Knockmoyle

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Knockmoyle (Irish: An Cnoc Maol ) is a small hamlet situated in a picturesque valley approximately 8 kilometres north-west of Omagh in Co. Tyrone. In the 2001 census the Knockmoyle area had a population of 329 with a total number of households of 141. 130 of these dwellings are detached houses or bungalows. Facilities in the hamlet include a post office, church (est. 1800) and pub. The nearby River Strule is well known for its trout fishing. Other attractions nearby include the Gortin Glens Forest Park and the Ulster American Folk Park. The Ulster Way walking route passes through Knockmoyle. Coordinates: 54°39′N, 7°19′W

[edit] Origin of name

The name Knockmoyle is an anglicised version of Cnoc Maol taken from the Irish language which translates as Bald Hill.

[edit] Trivia

Omagh United Football Club, formed in the summer of 2007 from an amalgamation of three Omagh soccer clubs, currently plays its home matches at the Athletic Park in Knockmoyle. The club competes in the Fermanagh and Western Amateur Football League.

Knockmoyle Shamrocks was one of the founding Gaelic football clubs of Tyrone. In September 1919 the club competed in the inaugural West Tyrone league along with five other clubs namely Fintona Pearses, Omagh Colemans, Carnlea Emmetts, Tattysallagh and Aughafad. Knockmoyle no longer has its own football club and has now become subsumed by the nearby Killycloger St Marys club.

A boxing club operated in Knockmoyle for a number of years during the 1970's.

A very successful table tennis club was based in Knockmoyle from the mid 1970's until the mid 1980's. The club won several county titles and some of its players also won individual county championship titles.

The resident population of the hamlet include relatives of the Hollywood actress, Meryl Streep.

Knockmoyle had its own primary school until the mid 1960's which was founded under the will of John McEvoy who endowed it with £16 per annum "for the gratuitous education of the poor children in Mountjoy Forest, and vested in its management in the Rector for ever."

[edit] References

Northern Ireland Census 2001. http://www.nicensus2001.gov.uk Ulster Way. http://www.walkingworld.com/home/index.asp?id=38&nid=241