The Patrician Hall is a cultural, arts and entertainment venue in the village of 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:...

, 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...

. It was built by the Roman Catholic Parish of Termonmaguirk under the Diocese of Armagh as a means of using it to raise money to build Roman Catholic sector education facilities in the form of a primary and a post-primary school. This parish hall was named after Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick

Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....

 (that year being the 1500th anniversary of his death), and the venue played host to many national and international stars including Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson

Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...

, Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison

Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...

, Val Doonican

Val Doonican

Val Doonican is an Irish singer. From 1965 to 1986 he was a regular fixture on the BBC Television's schedule with The Val Doonican Show, which featured his own singing performances and a variety of guest artists...

, The Wolfe Tones and The Dubliners

The Dubliners

The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...

. It was also very popular on the Irish Showband circuit throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. . The venue continued to be used up until the millennium by local groups for events and fundraising.

Renovation

After 40 years of constant use the venue fell into disrepair, so the building was transferred on a leased basis from the Parish of Termonmaguirk and the Diocese of Armagh to a local voluntary community group in order to become eligible for public funding. After a 'farewell' concert in 2003 it closed for 18 months for major renovation work, with much of that work and funding again coming from local volunteers as well as public bodies.

It reopened in 2005 with facilities including state-of-the-art lighting, sound and technical specifications; retractable seating, bar and food service, event and banquet suite and conference facilities whilst retaining the atmosphere for which it became famous. .
The venue continues to be used for a multitude of purposes and by a wide and varied section of the community. It is the community of Carrickmore who own and manage The Patrician.

Since its re-opening artists such as Francis Black, Johnny McEvoy

Johnny McEvoy

Johnny McEvoy is an Irish singer of Country and Irish genre born in Banagher, County Offaly, Ireland.He was part of a duo called "Ramblers 2", and has been in the entertainment circuit since the 1960s.-Hits:...

, Philomena Begley

Philomena Begley

Philomena Begley is an Irish country music singer.-Background:Philomena Begley was born and grew up in Pomeroy Co. Tyrone and worked in a shirt factory in Cookstown before her break into music.-Career:...

, Ronnie Drew

Ronnie Drew

Joseph Ronald "Ronnie" Drew was an Irish singer and folk musician who achieved international fame during a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin...

, The Wolfe Tones, Phil Coulter

Phil Coulter

Phil Coulter is an artist with an international reputation as a successful songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director. His success has spanned four decades and he is one of the biggest record sellers in Ireland...

 and Shane MacGowan

Shane MacGowan

Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan is an Irish musician and singer, best known as the original singer and songwriter of The Pogues.-History:...

 have played there. In 2006, The Patrician was featured in a BBC documentary regarding the Field Day Theatre Co. and Stephen Rea

Stephen Rea

Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...

, actor of stage and screen revisited the hall to take part in this. In 2007 the President of the Republic of Ireland, Mary McAleese

Mary McAleese

Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...

, paid a visit as part of a tour of County Tyrone and unveiled a plaque in recognition of the new venue.

Mid Ulster Drama Festival

Every March The Patrician Hall hosts the Mid-Ulster Drama festival, which showcases the best of amateur dramatics from groups throughout Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. The Mid Ulster Drama Festival has been running since 1967 at The Patrician Hall.