Moy, County Tyrone


Moy is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland about southeast of Dungannon and beside the smaller village of Charlemont. Charlemont is on the east bank of the River Blackwater and Moy on the west; the two are joined by Charlemont Bridge. The river is also the boundary between County Tyrone and County Armagh. The 2021 census recorded a population of 1,941.

History

The houses lining the village square are mostly mid-18th century, though all four churches are later.
Moy had town commissioners under the Lighting of Towns Act, 1828 from 1844 until about 1865.

The Troubles

Incidents in Moy during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities:
1973
1975
  • 2 August 1975 - George McCall, civilian, Protestant, aged 22, former member of the UDR, shot dead by three masked IRA men, near his home at Jockey Lane.
  • 23 October 1975 - Peter McKearney and Jane McKearney, both Catholic civilian], were shot dead by the Ulster Volunteer Force at their home, Listamlet, near Moy. A contemporary newspaper article reported that " Army issue ammunition" had been used. The attack has been linked to the "Glenanne gang".
1976
  • 17 May 1976 - Robert Dobson and Thomas Dobson, both Protestant civilians, were shot and killed by a non-specific republican group at their workplace, an egg packing factory in Dungannon Street, Moy.
1991
  • December 1991 - Robin Farmer Protestant civilian was murdered in his father's shop by republicans. He had returned home from university for Christmas.
1992
  • 3 January 1992 - John McKearney and Kevin McKearney, both Catholic civilians, were shot dead by the Ulster Volunteer Force at their butcher's shop, Moy. John McKearney died on 4 April 1992. They had been targeted because two of Kevin McKearney's brothers had been killed on IRA service and another was a former IRA hunger striker, serving time for his part in the murder of a UDR soldier.
  • 6 September 1992 - Charles Fox and Teresa Fox, both Catholic civilians, were shot dead by the Ulster Volunteer Force at their home, Listamlet Road, near Moy. Their son, IRA volunteer Paddy Fox, was serving a 10-year prison sentence for possession of a bomb at the time.

    Former railway

The Portadown – Dungannon section of the Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway opened in 1858. Its nearest station to Moy was optimistically called, although it was at Trew Mount over north of Moy. In 1876 the PD&O became part of the new Great Northern Railway. The Ulster Transport Authority took over the line in 1958 and closed it in 1965.

Places of interest

Dublin iron-founder Richard Turner designed a conservatory for the house c. 1850.

Sport

Moy has a long history of horse riding and Gaelic games. Moy Tir Na nOg were the 2018 All Ireland Intermediate Club Champions.

Schools

  • Moy Regional Primary School
  • St. John's Primary School, Moy

    Demography

Moy is classified as a Village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency . On Census Day the usually resident population of Moy Settlement was 1,598, accounting for 0.09% of the NI total. Of these:
  • 24.72% were aged under 18 years, with 10.76% aged 65 and over
  • 49.25% of the population were male, with 51.75% female
  • 73.97% were from a Catholic background, with 22.03% from a 'Protestant and Other Christian ' background
  • 21.59% said their nationality was British, 39.80% said their nationality was Irish and 29.04% said their nationality was Northern Irish

    Notable people

  • Ryan Kelly, singer, songwriter, born and grew up in the Moy. Member of the Irish band Celtic Thunder.
  • John King, explorer in Australia
  • Tommy McKearney, Provisional IRA volunteer
  • Gerry McKenna – MRIA, biologist, Senior Vice President of the Royal Irish Academy, Vice Chancellor and President of University of Ulster
  • Paul Muldoon, poet, born and grew up in the Moy. He refers to it often in his poems.