Bellaghy
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|---|---|
| Village | |
 Entering Bellaghy from Old Town Road, Seamus Heaney HomePlace in centre, August 2023 | |
  location within County Londonderry  Location within Northern Ireland | |
| Population | 1,063 (2001 Census) |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MAGHERAFELT |
| Postcode district | BT45 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
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.
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
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]
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
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]
Sean Browne, chairman of the local Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAC, was abducted by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in May 1997 while he locking the clubgrounds after a gaelic football game and then murdered near Randalstown, County Antrim.[16][17]
Demographics
1991 Census
On Census day (22 April 1991), there were 1,041 people living in Bellaghy. Of these:
- 501 (48.1%) were male and 540 (51.9%) were female.[18]
2001 Census
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[19]
- 49.9% of the population were male and 50.1% were female[20]
- 86% were from a Catholic background and 14% were from a Protestant background[21]
- 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.[22]
- 4.6% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed[23]
2011 Census
NISRA classified Bellaghy as village (Band G) with 1,155 people living there.[24]
2021 Census
On Census day (21 March 2021), there were 1,251 people living in Bellaghy.[25] Of these:
- 310 (24.78%) were aged under 16, 157 (12.55%) were aged 16-24, 236 (18.86%) were aged 17-34, 159 (12.71%) were aged 35-44, 153 (12.23%) were aged 45-54, 103 (8.23%) were aged 55-64, 133 (10.63%) were aged 65+.[26]
- 654 were female (52.28%), while 597 (47.72%) were male.[27]
- 808 (64.69%) indicated an Irish identity, 312 (24.98%) indicated a Northern Irish, 152 (12.17%) indicated a British identity and 32 (2.56%) indicated an 'other' identity.[28] The respondents could select multiple identities.
- 1,115 (89.2%) were from a Catholic background, 104 (8.32%) were from a Protestant background, 5 (0.4%) were from another religious background, and 26 (2.08%) had an irreligious background.[29]
- 1,080 (86.33%) were Catholic, 42 (3.36%) were Church of Ireland, 37 (2.96%) were Presbyterian, 11 (0.88%) were of an other christian denomination, 4 (0.32%) were of an other religion, 62 (4.96%) were irreligious and 15 (1.2%) did not state their religion.[30]
- 301 (24.04%) had some ability of Irish,[31] and 68 (5.44%) had some ability of Ulster-Scots.[32]
See also
References
- ^ "Bellaghy, County Derry/Londonderry". www.placenamesni.org. Place Names NI. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Baile Eachaidh/Bellaghy". Placenames Database of Ireland. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ a b Sulcas, Roslyn (11 October 2016). "Celebrating Seamus Heaney's Legacy, at His Birthplace". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Brannon, N. F. (1989). 1989:015 - BELLAGHY BAWN, Bellaghy, Derry (Report) – via excavations.ie.
- ^ a b c O’Kane Boal, Marianne (2019). Heritage Asset Audit: Bellaghy Area (PDF) (Report). Northern Ireland Environment Link. pp. 3, 9, 12, 17, 23, 44.
- ^ a b "Your Place and Mine: Bellaghy - Historical Interest". BBC. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Meredith, Robbie (26 September 2023). "Seamus Heaney: Historic Bellaghy Bawn to become a writers' centre". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d Clark, Wallace (1967). Guns in Ulster. Belfast: Constabulary Gazette. pp. 62–63. ISBN 9780950904252.
- ^ Lawlor, Pearse (2011). The Outrages: The IRA and the Ulster Special Constabulary in the Border Campaign. Mercier Press. pp. 268–269. ISBN 9781856358064.
- ^ "Margaret Johnston MBE". Bellaghy Historical Society. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
- ^ Mills, Alex (15 June 2018). "Johnston ready to roll back years on her big return". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Luney, Graham (14 October 2023). "Northern Ireland centurion Sarah McFadden credits her family as she is hailed a Game Changer". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Bellaghy's Brooke Scullion hopes to put Ireland back on the Eurovision map". The Irish News. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ a b Young, Connla (31 March 2024). "Tommy McKearney: Simon Harris reclaiming the tricolour is 'absurd'". The Irish News. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Young, Connla (11 February 2024). "Hundreds attend Dominic McGlinchey 30th anniversary in Co Derry". The Irish News. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Spackman, Conor; Forrester, Elaine (10 June 2025). "Sean Brown murder witness tells of suspect sighting for first time". BBC News. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "Documentary 'Murder of a GAA Chairman' sheds light on the unanswered questions of the family of Sean Brown". RTÉ. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
- ^ "The Northern Ireland Census 1991: Towns and Villages Booklet" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. pp. 9, 27. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics for Settlements Tables (Table KS02: Age1 Structure (continued))" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2005. p. 18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics for Settlements Tables (Table KS01: Usually Resident Population (continued))" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2005. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics for Settlements Tables (Table KS07b: Community Background: Religion or Religion Brought Up In (continued))" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2005. p. 54. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics for Settlements Tables (Table KS07a: Religion (continued))" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2005. p. 48. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "2001 Census: Key Statistics for Settlements Tables (Table KS09a: Economic Activity - All Persons (continued))" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2005. p. 66. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Russell, Raymond (5 October 2015). Key Statistics for Settlements, Census 2011 (PDF) (Report). Research and Information Service. p. 22. NIAR 404-15. Retrieved 3 December 2025 – via Northern Ireland Assembly.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Population)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Age - 7 Categories A)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Sex / MS-A07)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (National Identity (person-based) / MS-B15)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Religion or Religion brought up in / MS-B23)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Religion / MS-B19)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Irish/ MS-B05)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ "2021 Census Data for Moyola_A2 and Moyola_A3 (Ulster-Scots / MS-B08)". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
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