Maghera

thumb|Tirnony Dolmen Maghera ( ; ) is a small town at the foot of the Glenshane Pass in Northern Ireland. Its population was 4,235 in the 2021 census. Formerly in the barony of Loughinsholin within the historic County Londonderry, it is today in the local-government district of Mid-Ulster.

Key facts

UK place.official_name: Maghera
UK place.irish_name: Machaire Rátha
UK place.scots_name: Machera
UK place.static_image_name: Maghera Town Centre.jpg
UK place.static_image_caption: Maghera Town Centre
UK place.map_type: Northern Ireland
UK place.population: 4,235
UK place.population_ref: (2021 census)
UK place.unitary_northern_ireland: Mid-Ulster
UK place.constituency_westminster: Mid-Ulster
UK place.constituency_ni_assembly: Mid-Ulster
UK place.country: Northern Ireland
UK place.post_town: MAGHERA
UK place.postcode_area: BT
UK place.postcode_district: BT46
UK place.dial_code: 028

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Population: 4235
Image: Maghera Town Centre.jpg
Dialing code: 028

Show 3 more facts

postal code: BT46
P8168: Bourgoin-Jallieu
Commons category: Maghera, County Londonderry

Sources (3)

via Wikidata · CC0

~10 min read

Article

17 sections

Contents

History
Governance
Churches
Demographics
2021 Census
2011 Census
Transport
Notable people
1700s
1800s
1900s
Schools
Primary schools
Secondary school
Sport
References
External links

==History== One mile north of the town is a single-chamber megalithic tomb known as Tirnony dolmen. The portals surrounding the tomb are five feet tall. The town dates back at least to the 6th century to the church founded by Saint Lurach. Standing upon the site of the church, the present day ruins of St. Lurach's Church date back to the 10th century (see Maghera Old Church). They include, over a doorway, a relief of the crucifixion, possibly the oldest in Ireland. The crucifixion lintel is reproduced in the contemporary Catholic church, St Mary's.