This influx has generated an estimated £800,000 in annual visitor spend, spurring ancillary economic activity in Bellaghy such as accommodations and dining, while employing around 20 staff and catalyzing job creation in a prone to decline. The centre bolsters local identity by positioning Bellaghy as a hub for literary , fostering community pride and cultural continuity without displacing traditional agrarian economies.

Sports and Gaelic Athletic Association

Bellaghy Wolfe Tones Gaelic Athletic Club, founded in 1939, fields teams in Gaelic football and camogie and competes under the auspices of Derry GAA. The club has achieved notable success, securing 21 Derry Senior Football Championship titles, more than any other club in the county, with the first victory in 1956. It also claimed four Ulster Senior Club Football Championships and one All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1972, marking the first such win by an Ulster club. The club's camogie section has won two Derry Senior Camogie Championships. These accomplishments have bolstered local pride in Bellaghy, a predominantly nationalist area where Gaelic games serve as a cultural anchor amid historical adversity, including the Troubles. Participation in Gaelic football and hurling remains high among the Catholic population in Mid Ulster, aligning with patterns where such sports predominate in nationalist communities as expressions of Irish identity. On May 12, 1997, club chairman Sean Brown, aged 61, was abducted and murdered by the , a loyalist group, while locking the club's gates after a match; he was shot six times in the head, an act amid escalating sectarian tensions during the . The killing highlighted vulnerabilities at GAA facilities, often targeted due to their role in nationalist life, yet the club endured, resuming activities without suspension. Post-1998, Bellaghy sustained its competitive edge, winning the in 1998 and advancing to the Ulster club final that year, followed by a third title in 2000 after three consecutive county wins. This resilience underscores the GAA's function in fostering community cohesion, providing continuity and outlets for youth engagement in the area despite past .

Community institutions and events

Bellaghy's religious institutions primarily consist of Catholic and Protestant facilities serving the village's divided community. The Bellaghy-Ballyscullion Parish operates St. Mary's Roman as its primary site in the village, alongside St. Joseph's in nearby Ballyscullion, supporting lay ministries and volunteer contributions for parish development. St. Ita's , located within the OpenDoor Complex, holds weekly worship services and monthly Holy Communion for local Protestant families. Educational institutions include two primary schools: the state-controlled Bellaghy , situated on William Street, and St. Mary's Primary and Nursery School, both catering to local children in a segregated system typical of . The Protestant minority maintains the Bellaghy Orange Hall on the , established in 1903 and home to Kirkistown True Blues Loyal Orange Lodge No. 1412, which hosts lodge meetings and community functions. The Bellaghy Historical Society preserves local records, notably documenting 13 area residents killed during (1968–1998), facilitating remembrance activities to honor victims amid the community's post-conflict recovery. Recurring community activities include charity initiatives by the parish's , such as organized pilgrimages to , which address social needs like rural support. The OpenDoor Complex serves as a multifunctional hub with allotments, a cafe, and meeting rooms, promoting shared use across denominations for local gatherings.

Notable individuals

Seamus Heaney

was born on 13 April 1939 at the family farm Mossbawn, located between Bellaghy and in , . His formative years in the rural Bellaghy area, including attendance at Anahorish , provided the backdrop for much of his later poetic inspiration drawn from local life and landscape. In 1951, at age 12, he won a to , a in Derry, marking his transition from the immediate Bellaghy environs. Heaney received the on 5 October , recognized for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth that exalted everyday miracles and living past. This accolade highlighted his deep-rooted connections to Northern Irish rural heritage, including the Bellaghy region where he spent his childhood. Heaney died on 30 August 2013 at age 74 in , following a at the Church of the Sacred Heart that attracted global media coverage. His remains were then transported to Bellaghy for burial in the cemetery of , where hundreds of local and international mourners gathered, underscoring the community's enduring bond with the poet. His legacy endures in Bellaghy through the Seamus Heaney HomePlace, an arts and literary centre opened in 2016 near his childhood homes and burial site, featuring interactive exhibitions on his life and donated personal artifacts. The centre's and digital archive, renovated and expanded in 2021, house rare recordings, books from Heaney's collection, and exclusive archival materials, maintaining a dedicated repository of his contributions tied to the locality.

Other local figures

Damian Cassidy (born 1962), a Gaelic footballer from Bellaghy, represented Derry from 1984 to 1996, including as left half forward on their 1993 Senior Football Championship-winning team that defeated Cork 3-14 to 2-12 in the final on 19 September. He secured five Derry Senior Football Championships and the 1994 with Bellaghy Wolfe Tones, later managing the club to further successes and serving as Derry senior manager in 2007. Margaret Johnston MBE (born 2 May 1943 in Bellaghy), a lawn and indoor bowler, won the World Outdoor Singles Championship three times (1980 in Frankston, ; 1984 in Aberdeen, ; 1992 in Worthing, ), becoming the first woman to achieve this feat, and claimed gold medals in the singles and pairs at the 2002 and . She retired from international competition in 2008 after amassing over 20 major titles. Francis Hughes (28 February 1956 – 12 May 1981), born at Tamlaghtduff near Bellaghy, joined the Provisional IRA in the early 1970s and led operations including the 1976 killing of RUC officer Joseph Campbell and the 1977 escape of IRA prisoners from Magilligan prison. Arrested in 1978 after a firefight, he died on in the Maze Prison after 59 days protesting for political status.

References

  1. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northernireland/mid_ulster/N11000461__bellaghy/
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/londonderry/A803413.shtml
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/londonderry/A803341.shtml
  4. https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/bellaghy-bawn-p675661
  5. https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/heritage-sites/bellaghy-bawn
  6. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/about-seamus-heaney/
  7. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/
  8. https://www.northernirelandworld.com/heritage-and-retro/retro/in-pictures-members-of-bellaghy-historical-society-celebrating-25-years-of-digging-into-local-history-4996525
  9. https://www.tageo.com/index-e-uk-v-00-d-m3562988.htm
  10. https://database.earth/countries/united-kingdom/regions/northern-ireland/cities/bellaghy
  11. https://wanderlog.com/place/details/6100327/bellaghy
  12. https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/LDY/Ballyscullion
  13. https://www.billmacafee.com/admin/adminareasderry.pdf
  14. https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/northernireland/mid_ulster/N11000461__bellaghy
  15. https://en-gb.topographic-map.com/map-46gctp/Bellaghy/
  16. https://wikishire.co.uk/wiki/River_Moyola
  17. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68092307
  18. https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/northern-ireland
  19. https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/articles/how-flood-maps-ni-was-produced
  20. https://www.logainm.ie/en/58164
  21. https://www.nienvironmentlink.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/heritage-asset-audit-bellaghy.pdf
  22. https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/londonderry/A803602.shtml
  23. https://hiddengems.localhistory.ie/wp-content/uploads/Bellaghy-Church-Island.pdf
  24. https://archaeology2030.org/archaeology-events/european-archaeology-days-ead-lecture-church-island-lecture-with-thomas-mcerlean/
  25. https://www.visitmidulster.com/things-to-do/church-island-on-lough-beg-p701341
  26. https://www.greatparchmentbook.org/2020/04/30/the-story-of-henry-conway-and-the-plantation-of-londonderry/index.html
  27. https://ulsterhistoricalfoundation.com/ulster-plantation/plantation-people
  28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/londonderry/A803567.shtml
  29. https://eddiesextracts.com/oextracts/oemccombs1855.html
  30. https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Famine-Irish-history
  31. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Provisional_IRA_Derry_Brigade
  32. https://seamusdubhghaill.com/tag/bellaghy/
  33. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm29e7m2y93o
  34. https://www.policeombudsman.org/investigation-reports/historical-investigations/significant-failures-in-investigation-of-1997-sean-brown-murder
  35. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/violence/cts/fay98.htm
  36. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/issues/violence/chronmaj.htm
  37. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/sean-brown-murder-judge-orders-public-inquiry-into-lvf-killing-of-gaa-official-in-1997-4912930
  38. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/moving-past-troubles-future-northern-ireland-peace
  39. https://www.janetredlertravelandtourism.co.uk/news/seamus-heaney-homeplace-celebrates-40000-visitors-first-year1/
  40. https://www.rte.ie/culture/books/2016/0929/820230-heaney/
  41. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/mid-ulster-middle-ground-squeezed-as-sinn-fein-and-dup-strengthen-grip-on-council/840365195.html
  42. https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2019/05/04/news/sinn-fein-dominant-in-mid-ulster-1612323/
  43. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wdyvzje7jo
  44. https://www.rte.ie/news/ulster/2025/0403/1505657-sean-brown/
  45. https://www.irishcentral.com/opinion/others/sean-brown-family-inquiry
  46. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/ni/towns91.htm
  47. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-main-statistics-for-northern-ireland-phase-1-statistical-bulletin-demography-and-households.pdf
  48. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/2001-census-key-statistics-tables-ethnicity-identity-language-and-religion
  49. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2011-ks212ni.xlsx
  50. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/census-2021-main-statistics-religion-tables
  51. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/census-2021-main-statistics-ethnicity-tables
  52. https://www.bitc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bitc-factsheet-race-raw-regional-insight-northern-ireland-march23.pdf
  53. https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-uk-election-results/parties/sinn-fein/
  54. https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgmagherafelt.htm
  55. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/news/northern-ireland-agricultural-incomes-2024
  56. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7534034/
  57. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmjw08vjdpo
  58. https://idni.eco/mid-ulster-district-council.html
  59. https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/Labour-force-survey-annual-report-2019_0.pdf
  60. https://www.midulstercouncil.org/business/investment-and-regeneration/invest-in-mid-ulster/key-statistics
  61. https://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/B182_%28Northern_Ireland%29
  62. https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Bellaghy/Belfast
  63. https://www.translink.co.uk/
  64. https://www.translink.co.uk/timetables?transportMode=Bus&name=110
  65. https://bustimes.org/services/110b-bellaghy-cookstown-bus-station
  66. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/contact-us/
  67. https://www.bellaghyps.co.uk/
  68. https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/gp-practices/bellaghy-medical-centre-dr-hinds-and-partners
  69. https://telephone-exchange.co.uk/Bellaghy-NIBY.html
  70. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/northern-ireland/articles/On-the-Seamus-Heaney-trail-in-Northern-Ireland/
  71. https://www.hiddeneurope.eu/letter-from-europe/posts/finding-homeplace-travelling-with-seamus-heaney/
  72. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-23922895
  73. https://www.thejournal.ie/seamus-heaney-funeral-3-1065975-Sep2013/
  74. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/about-homeplace/
  75. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-36307870
  76. https://www.visitbelfast.com/listing/seamus-heaney-homeplace/97717101/
  77. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/upcoming-events/
  78. https://www.visitderry.com/blog/read/2025/01/seamus-heaney-homeplace-announces-winter-spring-2025-arts-programme-b431
  79. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-47476475
  80. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/council-corrects-misleading-media-reporting-of-seamus-heaney-homeplace/
  81. https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/seamus-heaney-homeplace-is-meeting-visitor-and-income-targets-insists-council-88055
  82. https://derrygaa.ie/derry-gaa-clubs/
  83. https://hoganstand.com/Derry/ClubTitles
  84. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2021/03/24/news/glory-days-for-the-wee-blues-bellaghy-wolfe-tone-s-march-to-the-all-ireland-club-title-in-1972-2264942/
  85. https://www.scribd.com/document/533276110/27
  86. https://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/sport/docs/rlsnia101001.pdf
  87. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg7785lljro
  88. https://about.rte.ie/2024/04/19/documentary-murder-of-a-gaa-chairman-sheds-light-on-the-unanswered-questions-of-the-family-of-sean-brown/
  89. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-club-at-the-heart-of-all-things-which-happen-in-bellaghy-1.72013
  90. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/2018/09/21/news/the-irish-news-archive-sep-21-1998-precious-gavin-diamond-inspires-bellaghy-1438551/
  91. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/2018/11/08/news/irish-news-past-papers---nov-8-1998-bellaghy-and-crossmaglen-advance-in-ulster-club-clashes-1479149/
  92. https://www.derrynow.com/news/features/599666/when-we-were-kings-bellaghy-s-journey-to-ulster-glory-in-2000.html
  93. https://bellaghyparish.com/
  94. https://opendoorcomplex.co.uk/directory/st-itas-church-of-ireland-bellaghy/
  95. https://www.eani.org.uk/parents/types-of-school/school-type/primary/bellaghy-ps
  96. https://www.stmaryspsbellaghy.co.uk/our-school/contact-us/
  97. https://www.facebook.com/OrangeHallsNI/posts/bellaghy-orange-hall-is-situated-in-the-main-street-of-the-village-and-is-the-ho/915090584110427/
  98. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/bruised-but-unbowed-bellaghy-emerge-from-a-tragic-history-1.4484608
  99. https://bellaghyparish.com/2025/07/svp-trip-to-knock/
  100. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/1995/summary/
  101. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/02/seamus-heaney-funeral-hundreds-mourners
  102. https://seamusheaneyhome.com/library-and-digital-archive/
  103. https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/exclusive-seamus-heaney-archive-to-be-exhibited-at-bellaghy-centre-3633839
  104. https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/50066333
  105. https://www.irishnews.com/sport/gaafootball/2018/06/07/news/damian-cassidy-on-managing-derry-the-93-success-and-the-late-great-eamonn-coleman-1349924/
  106. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/bowling-the-world-over-1.140787
  107. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/bowls/7226384.stm
  108. https://www.dib.ie/biography/hughes-francis-a4139
  109. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/05/12/Francis-Hughes-IRA-Killer-and-Hunger-Striker/6049358488000/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.