Moneyneany or Moneyneena is a small village

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...

. 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 162. It is in the Magherafelt District Council

Magherafelt District Council

Magherafelt District Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. Council headquarters are in Magherafelt. The Council area stretches from Lough Neagh and the River Bann in the east and into the Sperrin Mountains in the west and is divided by the Moyola River. It covers...

 area.

Locally significant buildings include St Eugene's (Roman Catholic

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

) Church, which is a listed building, and a fort, which is a historic monument partly encroached upon by housing, and an important feature in the landscape. The Altalacky River and the Douglas River

Douglas River

The Douglas River is a river of the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Its source is high in the Southern Alps, five kilometres south of Mount Sefton, and its upper reaches are fed by water from the Douglas Glacier, New Zealand. It flows west for 18 kilometres, joined by runoff from the...

 are nearby.

Local legends

There was a holy well

Holy well

A holy well, or sacred spring, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered either in a Pagan or Christian context, often both. Holy wells were frequently pagan sacred sites that later became Christianized. The term 'holy well' is commonly employed to refer to any water source of...

 near the Catholic chapel at Moneyneena that was allegedly defended by a magician named Sir Volvet. The magician was so possessive of the well that he kept an earless dog chained to the well to stop others from benefitting from the water. Through time this well became known as Tobarawathymeel or "The Earless Dog’s Well".

Magical powers were not restricted to Sir Volvet; tradition has it that the townland of Moneyneany derived its name, Móin na n-ionadh ("bog of wonders"), from being a favourite place for the old Irish warriors to learn their exercises and perform great feats of magic.

People

Tony Scullion

Tony Scullion

Tony Scullion is a former Irish dual player who played Gaelic football and hurling with Derry in the 1980s and 1990s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship winning side, also winning Ulster Senior Football Championships in 1987 and 1993...

, Gaelic Football

Gaelic football

Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...

 and Hurling

Hurling

Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...

 player for Ballinascreen and Derry, and receiver of four football GAA All Stars Awards

GAA All Stars Awards

The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...

awards, was born in Moneyneena.