Coordinates: 6°55′32″W / 54.928138, -6.925507

Dungiven
Irish: Dun Geimhín

Dungiven shown within Northern Ireland
Population 2,993 (2001)
Irish grid reference
 - Belfast 53 miles
District Limavady Borough
County County Londonderry
Constituent country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDONDERRY
Postcode district BT47
Dialling code 028, +44 28
Police Northern Ireland
Fire Northern Ireland
Ambulance Northern Ireland
European Parliament Northern Ireland
UK Parliament East Londonderry
List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • County Londonderry

Dungiven (Irish: Dun Geimhín; meaning Given's fort) is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on the main Belfast to Derry road. It is situated where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg converge at the foot of the 1,525ft Benbradagh mountain, next to the Glenshane Pass where the road rises to over 1,000ft. It is designated as a Small Town and had a population of 2,993 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of 6% over 1991.[1]

Features

The original nucleus of Dungiven was established in the vicinity of the Castle and the Church of Ireland church at the eastern end of the town, later developing westwards along Church Street and Main Street towards the bridging point on the River Roe. Because of the location of the flood plain of the River Roe, and the line of the proposed by-pass route defined by both previous area plans, residential development has been concentrated to the east and north of the town. It functions as an important retail, service and employment centre for the surrounding rural hinterland, providing a comprehensive range of educational, health, commercial, social, community and recreational facilities.[1]

History

An interesting site in Dungiven is the 11th century Augustinian priory of St Mary's and the tomb of O'Cahan (Cooey na Gall O' Cahan), laid to rest in 1385. A thicket of thorn bushes hung with rags, on the right, conceals a bullaun stone, visited for wart cures.[2]

Between the 12th and 17th centuries the area was ruled by the O'Cahan clan. During the days of James I they built Dungiven Castle which remains today as a restaurant and guesthouse. World famous song Danny Boy is taken from a melody composed by O’Cahan bard Rory Dall O’Cahan. The original version concerns the passing of the Chief Cooey-na-Gall whose death brought an end to a long line of O’Cahan chiefs in Northern Ireland.[2]

During the Northern Irish Troubles seven people were killed in or near Dungiven in connection with the conflict, six of them members of the security forces. The one civilian, Frances McCloskey, is sometimes considered to be the first person killed in the Troubles.[3]

See also: The Troubles in Dungiven

Politics

The town forms part of the East Londonderry constituency and the elected MLA is Sinn Féin party member Francis Brolly.

Places of interest

• Near Dungiven are Banagher Glen, popular with ornithologists, and Altaheglish Reservoir, an impressive lake set up in the mountains, surrounded by forest.
• At Dungiven Castle, constructed during the reign of James I on the south side of the village, there is a 20 acre Environmental and Conservation Park consisting of Victorian Gardens, Wetlands, Woodlands, Nature Reserve, Duck Pond and Picnic Area.
• Altahullion Wind Farm, is situated near Dungiven and is owned by RES-Gen Ltd. It was designed and built by RES using local contractors and commissioned in 2003. Altahullion’s 20 turbines can generate up to 26MW. Electricity from the wind farm is sold to Belfast based Energia who supply hospitals, schools and Northern Ireland businesses. The public can visit the site by following the signs from the A6 Dungiven to Derry road. There is car parking, an information board and a special path up to the visitor turbine.

Sport

Gaelic games are the most popular sports in the area. St Canice's Dungiven is the local Gaelic football club[4] and Kevin Lynch's is the local hurling club. St Canices play at O'Cahan Park, while Kevin Lynch's play at Kevin Lynch Park.

St Canice's have won the Derry Senior Football Championship 7 times, and won the Ulster Senior Football Championship once, in 1997.

Kevin Lynch's have won the Derry Senior Hurling Championship 20 times, a record,and are the current county champions, for the second successive year. They were beaten Ulster finalists for the last two years.

Demographics

Dungiven is classified as an intermediate settlement by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 2,250 and 4,500 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 2,993 people living in Dungiven. Of these:

• 29.3% were aged under 16 and 11.7% were aged 60 and over
• 50.4% of the population were male and 49.6% were female
• 96.8% were from a Catholic background and 3.1% were from a Protestant background
• 6.7% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.

For more details see:NI Neighbourhood Information Service

Transport

• Dungiven has good road links^{[citation needed]} to Derry 29km to the west and Limavady 13km to the north. It is located on the main A6 road and is well served in terms of public transport connections. A proposed by-pass for Dungiven, following a route to the south west of the town, has been identified since the 1973 Limavady Area Plan.[1]
• Dungiven was the terminus of the Limavady railway closed in 1950. Dungiven railway station opened on 4 July 1883, closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1933 and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950.[5]

People

• Joe Brolly, member of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team. Won All Stars in 1996 and 1997
• Cara Dillon, folk singer
• Liam Hinphey, current Derry player
• Kevin Lynch, hunger striker who died in 1981. The Dungiven hurling team was renamed Kevin Lynch's Hurling Club in his honour after his death.
• Daragh McCloskey, BBC Northern Ireland news reader and TV presenter
• Paul McCloskey, professional boxer, current British light-welterweight champion
• Brian McGilligan, member of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team. Won All Stars in 1987 and 1993
• Kieran McKeever, member of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team. Won an All Star in 2000
• John Mitchel, a 19th century Irish patriot who inspired the Young Ireland Movement, was born in Camnish, near Dungiven and Burnfoot. The area Mitchel Park is named after him.
• Paul Murphy, current Derry player (St Canice's Senior Football Captain)
• John Eddie Mullan, former Derry player. Came from the townland of Gelvin just outside the town.
• Eoghan Quigg, X Factor Contestant 2008 (went through to the live finals of the show and came 3rd behind JLS 2nd and Alexandra Burke 1st).
• Saint Canice the Patron Saint of the shipwrecked. Born 516AD in Glengiven near Dungiven.

Popular Culture

Dungiven is mentioned in the Brian Friel play Making History, as the place where Mabel Bagnel goes after the Siege of Kinsale.

See also

• List of villages in Northern Ireland
• List of towns in Northern Ireland

References