| Loughgall | |
| Irish: Loch gCál | |
St Luke's Church |
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Loughgall shown within Northern Ireland |
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| Population | 285 (2001 Census) |
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| Irish grid reference | H908522 |
| District | Armagh |
| County | County Armagh |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ARMAGH |
| Postcode district | BT61 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | Newry and Armagh |
| NI Assembly | Newry and Armagh |
| List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Armagh | |
Loughgall ( /lɒxˈɡɔːl/ lokh-gawl; from Irish: Loch gCál, meaning "cabbage lake")[1][2] is a small village and townland in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 285 people.
Loughgall was named after a small nearby loch. The village is at the heart of the apple-growing industry and is surrounded by orchards. Along the village's main street is large set of gates leading to Loughgall Manor. An imposing building, the Manor was once the home of the Cope family who arrived as part of the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century.
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In 1795, rival sectarian gangs, the Catholic Defenders and Protestant Peep-o'-Day Boys fought a bloody skirmish called the Battle of the Diamond, that left around 80 people dead. The Orange Order was founded in Loughgall following these events.
For more information see The Troubles in Loughgall, which includes a list of incidents in Loughgall during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.
On 8 May 1987, eight Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteers launched an attack on the village's Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) base, but were ambushed by a Special Air Service (SAS) unit of twenty-five. The SAS shot dead all eight IRA volunteers and a passing civilian. This is known as the Loughgall Ambush.
Loughgall Country Park is set in a 188 hectare estate of open farmland & orchards and includes an 18 hole golf course and 37-acre (150,000 m2) coarse fishery.
The NI Horticulture and Plant Breeding Station is set in the Loughgall Manor Estate, surrounded by mature woodlands and overlooking the Lough Gall. The estate was established in the late 17th century by Sir Anthony Cope of Hanwell, Oxfordshire and became the Cope family home for 350 years. In 1947 the estate was purchased from General Sir Gerald Templer, a descendant of the original owner, by the (then) Ministry of Agriculture.
It is home to Loughgall Football Club, which plays in the IFA Championship.
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