Lurgan
Lurgan (An Lorgain, meaning "the long low ridge of land" in Irish), is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland with a population of approximately 25,000. Lurgan is situated in the Craigavon Borough Council area, to the south of Lough Neagh in the centre of Northern Ireland. The town is approximately 19 miles (30km) southwest of Belfast and is linked by both the M1 motorway and a railway line to Belfast.
The town has a large wooded park and lake, which is overlooked by Brownlow House.
History
Earlier names of Lurgan include "Lorgain Chlann Bhreasail" (Lurgan of Clanbrassil), "Lorgain Bhaile Mhic Cana" (Long low ridge of McCann's townland - Lurgan Bally McCann) and Lurgivallivacket (the long hill of the McCann's place). The McCann sept (clan) were Lords of Clanbrassil, prior to the Plantation of Ulster period in the early 17th century. The McCanns were septs of the O'Neills.
In around 1610, during the Plantation period, the lands of Lurgan were given to the English lord William Brownlow and his family. In 1641 William Brownlow, his wife and family were taken prisoner and brought to Armagh and then to Dungannon, in County Tyrone. The land was then passed to the McCanns, and also the O'Hanlons. In 1642 Brownlow and his family were released by the forces of Lord Conway, who was operating in the Dungannon area. The family built up the linen industry and it is said that the greatest manufacture of linen was carried on in the town in the late 17th century.
Sport
With around ten Gaelic clubs within five miles of the town GAA is provided for by (Clann Eireann GFC, Clan na Gael CLG, St Peter's GFC, St Paul's GFC, Sean Tracey's HC, Eire Og CLG (Craigavon), Wolfe Tones GFC/St Enda's Camogie Club (Derrymacash), Sarsfields GFC (Derrytrasna), St Michael's GFC (Magheralin) and St Mary's GFC (Aghagallon)). Lurgan also has one main football team competing in the Irish Premier League (Glenavon F.C.), one in the second Division (Lurgan Celtic) and various different junior soccer sides. The town also has rugby, cricket and hockey clubs.
Perhaps the most famous sporting character from Lurgan is Master McGrath, a greyhound who was bought in Lurgan by the Brownlow family and won the Waterloo Cup three times in 1868, 1870 and 1871.
People
The former captain of the Northern Ireland football team, Neil Lennon, who plays for Celtic in Scotland, is from Lurgan. The musician Barry Douglas also lives there.
Margorie McCall is famous in Lurgan as the woman who lived once but was buried twice, currently in the Shankill cemetery. The story goes that the woman thought dead was buried, and when grave robbers dug up the coffin to cut off the ring on her finger she awoke. She returned home upon where her terrified husband fainted from fright. [1]
External links
- Lurgan TownTalk- gives detailed information about the town of Lurgan.
- Portadown News - a satirical look at life in Northern Ireland, and in particular in Lurgan.
- Lurgan Ancestry - gives the history of Lurgan.
- Lord Brownlow - Public Record Office records for Lord Brownlow