Cappagh
Encyclopedia
Cappagh is a small village
in County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
. It is between Pomeroy
, Ballygawley
, Galbally
and Carrickmore
, with the hamlet of Galbally about one mile to the east. Most of the land around Cappagh is farmland although a quarry lies just outside the village.
There is also a small rural parish in the west of county Limerick called Cappagh
.
website. Three were members of the Provisional IRA, three were members of the RUC
, two Catholic civilians, one former member of the UDR
, and a Protestant civilian. The three IRA volunteers and one of the Catholic residents were killed by the Ulster Volunteer Force
in a shooting spree
outside a local bar on 3 March 1991. Another Catholic civilian had been shot and killed in the same spot in January 1974 by loyalist assailants. The rest of the victims were killed by members of the Provisional IRA. The village, reputed as being a republican stronghold, was also the scene of another two significant events in the early 1990s. On 24 March 1990, there was a gunbattle between an IRA unit and undercover British security forces when a civilian-type vehicle driven by an undercover agent was fired on by IRA volunteers without warning, according to Archie Hamilton
, then Secretary of State for Defence
. Republican newspaper An Phoblacht
claims that a SAS
ambush was thwarted and at least two undercover soldiers in the car were killed. Hamilton states that there were no security or civilian casualties. Another major incident, at least for its consequences, took place on 12 May 1992, when a patrol of British paratroopers
was ambushed with an anti-personnel device by the IRA in Cappagh. One soldier lost both legs. The attack sparked the reaction of the paratroopers, which sealed off the nearby town of Coalisland
and clashed with the local population on 12 and 17 May 1992. The RUC alleged that a light machine gun stolen during the incidents was later recovered precisely at Cappagh, as part of a weapons cache. This series of incidents led to the suspension of patrols before the official end of the battalion's deployment and to the dissmisal of the Third Brigade's commander, Brigadier Tom Longland.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is between Pomeroy
Pomeroy, County Tyrone
Pomeroy is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the townland of Cavanakeeran, about from Cookstown, from Dungannon and from Omagh. The 2001 Census recorded a population of 604 people....
, Ballygawley
Ballygawley
Ballygawley or Ballygawly is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is about southwest of Dungannon, near the meeting of the A5 Omagh–Monaghan and A4 Dungannon–Enniskillen roads....
, Galbally
Galbally, County Tyrone
Galbally is a hamlet and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is between Cappagh and Donaghmore. Its name was formerly spelt as Gallwolly and Gallwally....
and Carrickmore
Carrickmore
Carrickmore is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies in the heart of the county on an raised site colloquially called "The Rock"; between Cookstown, Dungannon and Omagh. It had a population of 612 in the 2001 Census.-History:...
, with the hamlet of Galbally about one mile to the east. Most of the land around Cappagh is farmland although a quarry lies just outside the village.
There is also a small rural parish in the west of county Limerick called Cappagh
Cappagh, County Limerick
Cappagh is a small parish in West Limerick, Ireland. It is surrounded by the parishes of Askeaton , Rathkeale , Croagh and Coolcappa . The patron saint of the parish is St. James...
.
Places of interest
- Cappagh Mountain - The village is located on a hillside and immediately behind it stands Cappagh Mountain (948Ft). The area around Cappagh has fine mountain scenery where the land is a mixture of rural pastures and bog. These bog and peat lands still provide turf for the older generation of the area.
- Travelling towards AltmoreAltmoreAltmore is a hamlet and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is five miles from Carrickmore and four miles from Pomeroy. Most of the community consists of farmers who make their livelihood in cattle and pig farming...
on the right hand side of the road is King James's Well. A little further on was once a small house that occupied some of the finest miniature model houses and castles in Northern Ireland. - Cappagh Monument - In the middle of the village is a monument to local people who were killed by British security forces and paramilitaries during The TroublesThe TroublesThe Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
. It features a stone figure of a Provisional IRA volunteer, in front of a number of stone plaques commemorating various aspects of the conflict, such as the hunger strike of 19811981 Irish hunger strikeThe 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
and local Republican guerrillas who died. The focal point is the plaque for the "Loughgall MartyrsLoughgall AmbushThe Loughgall ambush took place on 8 May 1987 in the village of Loughgall, Northern Ireland. An eight-man Provisional Irish Republican Army group launched an attack on the village's Royal Ulster Constabulary station, but was ambushed by a British Army Special Air Service unit of twenty-five. The...
" - eight Provisional IRA members who died in an ambush during the conflict. Three of these men came from Galbally and another from Altmore, two hamlets located in the Cappagh area. - Old School - A single building inscribed with ‘old school’ is situated away from the main road. Now converted into a home, it catered for the education needs for children of the surrounding area during the 1930s and 1940s.
The Troubles in Cappagh
At least 10 people in and around Cappagh lost their lives during the Troubles, according to CAINConflict Archive on the Internet
CAIN is a database containing information about Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland from 1968 to the Present. The project began in 1996, with the website launching in 1997. The project is based within the University of Ulster at its Magee campus...
website. Three were members of the Provisional IRA, three were members of the RUC
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
, two Catholic civilians, one former member of the UDR
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
, and a Protestant civilian. The three IRA volunteers and one of the Catholic residents were killed by the Ulster Volunteer Force
Ulster Volunteer Force
The Ulster Volunteer Force is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in late 1965 or early 1966 and named after the Ulster Volunteer Force of 1913. The group's volunteers undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during The Troubles...
in a shooting spree
1991 Cappagh killings
The 1991 Cappagh killings was a gun attack by the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force on 3 March 1991 in the village of Cappagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland...
outside a local bar on 3 March 1991. Another Catholic civilian had been shot and killed in the same spot in January 1974 by loyalist assailants. The rest of the victims were killed by members of the Provisional IRA. The village, reputed as being a republican stronghold, was also the scene of another two significant events in the early 1990s. On 24 March 1990, there was a gunbattle between an IRA unit and undercover British security forces when a civilian-type vehicle driven by an undercover agent was fired on by IRA volunteers without warning, according to Archie Hamilton
Archie Hamilton, Baron Hamilton of Epsom
Archibald Gavin Hamilton, Baron Hamilton of Epsom, PC is a British Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:...
, then Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
. Republican newspaper An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht
An Phoblacht is the official newspaper of Sinn Féin in Ireland. It is published once a month, and according to its website sells an average of up to 15,000 copies every month and was the first Irish paper to provide an edition online and currently having in excess of 100,000 website hits per...
claims that a SAS
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
ambush was thwarted and at least two undercover soldiers in the car were killed. Hamilton states that there were no security or civilian casualties. Another major incident, at least for its consequences, took place on 12 May 1992, when a patrol of British paratroopers
3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade....
was ambushed with an anti-personnel device by the IRA in Cappagh. One soldier lost both legs. The attack sparked the reaction of the paratroopers, which sealed off the nearby town of Coalisland
Coalisland
Coalisland is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a population of 4,917 people . As its name suggests, it was formerly a centre for coal mining.-History:...
and clashed with the local population on 12 and 17 May 1992. The RUC alleged that a light machine gun stolen during the incidents was later recovered precisely at Cappagh, as part of a weapons cache. This series of incidents led to the suspension of patrols before the official end of the battalion's deployment and to the dissmisal of the Third Brigade's commander, Brigadier Tom Longland.
People
- Thomas MellonThomas MellonThomas Alexander Mellon was a Scotch-Irish American, entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge, best known as the founder of Mellon Bank and patriarch of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
: US industrialist born nearby. - Robert PattersonRobert PattersonRobert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...
: US soldier and industrialist - Martin HursonMartin HursonEdward Martin Hurson was an Irish republican hunger striker and a volunteer in the East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .-Background:...
: PIRA VolunteerVolunteer (Irish republican)Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
who died on the 1981 Hunger Strike in Long Kesh prison.