Coagh

Coordinates: 54°38′52″N 6°37′06″W / 54.6477°N 6.6184°W / 54.6477; -6.6184

Coagh (/ˈkoʊk/, from Irish: Cuach, meaning "a round hill") is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, situated five miles (8 km) east of Cookstown. Part of the village also extends into County Londonderry. It had a population of 545 people in the 2001 Census. It owes its existence to George Butle Conyngham of Springhill, and was founded in 1728 when King George II of Great Britain granted Conyngham a market charter allowing the village to host four fairs per year.

The village nestles among gentle, low-lying land between the Sperrins and Lough Neagh. The main feature of the village is Hanover Square, which was named after the reigning Hanoverian George II by Conyngham. The village has been an ancient settlement for several thousand years; overlooking Coagh is Tamlaght Stone, a [Mesolithic]] dolmen erected c. 4500 BCE.

History

The Troubles

See The Troubles in Coagh, which includes a list of incidents in Coagh during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities. On 3 June 1991, Provisional IRA members Lawrence McNally (38), Peter Ryan (37) and Tony Doris (21) were killed in an ambush by an SAS unit. The British Army stated that the PIRA members had been intercepted on their way to an attack. Over 200 rounds were fired at the car.