Coordinates: 54°50′38″N 6°40′23″W / 54.844°N 6.673°W
Maghera (pronounced /ˌmɑːhəˈrɑː/ MAH-hə-RAH, from Irish: Machaire Rátha, meaning "plain of the ringfort") is a town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Its population was 2,876 in 1991 and had risen to 3,711 in the 2001 Census. It is a commercial and educational hub for the surrounding villages of Swatragh, Tobermore, Upperlands, Gulladuff and Knockcloghrim. It is located in the civil parish of Maghera, which it was named after, and is part of the former barony of Loughinsholin.
The Slaughtneil/Carntogher area outside the town is unique for being the only rural community in Ireland outside of the official Gaeltachts where the Irish language is used as the primary language.
The Annals of Ulster say that the seat of the Cenél nEoghain was at Ráth Luraig in Maghera.
On 12 July 1830, Orange Order marches led to clashes between Orangemen and Ribbonmen in Maghera and Castledawson. Several Catholic homes were then burnt by Protestants following these clashes.
Maghera (from Irish Machaire Rátha, meaning "plain of the fort") is a parish in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is bordered by the parishes of Ballynascreen, Ballyscullion, Desertmartin, Dungiven, Kilcronaghan, Killelagh, Magherafelt, Tamlaght O'Crilly, and Termoneeny. As a civil parish it lies within the former barony of Loughinsholin and as an ecclesiastical parish it lies within the Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.
The name Maghera is derived from the Irish Machaire Rátha meaning "plain of the fort", however this is itself derived from the older name for the parish, Ráth Lúraigh, meaning "Lúrach's fort". One manuscript states that Lúrach was from Ráith, which is given as possibly being an even earlier name for the parish before Lúrach's name was suffixed to it.
Lúrach mac Cuanach is the 6th-century patron of the eccesliastical parish, with the local parish church, St. Lurachs, named after him. Lúrach's family held a degree of political importance in the area, with seven descendants of Lúrach's father Cuanu being kings of Airgíalla. Circumstantial evidence places their center of power at Ráth Lúraigh.
Maghera may refer to:
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