- Source: County Tyrone
County Tyrone (; from Irish Tír Eoghain, meaning 'land of Eoghan' [tʲiːɾʲ ˈɔːn]) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. Its county town is Omagh.
Adjoined to the south-west shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 1,261 square miles (3,266 km2), making it the largest of Northern Ireland's six counties by size, and the second largest county in Ulster after Donegal. With a population of 188,383 as of the 2021 census, Tyrone is the 5th most populous county in both Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the 11th most populous county on the island of Ireland. The county derives its name and general geographic location from Tír Eoghain, a Gaelic kingdom under the O'Neill dynasty which existed until the 17th century.
Name
The name Tyrone is derived from Irish Tír Eoghain 'land of Eoghan', the name given to the conquests made by the Cenél nEógain from the provinces of Airgíalla and Ulaid. Historically, it was anglicised as Tirowen or Tyrowen, which are closer to the Irish pronunciation.
History
Historically Tyrone (then Tír Eoghain or Tirowen) was much larger in size, stretching as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern-day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610 and 1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on natural resources located there. Tyrone was the traditional stronghold of the various O'Neill clans and families, the strongest of the Gaelic Irish families in Ulster, surviving into the seventeenth century. The ancient principality of Tír Eoghain, the inheritance of the O'Neills, included the whole of the present counties of Tyrone and Londonderry, and the four baronies of West Inishowen, East Inishowen, Raphoe North and Raphoe South in County Donegal.
In 1608 during O'Doherty's Rebellion areas of the country were plundered and burnt by the forces of Sir Cahir O'Doherty following his destruction of Derry. However, O'Doherty's men avoided the estates of the recently fled Earl of Tyrone around Dungannon, fearing Tyrone's anger if he returned from his exile.
Geography
With an area of 1,261 square miles (3,266 km2), Tyrone is the largest county in Northern Ireland. The flat peatlands of East Tyrone border the shoreline of the largest lake in the British Isles, Lough Neagh, rising gradually across to the more mountainous terrain in the west of the county, the area surrounding the Sperrin Mountains, the highest point being Sawel Mountain at a height of 678 metres (2,224 ft). The length of the county, from the mouth of the River Blackwater at Lough Neagh to the western point near Carrickaduff hill is 55 miles (89 km). The breadth, from the southern corner, southeast of Fivemiletown, to the northeastern corner near Meenard Mountain is 37.5 miles (60.4 km); giving an area of 1,261 sq mi (3,270 km2). Annaghone lays claim to be the geographical centre of Northern Ireland.
Tyrone is connected by land to the counties of Fermanagh to the southwest; Monaghan to the south; Armagh to the southeast; Londonderry to the north; and Donegal to the west. Across Lough Neagh to the east, it borders County Antrim. It is the eighth largest of Ireland's thirty-two counties by area and tenth largest by population. It is the second largest of Ulster's nine traditional counties by area and fourth largest by population.
Administration
The county was administered by Tyrone County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973.
Demography
It is one of four counties in Northern Ireland which currently has a majority of the population from a Catholic community background, according to the 2021 census. In 1900 County Tyrone had a population of 197,719, while in 2021 it was 188,383. At the time of the 2021 census, 66.49% were from a Catholic background, 28.88% were from a Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related), 0.66% were from other religions, and 3.97% had no religious background.
= Irish language and Ulster Scots
=In the 2021 UK census in County Tyrone:
18.44% claim to have some knowledge of the Irish language, whilst 5.84% claim to be able to speak, read, write and understand spoken Irish. 3.62% claim to use Irish daily. 0.38% claim that Irish is their main language.
8.15% claim to have some knowledge of Ulster Scots, whilst 0.91% claim to be able to speak, read, write and understand spoken Ulster Scots. 1.26% claim to use Ulster Scots daily.
Settlements
= Large towns
=(population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2021 Census)
Omagh
= Medium towns
=(population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2021 Census)
Cookstown
Dungannon
Strabane
= Small towns
=(population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2021 Census)
Coalisland
= Intermediate settlements
=(population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2021 Census)
Castlederg
= Villages
=(population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census)
Ardboe
Carrickmore
Dromore
Fintona
Fivemiletown
Killyclogher
Moy
Newtownstewart
Sion Mills
= Small villages
=(population of less than 1,000 at 2001 Census)
Subdivisions
Baronies
Clogher
Dungannon Lower
Dungannon Middle
Dungannon Upper
Omagh East
Omagh West
Strabane Lower
Strabane Upper
Parishes
Townlands
Future railway revival
There is the possibility of the line being reopened to Dungannon railway station from Portadown.
Sport
Major sports in Tyrone include Gaelic games, association football, rugby union and cricket:
Gaelic football is more widely played than hurling in Tyrone. The Tyrone GAA football side has had considerable success since 2000, winning four All Ireland titles (in 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2021). They have also won sixteen Ulster titles (1956, 1957, 1973, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2017 and 2021) and two National League titles (in 2002 and 2003).
Association football also has a large following in Tyrone. Omagh Town F.C. were members of the Irish Football League until they folded in 2005 due to financial problems. Dungannon Swifts F.C. compete in the NIFL Premiership – the top division. Other teams include NIFL Championship side Dergview F.C.
Rugby union is very popular in the county. Dungannon RFC, Omagh Academicals RFC and Clogher Valley RFC play in the All-Ireland League. Other teams include Cookstown RFC and Strabane RFC.
International Cricket is also played on the Bready Cricket Club Ground which is owned by Bready Cricket Club. It is Ireland's fourth venue for International Cricket hosting its first International Cricket match when Ireland played against Scotland in a series of T20I matches in June 2015. It was selected as a venue to host matches in the 2015 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament.
Notable people
See also
Abbeys and priories in Northern Ireland (County Tyrone)
High Sheriff of Tyrone
List of civil parishes of County Tyrone
List of places in County Tyrone
List of townlands in County Tyrone
Lord Lieutenant of Tyrone
Ulster American Folk Park
The Moorlough Shore
References
Pointon, GE (1990), BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names (2nd ed.), Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 92, ISBN 0-19-282745-6
Further reading
Joost, Augusteijn (ed.) (1920s). The Memoirs of John M. Regan, a Catholic Officer in the RIC and RUC, 1909–48. Co. Tyrone. ISBN 978-1-84682-069-4.
McNeill, I. (2010). The Flora of County Tyrone. National Museums of Northern Ireland. ISBN 978-1-905989-17-1
External links
Tyrone on the interactive map of the counties of Great Britain and Ireland – Wikishire
A Flavour of Tyrone
County Tyrone.com
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- County Donegal
- Tyrone Mears
- William Greer
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (buku)
- Martir Katolik Irlandia
- Annie Scott Dill Maunder
- Joseph MacRory
- Moses Orr
- James E. Boyd (politikus)
- Keuskupan Agung Armagh
- County Tyrone
- Dromore, County Tyrone
- Aughnacloy, County Tyrone
- Moy, County Tyrone
- Tyrone
- Tyrone Township, Livingston County, Michigan
- Lower Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania
- West Tyrone
- Ballygawley, County Tyrone
- Tyrone GAA
