Tandragee

Tandragee is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is on a hillside above the Cusher River, and is overlooked by Tandragee Castle. The town is in the civil parish of Ballymore and the historic barony of Orior Lower. Earlier spellings of the name include 'Tanderagee' and 'Tonregee'. It had a population of 3,545 people in the 2021 census.

History

Overlooking the town is Tandragee Castle. It was originally the seat of the chief of the O'Hanlon clan, who was Lord of Orior. Because some of the O'Hanlons took part in the Nine Years' War, the castle and surrounding territory were confiscated from the O'Hanlons and granted to Oliver St John and his heirs.
Tandragee Castle was rebuilt in about 1837, after having previously been destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, for George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester. Its grounds have been home to the Tayto potato-crisp factory since 1956, after being bought by businessman Thomas Hutchinson.

Irish Rebellion of 1641

On 23 October 1641, the fortified town of Tandragee was attacked and taken by Irish rebels led by Patrick and Edmond O'Hanlon, as a part of the O'Hanlon clan's efforts to reclaim their territory. The rebels set fire to the church of Ballymore, as well as Captain Oliver St John's castle, resulting in the destruction of the town. They also reportedly executed Protestant settlers living in Tandragee.
In April 1642, Felim O'Neill, leading the rebellion, commanded that his forces gather at Tandragee to prepare to confront the Scots Covenanters who had landed in Ulster. About 2,000 soldiers responded to O'Neill's call.
On 12 May 1643, General Robert Monro led an army of 4,000 Covenanters to Tandragee, and burned homes in the surrounding region. Felim O'Neill's forces, comprising both cavalry and infantry, engaged Monro's men. During this skirmish, the lieutenant of Colonel Monro's cavalry, along with two captains and several soldiers, lost their lives. Ultimately, the O'Hanlons lost their hold of Tandragee, with the castle left in a state of disrepair as a result of the conflict.
On 9 September 1679 a group of Redmond O'Hanlon's followers murdered Henry St John, grandnephew of Sir Oliver St John, when horse-riding near Knockbridge. He was the owner of Tandragee Castle and its demesne at the time.

Tandragee Volunteers

In the late 18th century, Britain was engaged in the American Revolutionary War. This heightened the risk of invasion by French and Spanish forces, especially in Ireland. In response, groups of Irish Volunteers were formed throughout Ireland. They were equipped and managed independently and mostly consisted of Protestants, mainly from the Church of Ireland. Several companies were set up in the Tandragee area.
The Tandragee Volunteers, organised by Captain Nicholas Johnston in 1779, were fitted with scarlet uniforms faced with white details. Johnston set up another company in Tandragee known as the Tandragee Invincibles. In the churchyard, there is a grave dedicated to one of its volunteers, John Whitten, who died in 1785.
Other companies included the Tandragee Light Dragoons, led by James Craig. Volunteer activities were mostly ceremonial, featuring reviews and shooting competitions. The Tandragee Volunteers played a notable role in a skirmish at Lisnagade in 1791. A group of Catholic Defenders set up camp at Lisnagade fort, planning to confront a group of Protestant Peep O' Day Boys commemorating King William's triumph at the Battle of the Boyne. This skirmish inspired the creation of a ballad known as Lisnagade.
The Volunteers' influence waned after the American Revolutionary War as new government-sanctioned groups emerged, such as the Yeomanry. Following the Battle of the Diamond, the Yeomanry became associated with the Orange Order. Established in 1796, the Tandragee Yeomanry, along with the County Armagh Yeomanry, played a key role in suppressing the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion. The Newry Telegraph estimated that 40,000 met at a demonstration in Tandragee. With the Irish Volunteers disbanded and the United Irishmen defeated, the Acts of Union 1800 dissolved the all-Ireland Parliament.

Home Rule crisis

From the introduction of the First Home Rule Bill in 1886, the Protestant community in Tandragee strongly opposed the idea and played a role in the establishment of a proposed 'Orange Army'. An effigy of Prime Minister William Gladstone was set alight in the town following an anti-Home Rule demonstration.
Tandragee also had a strong representation in the Ulster Defence Union. In the central assembly of 600 members appointed on 21 October 1886, the southern region, including Armagh, Cavan, and Monaghan, was represented by eight local representatives: Rev. P.A. Kelly, Rev. W. McEndoo, Rev. R.J. Whan, Maynard Sinton, Thomas White, William O’Brien, John Atkinson, and Rev. George Laverty.
In 1910, branches of the Unionist Club were founded in Tandragee, Clare, Scarva, Poyntzpass, and Ballyshiel. In September, under the supervision of William Montagu, 9th Duke of Manchester, members of the Tandragee Club engaged in drills prior to the Ulster Covenant.
During the Third Home Rule Crisis, the Ulster Unionist Party leadership chose to unite the various unionist paramilitary groups. By December 1912, the County Armagh Committee included several figures from the business sector, the legal field, and the local aristocracy. The representatives from Tandragee were Rev. R.J. Whan and George Davison. These people played a role in the eventual formation of a local battalion of the Ulster Volunteers.
Tandragee was identified by the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1912 as one of ten locations where unionist paramilitary drills were occurring. The population of the Tandragee area became a majority of the Third Battalion of the County Armagh Regiment of the Ulster Volunteer Force - also known as the Tandragee Volunteers. Tandragee Castle was the headquarters of the Tandragee Volunteers, with records indicating that the 9th Duke of Manchester occasionally inspected the troops and permitted the use of his estate.
A mural commemorating the Third Battalion of the County Armagh Regiment UVF is located at the junction of Montague Street and Ballymore Road in Tandragee.

World War I

On 4 August 1914, the UK entered WWI, prompting thousands of Ulster Volunteers to join the British Army. A public initiative formed to integrate the Ulster Volunteer Force into Kitchener's new Army, with hundreds enlisting from the Tandragee District. A number joined the Armagh Volunteer Battalion of the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. Between 60 and 70 volunteers, led by the 'Catch-my-Pal' flute band, paraded through Tandragee before departing from Madden Bridge Railway Station.
Peace Day celebrations took place in Tandragee on 19 July 1919, featuring a costume parade and a sports day in the Duke of Manchester's demesne. In the evening, a parade led by an effigy of the Kaiser made its way to the square, where the effigy was set ablaze.
The Tandragee war memorial was unveiled in April 1925, the first in County Armagh. A large crowd gathered for the unveiling ceremony. After the hymn 'O God Our Help in Ages Past' was performed, Major Shellington MP, a former officer of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, unveiled the memorial. The obelisk, crafted from Newry granite, is nearly tall and is situated in the square near the castle gates.

World War II

On 25 May 1942, a Supermarine Spitfire BL325 crashed near Cordraine Orange Hall in Tandragee. The aircraft was involved in a coordinated training exercise alongside ground forces. During a low-altitude flight, the pilot clipped a tree, resulting in the plane landing upside down in a field.
Just over a year later, life in the town would experience a significant transformation with the arrival of American GIs from the 6th Cavalry. In 1943, Alexander Montagu, the 10th Duke of Manchester, leased Tandragee Castle to the United States Army for use during World War II.
Tandragee's links to the primary Belfast-Dublin railway, along with its proximity to the River Cusher and Newry Canal, positioned it as a strategic staging area for the United States Army in 1943. Tandragee railway station experienced the arrival of thousands of soldiers during World War II.
The 6th Cavalry unit conducted its final parade in Tandragee on 31 December 1943. Following this, the regiment transitioned to become the 6th Mechanized Cavalry Group, which comprised the 6th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and the 28th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Reports suggest that General George S. Patton was a visitor to Tandragee Castle in 1943. While inspecting troops in Northern Ireland, he was guest of honour at a dance in the castle.
The Tandragee war memorial commemorates the soldiers who served in both World War I and World War II.

The Troubles

In February 1973, a confrontation occurred between three gunmen and British soldiers at the Tandragee power station, resulting in one of the gunmen being hit.
In 2000, Tandragee was scene of the Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine, two teenaged local Protestants who were unaffiliated with any paramilitary organization, by three members of the UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade and as part of an ongoing Loyalist feud between the UVF and LVF.

Orange Order district

Tandragee District No.4 is one of 11 Orange Districts within County Armagh, comprising 21 private lodges and nearly 650 members. Every year on The Twelfth, the lodges within the district participate in the "Ring Ceremony" at the square, which includes a brief religious service. Tandragee is the only district to hold such an event.
Tandragee District No.4 hosts The Twelfth every 11 years, as part of a rotation in which each district lodge in County Armagh takes its turn to organise the event.
The district has its origins in 1796, the year following the establishment of the Orange Order. The inaugural Orange parades in Tandragee occurred on 12 July 1796, coinciding with the first Twelfth demonstration held at Lurgan Park. At that time, the district comprised 14 lodges. By 1834, the district was home to 27 lodges with a total of 810 members. In 1900, this number had decreased to 25 lodges with 750 members, while as of the early 21st century, there are 21 lodges with over 700 members.
On 12 July 1831, 10,000 Orangemen from across Ulster gathered in Tandragee to celebrate the Twelfth. They marched around Lord Mandeville's Castle, which featured castle gates decorated with Orange arches and showcased between 80 and 90 Orange banners.
Tandragee District Hall was constructed in 1912 and initially established as a Protestant Temperance Hall. The building later functioned as a picture house during the 1940s and for later for dances, until it eventually transitioned to function as Tandragee District Hall. The hall also holds other events throughout the year.
On New Year's Day 2008, the hall was the target of an arson attack, during which the door was forcibly opened, the interior was ignited and the hall sustained significant smoke damage.