Ballymaguigan
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| Ballymaguigan Baile Mhig Úiginn or Baile Mhic Úiginn |
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| Province: | Ulster | |
| County: | County Londonderry | |
| District: | Magherafelt | |
| Population ( ) | <650 | |
Ballymaguigan (Irish: Baile Mhig Uiginn) is a small hamlet situated in southern County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is a rural region of about 350 houses and lies on the western shores of Lough Neagh, with relative close proximity to Magherafelt. The hamlet forms one part of a parish named Ardtrea North. Ballymaguigan is in located in the local council named, Magherafelt District Council. The name Ballymaguigan originated as a result of the area being highly populated in the 17th century with Maguigans, who refused to bow the knee to the Landlords and were ultimately banished to the mountains. Hence the meaning Townland of the Maguigans. Interestingly, the Sperrins continue to be saturated with Maguigans while Ballymaguigan remains void of anyone by the name to the present day.
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[edit] Places of interest
Lough Neagh is situated in lower end of Ballymaguiagn. It is regarded by fishermen of Ballymaguigan and surrounding areas as one of the best places to obtain ell fish in Ulster, and is also good for obtaining salmon. Due to Ballymaguigan's location on the shores of Lough Neagh, in days gone by fishing was the primary source of income for many families in Ballymaguigan.
St. Trea'a GAA Grounds is the central meeting point in Ballymaguigan. It lies beside the Island Hill A.O.H. hall, which is used for the weekly Bingo (on Wednesday Night) sessions and Wisk Drives (on Thursday Night)and many other events. The facilities also has a Woman's Group,a Youth Club and Changing Rooms. There is also a large car park within the facility.
FreshWater Univeristy. Ulster University used to have a base in Ballymaguigan down the Point Road. The university was used in order to test and treat the waters of Lough Neagh, to treat and look after the wildlife in the lough.
[edit] Sport
Gaelic Games are far and away the most popular sports in the area, with St.Trea's G.F.C being the local club. Ballymaguiagn fields Gaelic football teams at U12, U14, U16, Minor, Reserve, Thirds and Senior levels. There are also Minor and Senior ladies Gaelic football teams .
Prior to 1944 one team catered for the combined interests of Ballymaguigan and Newbridge. The war came, Toome Airfield was built, practically dividing the parish in two thus making it very difficult for the Ballymaguigan based players to travel to the pitch in the creagh for training. Paddy Batson suggested that a ball be purchased so that the local players could practise in Ballymaguigan. From this initial step the beginnings of an independent club became apparent.
[edit] Education
Most people in Ballymaguiagn attend the local catholic maintained primary school. The school is named Saint Trea's Primary School and acoomidates for children ages 4 to 11.
The peoeple of Ballymaguiagn and neighbouring counterparting village in the parish of Ardtrea North, Newbridge may not have a school to attend because of the new laws regurdng the opening of a priamry school. In Northern Ireland if a primary school has less than 105 pupils they may have to face the possibility of closer. Saint Trea's Primary School falls into this bracket and may face a joining with Anahorsih Priamry School. This means that the new school would have to accomidate both communities and be placed in a central loaction within the parish.
Once the people of Ballymaguigan have finished their education in Saint Trea's Primary School then attend secondary schools in the loacl town of Magherafelt. The people of Ballymaguigan attended schools in Magherafelt such as:
- Saint Pius X College formally Saint Pius X High School, Magerafelt
- Saint Mary's Grammar School
- Rainey Endowed Grammar School
- Sperrin Intergraded College
[edit] The Troubles
On the 18 December 1971 - James Sheridan (20), John Bateson (19) and Martin Lee (18), all from Ballymaguigan died in a premature bomb explosion while travelling in a car at King Street, Magherafelt. The three men all were Catholics and members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA). The men all came from Ballymaguigan.
[edit] Roads Within Ballymaguigan
- Shore Road
The Shore Road is the main road within Ballymaguigan and is named the Shore Road because it runs along the shore of the lough. The road is about 12 miles long. The road partially runs through the village of Newbridge, Ballymaguigan, Ballyronan and Ballinderry, before it becomes the Ballinderry Bridge Road.
A number of other roads run off the right of the Shore Road and eventually these roads end at the lough. These roads are named the (Lower) Waterfoot Road, Moss Road, Lough Road and the Point Road.
- The Barrack Road (Section One) - Running from O'Neill's Park to the Gracefield Road
- The Barrack Road (Section Two) - Running from the middle of the Barrack Road to the beginning of the Ballmaguiagn Road. This road was formally known as "Charley's Hill" locally.
- The Ballymaguigan Road - This road almost runs parallel of the Barrack road. The road begins just off the left hand side of the Shore Road and forms a cross-roads with the Lough road. The Ballymaguigan road finishes at the Gracefield road.
- The Waterfoot Road - This road is actually two roads, The road begins just off the left hand side of the Shore Road and forms a cross-roads with the (Lower) Waterfoot Road. The Waterfoot road finishes at the Gracefield road.
- O'Neill's Park - This is a housing development and is is located on what is commonly known locally as "The Island Hill". The entrance of this development is just off the Barrack road. The development consists of twenty six houses.
[edit] Religion
Approximately 84.5% of Ballymaguigan people are of Roman Catholic origins. The remaining percentage are of the Protestant faith, unlike the urban areas of Northern Ireland the two communities can live side by side peacefully and the people of Ballymaguiagn hardly ever come into conflict. Despite the fact that the two communities never come into conflcit with each other the divsions are clearly displaced the Protestants live is small area of the upper end of Ballymaguigan whilst the remaining area of Ballymaguigan is allocated to the Catholics in the community.
