Cookstown

Cookstown
  • Irish: An Chorr Chríochach
  • Scots: Cookestoun or Cookstoon
Town
Four-lane street busy with vehicle traffic, with a central island, wide sidewalks, with two-story houses. In the distance, the 1700 ft mountain, Slieve Gallion.
The main street, looking north, with Slieve Gallion in the background
Coat of arms with a silver knight's helmet crowned by flames from which arises a firebird. Below the helmet, a shield bears two red right gloves beside a simple castle, above icons of twin bundles of flowers and a gear. A banner with the word FORWARD unfurls below the shield. Leaf-like decoration extends from the helmet, as a surround.
Coat of Arms
Cookstown is located in Northern Ireland
Map credit
Cookstown
Cookstown
Location within Northern Ireland
Population12,546 (2021 Census)
Irish grid referenceH8178
• Belfast47 miles
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCOOKSTOWN
Postcode districtBT80
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Tyrone
54°38′49″N 6°44′42″W / 54.647°N 6.745°W / 54.647; -6.745

Cookstown is a market town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the fourth-largest town in the county, with a population of 12,546 in the 2021 census. It, along with Magherafelt and Dungannon, is one of the main towns in the local government district of Mid Ulster. It was founded in the early 17th century by English colonist and ecclesiastical lawyer, Dr. Alan Cooke, during the Plantation of Ulster. The town was rebuilt in the late 18th century by the Stewart family. It was one of the main centres of the linen industry west of the River Bann, and until 1956, flax spinning, weaving, bleaching and beetling were carried out in the town. Cookstown is said to have the longest main street in Ireland, running in a straight line for 1.25 miles (2 km).

History

The town was founded in the early 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster. In 1609, land confiscated from the native Irish was leased to English colonist and ecclesiastical lawyer Allan Cooke. He fulfilled the covenants entered in the lease by building houses in the townland of Corcrigagh or Corchrichy, from Irish a' Corr Críochach or an Chorr Chríochach, "the boundary hill". In 1628, Charles I granted Letters Patent to Cooke permitting the holding of a twice-weekly market for livestock and flaxen goods.

In the Irish rebellion of 1641, the native Irish revolted against the colonists in a bloody rebellion and the town was destroyed. The rebellion had a devastating effect on the town and development ceased for nearly a century. Over the succeeding years, the lands around Cookstown were progressively bought up by William Stewart of Killymoon until in 1671 all of Dr Cooke's lands were in the hands of the Stewart family. William Stewart and later his son James set out plans for the town soon after this. Inspired by the Wide Streets Commission's work in Dublin, they planned a new town to be built along a tree lined boulevard which was to be 135 feet (41 m) wide.

In 1802, Colonel William Stewart (James Stewart's unmarried son) approached the London architect, John Nash, and requested that he visit the area to rebuild Killymoon Castle. Nash also designed the Rectory at Lissan for the Rev John Molesworth Staples in 1807.

With the establishment of Gunning's Linen Weaving Mill, with over 300 looms, Cookstown developed in the 19th century as the local centre of the linen trade. Two railways established terminus railway stations at Cookstown - the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (1856-1955) and the Great Northern Railway (1879-1959).

Prominent developments in the second half of the 19th century included J.J. McCarthy's Church of the Holy Trinity on Chapel Street.

On 17 June 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) raided the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) barracks in Cookstown, with help from four sympathetic RIC officers. In a brief firefight, IRA member Patrick Loughran was killed. He was the first IRA man killed on active service in what became Northern Ireland.

Cookstown Town Hall was designed by the town surveyor, Charles Geoffrey Birtwell, and built on the Burn Road by James Corrigan of Pomeroy: it was officially opened on 27 May 1953.

During the Troubles, Cookstown suffered from several bomb attacks: on 2 November 1990 an off duty soldier from the Ulster Defence Regiment was killed by a car bomb.

Cookstown Town Hall was demolished in 1998 and the Burnavon Arts and Cultural Centre opened on the site in 2000.

On 17 March 2019, three teenagers were killed in a crowd crush outside the Greenvale Hotel in Cookstown during a St Patrick's Day disco.

Places of interest

Gortalowry House
St Luaran's Church
Church of the Holy Trinity

Demography

19th century population

The population of the town increased during the 19th century:

Year184118511861187118811891
Population300629933257350138703841
Houses550576600728822835

Cookstown is classified as a medium town (i.e. with population between 10,000 and 18,000 people) by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).: 11 

2021 Census

National Identity of Cookstown residents (2021)
Nationality Per cent
British
 
 31.7%
Irish
 
 31.3%
Northern Irish
 
 28.6%

On census day in 2021 there were 12,546 people living in Cookstown. Of these:

  • 21.05% were aged under 16, 63.93% were aged between 16 and 65, and 15.03% were aged 66 and over.
  • 51% were female, and 49% were male.
  • 56.21% (7,053) were from a Catholic background, and 34.34% (4,308) were from a Protestant or other Christian background, 1.12% were from other religious backgrounds and 8.33% (1,045) had no religious background.
  • 31.68% indicated they had a British national identity, 31.29% had an Irish national identity, and 28.58% had a Northern Irish national identity. (respondents could select more than one national identity).
  • 14.55% had some knowledge of Irish, and 8.88% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.

2011 Census

On census day (27 March 2011) there were 11,599 people living in Cookstown. Of these:

  • 98% were from the white ethnic group
  • 56% were from a Catholic background, and 39% were from a Protestant or other Christian background
  • 40% indicated that they had a British national identity, 30% had a Northern Irish national identity, and 28% had an Irish national identity (respondents could choose more than one)

2001 Census

On census day (29 April 2001) there were 10,646 people living in Cookstown. Of these:

  • 26.0% were aged under 16 years and 15.6% were aged 60 and over
  • 49.7% of the population were male and 50.3% were female
  • 52.8% were from a Catholic background and 45.1% were from a Protestant background
  • 3.9% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.

Townlands

The following is a list of townlands within Cookstown's urban area, alongside their likely etymologies:

Cookstown townland itself is situated in the historic barony of Dungannon Upper and the civil parish of Derryloran and covers an area of 217 acres.

The population of the townland increased overall during the 19th century:

Year184118511861187118811891
Population27-1612311993
Houses514232822

Politics

In elections for the Westminster Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly it is part of the Mid Ulster constituency.

Cookstown District Council, was established in 1973, and included part of County Londonderry, notably the villages of Moneymore, The Loup and Ballyronan.

As part of the Local Government Reform (NI) Cookstown District Council merged with Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council and Magherafelt District Council to form a larger Mid Ulster District Council in 2015.

Sport

Motorcycling

The town plays host to the Cookstown 100 Road Races, the longest running motorcycle road race in Ireland. Held in April of each year the races are seen as the curtain raiser to the Irish National Road Racing Championship.

Gaelic Football

Cookstown Fr. Rock's, the local Gaelic Athletic Association club, won the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship in 2013.

Association Football

Local association football clubs include Cookstown Olympic F.C. (an intermediate-level football club), Mid-Ulster Ladies F.C. (a women's football club), Killymoon Rangers F.C., Coagh United F.C. and Sofia Farmer F.C. (clubs in the Cookstown District that play in the Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League).

Hockey

Cookstown Hockey Club is the town's field hockey team.

Education

Secondary schools serving the area include Cookstown High School and Holy Trinity College, Cookstown.

At third level, the Loughry Campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise is 2 mi (3.2 km) south of Cookstown. South West College (a technical college) is also in the area.

Healthcare

The first community hub for primary care in the province is to be established in the town, backed by four local GP practices and the health board. It is to incorporate scanning facilities, a minor surgery suite, a pharmacy, out-of-hours consultations and community healthcare partnerships, with the possibility of developing supported living accommodation for older people.

Climate

Climate data for Lough Fea, Elevation: 225 m (738 ft), 1991–2020 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.0
(42.8)		 6.5
(43.7)		 8.3
(46.9)		 10.9
(51.6)		 13.9
(57.0)		 16.2
(61.2)		 17.6
(63.7)		 17.2
(63.0)		 15.2
(59.4)		 11.6
(52.9)		 8.4
(47.1)		 6.3
(43.3)		 11.5
(52.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.6
(38.5)		 3.8
(38.8)		 5.1
(41.2)		 7.3
(45.1)		 10.0
(50.0)		 12.5
(54.5)		 14.1
(57.4)		 13.9
(57.0)		 12.0
(53.6)		 8.9
(48.0)		 5.9
(42.6)		 3.9
(39.0)		 8.4
(47.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.1
(34.0)		 1.1
(34.0)		 2.0
(35.6)		 3.6
(38.5)		 6.1
(43.0)		 8.8
(47.8)		 10.6
(51.1)		 10.5
(50.9)		 8.8
(47.8)		 6.1
(43.0)		 3.4
(38.1)		 1.5
(34.7)		 5.3
(41.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 140.3
(5.52)		 111.1
(4.37)		 106.4
(4.19)		 93.4
(3.68)		 88.3
(3.48)		 96.6
(3.80)		 102.0
(4.02)		 116.1
(4.57)		 102.9
(4.05)		 128.3
(5.05)		 141.1
(5.56)		 144.9
(5.70)		 1,371.2
(53.98)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 19.3 16.6 16.6 14.5 14.2 13.8 15.7 16.2 14.7 17.5 18.8 19.4 197.2
Source: Met Office

Notable people

Arts

Business

Sport

Politics

Mallon (foreground) in a hospital bed

Medical

See also

References

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  2. ↑ "Cookstown District Council". Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2008.
  3. ↑ "Ulster-Scots guide to Beaghmore stone circles – Department of the Environment" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Settlement 2015". NISRA. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Gerrard, David (2004). The Hidden Places of Ireland. Travel Publishing. p. 442.
  6. ↑ "Cookstown, County Tyrone". PlaceNames NI. Northern Ireland Place-Name Project.
  7. 1 2 3 Coyle, Cathal (2014). The Little Book of Tyrone. History Press. p. 49. ISBN 978-0750962841.
  8. ↑ "1803 - Killymoon Castle, Cookstown, County Tyrone". Archiseek. 29 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "1807 - Lissan Rectory, Cookstown, County Tyrone". Archiseek. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Cookstown Directory". 1880. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  11. 1 2 "1860 - Holy Trinity Church, Cookstown, County Tyrone". Archiseek. 15 February 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  12. ↑ Hezlet, Sir Arthur (1972). The 'B' Specials. London: Tom Stacey. p. 10. ISBN 0-85468-272-4.
  13. ↑ Lawlor, Pearse (2011). The Outrages: The IRA and the Ulster Special Constabulary in the Border Campaign. Mercier Press. pp. 28–29.
  14. ↑ Chronology of Irish History 1919 - 1923 - June 1920 Archived 5 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Seamus Fox. 2008. Dublin City University.
  15. ↑ "Cookstown Town Hall" (PDF). Mid-Ulster Local History Journal. p. 40. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "Political violence during the Troubles: 1990-1994". Alpha History. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  17. ↑ "Town hall to be demolished". The Irish Times. 10 September 1998. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  18. ↑ "Annual Report 2000/21" (PDF). Arts Council of Northern Ireland. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 August 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  19. ↑ Carroll, Rory (18 March 2019). "Police investigating cause of deadly St Patrick's Day crush". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  20. ↑ O'Neill, B., ed. (2002). Irish Cathedrals, Churches and Abbeys. London: Caxton Editions. p. 63.
  21. ↑ "Beaghmore Stone Circle Complex". Megalithics. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
  22. ↑ "Tullaghoge Fort". Discover Northern Ireland. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
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  26. 1 2 3 Alexander Richardson Archived 3 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine, founder of the Drum estate. Ancestry.com user page.
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  28. ↑ "Derryloran Old Church Cookstown". My Cookstown.
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  30. ↑ "Census of Ireland 1851". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. Retrieved 22 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. 1 2 "Census of Ireland 1891". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. Retrieved 22 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  32. ↑ "Statistical Classification and Delineation of Settlements" (PDF). NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). February 2005. Table 3 / Band C - Large Town. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  33. 1 2 "National Identity (British)". NISRA. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  34. 1 2 "National Identity (Irish)". NISRA. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  35. 1 2 "National Identity (Northern Irish)". NISRA. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  36. ↑ "Age". NISRA. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  37. ↑ "Sex (MS-A07)". NISRA. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  38. ↑ "Religion or religion brought up in". NISRA. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  39. ↑ "Knowledge of Irish (MS-B05)". NISRA. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  40. ↑ "Knowledge of Ulster-Scots (MS-B08)". NISRA. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  41. ↑ "Census 2011 Population Statistics for Cookstown Settlement". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Archived from the original on 23 May 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021. This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  42. ↑ "NI Neighbourhood Information Service NISRA". Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 18 December 2005.
  43. ↑ "Northern Ireland Placenames Project". placenamesni.org. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
  44. ↑ "Townlands of County Tyrone". IreAtlas Townland Database. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  45. ↑ "Census of Ireland 1851". Enhanced Parliamentary Papers on Ireland. Retrieved 19 March 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  46. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated – Mid Ulster". Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  47. ↑ Transport Year Book 2006. Stationery Office. 18 November 2005. p. 66. ISBN 9780117035850. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  48. ↑ "Electoral Areas". Mid-Ulster District Council. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  49. ↑ Rial, Stevie. "Ignore The Doom Mongers! Cookstown 100 Will Run – Road Racing News".
  50. ↑ "Cookstown 100 – Road Racing News".
  51. 1 2 "All-Ireland Club IFC final: All-Ireland glory for Cookstown". Hogan Stand. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  52. ↑ "CYFC 1sts vs Cookstown Olympic F.C. (Cookstown Cup)". YouTube. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  53. ↑ McWilliams, Nikki (24 May 2014). "Referee decides to end match 17 minutes early". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
  54. ↑ "Killymoon Rangers hoping to add to 50th anniversary celebrations with cup success". Belfast Live. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  55. ↑ "Pre-season: v Sofia Farmer". YouTube. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2022.[better source needed]
  56. ↑ "Cookstown triumph in Kirk final". BBC Sport. 26 December 2006. Retrieved 2 June 2007.
  57. ↑ "Cookstown High School". Education Authority Northern Ireland. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  58. ↑ "Holy Trinity College, Cookstown". Education Authority Northern Ireland. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  59. ↑ "CAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise) - Loughry Campus". NI Direct. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  60. ↑ "South West College". The Alliance for Sustainable Leadership in Education. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  61. ↑ "£8m health village plan 'well advanced'". Mid Ulster Mail. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  62. ↑ "Lough Fea Climate". Met Office. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  63. ↑ "Cookstown-born comic Jimmy Cricket awarded knighthood by the Pope". Northern Ireland World. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  64. ↑ "Cookstown poet a Queen's Professor". Tyrone Courier. 14 May 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  65. ↑ McGurk, John (4 September 2012). "Cookstown singer Eamonn McCrystal set for stardom in US". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  66. ↑ O'Neill, Emma (5 September 2009). "Owen O'Neill is Cookstown's Comedy King". Culture Northern Ireland. CultureNorthernIreland. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
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  72. ↑ "Stuart Dallas". irishfa.com. Irish Football Association. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
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  75. ↑ "Mulligan ready to keep working to bring more success to Tyrone". The Irish News. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  76. ↑ "Ian Sloan eyes Great Britain coaching job as he makes early plans for life after fruitful playing career". The Belfast Telegraph. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  77. ↑ "Cookstown hockey stars show their class at Masters tournament". 23 September 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
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Media related to Cookstown at Wikimedia Commons