Knockmoyle
Knockmoyle
| |
|---|---|
  Location withinNorthern Ireland | |
| Population | 329 (2001 Census) |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Postcode district | BT |
| Dialling code | 028 |
Knockmoyle(/nɒkˈmɔɪl/nok-MOYL;fromIrishan Cnoc Maol,meaning 'the bald hill')[1]is ahamletandtownlandapproximately 8 kilometres northwest ofOmaghinCounty Tyrone,Northern Ireland.In the 2001 census the Knockmoyle area had 141 households and a population of 329. It has apost office,church(est. 1800) andpublic house.The nearby River Strule is well known for its trout fishing. Other attractions nearby include the Gortin Glens Forest Park and theUlster American Folk Park.TheUlster Waywalking route passes through Knockmoyle.
Background
[edit]Knockmoyle is the birthplace ofBrian Friel(9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. Friel is considered one of the greatest English-language dramatists.
Omagh UnitedFootball Club, formed in the summer of 2007 from an amalgamation of threeOmaghsoccerclubs, played its home matches at the Athletic Park in Knockmoyle until the club was forced to fold at the end of the 2009/10 season due to financial reasons. In its first seasonOmagh Unitedplayed in the Fermanagh and Western League and in the 2008/2009 season progressed into Intermediate B of the Mid Ulster Football League. The club had a highly successful year and won the league before playing in Intermediate A, part of theNorthern Ireland football league system,until it folded in 2010.
Knockmoyle Shamrocks was one of the earliestGaelic footballclubs in westTyrone.In May 1920 the club competed in the inaugural West Tyrone league along with five other clubs namelyFintona Pearses,Omagh Colemans, Carnlea Emmetts, Tattysallagh and Aughafad. Knockmoyle competed at junior level in the early 1950s, winning the Davis Cup in 1951 and 1953 and played in two junior football championship finals. A hurling club was formed in Knockmoyle in 1947 which won 3 Tyrone Senior hurling titles in 1947, 1950 and 1953 (although these titles are attributed to a separate parish club namely Killyclogher St Mary's in contemporary records).
Aboxingclub operated in Knockmoyle for a number of years during the 1970s.
A very successfultable tennisclub was based in Knockmoyle from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s. The club won several county titles and some of its players also won individual county championship titles.
Knockmoyle had its ownprimary schooluntil the mid-1960s 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."
References
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