Garvagh
Encyclopedia
Garvagh is a village
in County Londonderry
, Northern Ireland
. It is on the banks of the Agivey River, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) south of Coleraine
on the A29 route. In the 2001 Census
it had a population of 1,288.
town, as its broad main street and neatly planned buildings evidence. It was founded in the early 17th century by George Canning from Warwickshire
, agent for the Ironmonger’s Company of London
, it was later grown into a middling-size market town by the Cannings. A striking feature of the town is the stone clock tower with an attractive clock and castellations, which dominates the main route through the town and also serves as the district cenotaph
.
On 26 July 1813 the Battle of Garvagh took place. Four hundred Catholic Ribbonmen attempted to destroy a tavern in Garvagh where the Orange Lodge
met. They were armed with sticks and bludgeons, but Protestants were waiting inside armed with muskets and repelled them. Several of the Ribbonmen were killed and the rest fled. The town has been immortalised in the famous Protestant folk-song "The Battle of Garvagh".
In August 2009, more than 20 windows in Catholic owned businesses including a public house, butchers’ shop and cafe were smashed some time around 3am. Police investigated the attacks as sectarian hate crimes.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
The second school, which was known as the Canning Public Elementary School, was the Church of Ireland
school, and was positioned where the Christian Workers Union Hall now stands.
In 1947 an Education Act was passed, changing education in Northern Ireland. Public Elementary schools were to be called Primary Schools, with pupils transferring at 11+ to Intermediate schools, Grammar schools, and Technical schools. This change took some time, as schools had to be planned and built. Garvagh Intermediate school opened in 1953. The primary school population fell as a result. Both primary schools continued to operate for some time, but eventually the Canning Primary School closed. Primary Education continued in Garvagh Primary School, but as housing development took place, the school could not cope with the numbers. Temporary accommodation was given in Garvagh Orange Hall.
In the grounds of Garvagh Intermediate School was the school, and Garvagh House, the former house of the Canning family, which contained some classrooms and flats for single female teachers. The house fell into disrepair over the years and was eventually demolished; in 1965 the County Londonderry Education Committee opened Garvagh Primary School on the site.
In the early 1970s, increased enrolment due to the raising of school leaving age
led to the Education Committee transferring the primary school buildings to the Intermediate school, and in April 1973 a new Garvagh Primary School opened. It was built on Ashe's Meadow. Where the gates are, was the site of the old cinema (AVON - which stood for Allies Victory over Nazis). The school was of a new design, with three wings. Each wing consisted of three classrooms, lavatories and an open area. Apart from the classroom for P1, the classrooms had no doors. This was referred to as open plan.
Today, there are three schools in Garvagh: Garvagh Primary School, St Patrick's & St Joseph's Primary School (Glenullin
), and Garvagh High School
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is on the banks of the Agivey River, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) south of Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
on the A29 route. In the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
it had a population of 1,288.
History
Garvagh was important from very early times, but was destroyed by fire during the Battle of Garvagh, and rebuilt as a PlantationPlantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
town, as its broad main street and neatly planned buildings evidence. It was founded in the early 17th century by George Canning from Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, agent for the Ironmonger’s Company of London
Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The Ironmongers, who were originally known as the Ferroners, were incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1463...
, it was later grown into a middling-size market town by the Cannings. A striking feature of the town is the stone clock tower with an attractive clock and castellations, which dominates the main route through the town and also serves as the district cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
.
On 26 July 1813 the Battle of Garvagh took place. Four hundred Catholic Ribbonmen attempted to destroy a tavern in Garvagh where the Orange Lodge
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
met. They were armed with sticks and bludgeons, but Protestants were waiting inside armed with muskets and repelled them. Several of the Ribbonmen were killed and the rest fled. The town has been immortalised in the famous Protestant folk-song "The Battle of Garvagh".
Post Troubles
The Garvagh and District Development Association- GADDA undertook a project to modernise the town in the late 1990s and early 2000s by installing new water mains, upgrading road surfaces, improving pedestrian surfaces, new street lighting, a new community building and a new toilet block, which were funded through various support channels: the Coleraine Borough Council, the Ireland Fund of America, the EU and the British Government.In August 2009, more than 20 windows in Catholic owned businesses including a public house, butchers’ shop and cafe were smashed some time around 3am. Police investigated the attacks as sectarian hate crimes.
Places of interest
- Garvagh Museum is a rural Folk Museum in the walled garden of Garvagh House, the former seat of the Canning family. George Canning was elevated to the peerage in 1818 and took the title, Baron Garvagh. This walled garden has historic links with Donnchadh Ó HámsaighDonnchadh Ó HámsaighDonnchadh Ó hAmhsaigh, aka Denis Hampsey,aka Denis Hampson Irish harper, 1695 – 5 or 11 November 1807.-Early life and background:Ó hAmhsaigh's was born in Craigmore, County Londonderry in 1695...
(aka Denis Hampson) the great blind harper who lived in 3 centuries, being born in 1695 and dying in 1807. George Canning, Dr Bacon and Squire Gage bought Hampson's first harp while he lived in Garvagh. At the entrance to the museum there is a memorial to Hempson in the form of a granite pillar. This unique collection holds almost two thousand artefacts which trace the history of the Bann Valley from 3000 BC through to the first half of the 20th century. - Garvagh Forest, the former estate of the Cannings covering over 2 square kilometre (0.77220431718507 sq mi), is on the western outskirts of Garvagh.
- The River Agivey flows through Garvagh. It is a well known river for Brown trout and Salmon.
2001 Census
Garvagh is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,288 people living in Garvagh. Of these:- 22.3% were aged under 16 years and 25.1% were aged 60 and over
- 46.7% of the population were male and 53.3% were female
- 25.0% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 74.0% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 3.6% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
People
- George Canning Sr. was born in Garvagh - he was the father of George CanningGeorge CanningGeorge Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
(1770–1827) Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. - Jim Watt, former Mayor of Coleraine and Footballer.
- Sammy Watt, former footballer.
- Uel Linton, former Irish league player and youth international.
- MLAMember of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)Member of the Legislative Assembly is a representative elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly in Northern Ireland.- About :...
Adrian McQuillanAdrian McQuillanAdrian McQuillan, MLA is a DUP politician in Northern Ireland.A joiner by trade and postman for 18 years McQuillan was first elected to Coleraine Borough Council in 2001. He was subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a member for East Londonderry at the 2007 Assembly elections...
resides just outside the town.
Education
In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s there were two public schools in Garvagh. Garvagh Public Elementary School, which was the Presbyterian school, was at the Southerly end of the town. Garvagh Youth Club now occupies the premises.The second school, which was known as the Canning Public Elementary School, was the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
school, and was positioned where the Christian Workers Union Hall now stands.
In 1947 an Education Act was passed, changing education in Northern Ireland. Public Elementary schools were to be called Primary Schools, with pupils transferring at 11+ to Intermediate schools, Grammar schools, and Technical schools. This change took some time, as schools had to be planned and built. Garvagh Intermediate school opened in 1953. The primary school population fell as a result. Both primary schools continued to operate for some time, but eventually the Canning Primary School closed. Primary Education continued in Garvagh Primary School, but as housing development took place, the school could not cope with the numbers. Temporary accommodation was given in Garvagh Orange Hall.
In the grounds of Garvagh Intermediate School was the school, and Garvagh House, the former house of the Canning family, which contained some classrooms and flats for single female teachers. The house fell into disrepair over the years and was eventually demolished; in 1965 the County Londonderry Education Committee opened Garvagh Primary School on the site.
In the early 1970s, increased enrolment due to the raising of school leaving age
Raising of school leaving age
The raising of school leaving age is an act brought into force when the legal age a child is allowed to leave compulsory education increases...
led to the Education Committee transferring the primary school buildings to the Intermediate school, and in April 1973 a new Garvagh Primary School opened. It was built on Ashe's Meadow. Where the gates are, was the site of the old cinema (AVON - which stood for Allies Victory over Nazis). The school was of a new design, with three wings. Each wing consisted of three classrooms, lavatories and an open area. Apart from the classroom for P1, the classrooms had no doors. This was referred to as open plan.
Today, there are three schools in Garvagh: Garvagh Primary School, St Patrick's & St Joseph's Primary School (Glenullin
Glenullin
Glenullin is a rural area centred on a valley between the villages of Garvagh, Swatragh and Dungiven, and lies in the borough of Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The nearest city is Derry which is 27 miles away. 'The Glen' as it is often known, is not an officially recognised...
), and Garvagh High School
Garvagh High School
Garvagh High School is a secondary school located in Garvagh, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is a non-selective state maintained school for girls and boys aged from 11 to 16. It has 198 pupils and is within the North Eastern Education and Library Board area.*Address: Main Street, Garvagh,...
.
See also
- BallerinBallerinBallerin is a small village between Garvagh and Ringsend in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is located within Coleraine Borough Council. It includes Saint Columba's Catholic primary school and Saint Mary's Catholic church.-Name:...
and GlenullinGlenullinGlenullin is a rural area centred on a valley between the villages of Garvagh, Swatragh and Dungiven, and lies in the borough of Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The nearest city is Derry which is 27 miles away. 'The Glen' as it is often known, is not an officially recognised...
, nearby rural districts - Moneydig Presbyterian ChurchMoneydig Presbyterian ChurchMoneydig Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian congregation outside Garvagh, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The church is part of the Presbytery of Coleraine and Limavady.-History:...
, outside the town