Creggan, County Armagh
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Creggan (an Chreagain in Irish) is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, just outside Crossmaglen. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 246 people. It lies within the Newry and Mourne District Council area.
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[edit] Places of interest
Creggan Church Yard, near Crossmaglen is home to some of Ireland's best known Gaelic poets. The current Church of Ireland church dates back to 1731 but there is evidence to suggest an earlier Catholic church preceded it. This is the burial place of three 18th century Irish poets: Art MacCooey, Pádraig Mac Aliondain and Séamus Mór MacMurphy. It is also the burial place of the clan O’Neill. The O’Neills of Tyrone invaded South Armagh during the middle of the 15th century. The burial place was re-discovered in 1971 during a clean up of the cemetery for the proposed bi-centennial celebrations of Art MacCooey. It is reputed the O’Neills arrived in Creggan in 1447 and the burial place currently contains approximately 70 skulls.
[edit] History
[edit] 1920s
In April 1921, Frank Aiken's IRA unit took a Protestant church congregation hostage in Creggan in order to ambush the Police and Special Constabulary arriving for the service. One Special was killed in the ensuing ambush. Although Aiken then released the Protestant civilians unharmed, the incident heightened local sectarian animosity.
[edit] The Troubles
For more information see The Troubles in Creggan (Armagh), which includes a list of incidents in Creggan during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.
