Drumquin (Irish: Droim Caoin, meaning 'pleasant ridge')[1] is a village and townland (of 398 acres) in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies between Omagh and Castlederg, on the banks of the Drumquin River (Fairywater). It is situated in the civil parishes of both Longfield West and Longfield East.[1] The main part of the village is located in Longfield East, in the townland of Drumnaforbe, whilst Longfield West is where its namesake townland Drumquin is located. Drumquin is in the historic barony of Omagh West.[2]
It has a rich and varied historical legacy with a Neolithicstone circle, a Holy Well, and the Giant's Stone on Dooish Mountain.
The works of the noted Irish writer Benedict Kiely contain many references to the Drumquin district, with which he had family connections on his mother's side. In 1802, the countryside around Drumquin was described as one continuous scene of dreary mountains. However, the traveler did point out that forty years before that a rich coalmine had been opened at Drumquin and a canal opened to transport the coal. Drum quin has been in existence since 1211.
Sir John Davies founded the village itself in 1617, and the same gentleman built Castle Curlews, later called Castle Kirlish, the remains of which can be seen in the town land of that name. His agent was a man called Bradley, one of whose family was responsible in later times for the building of the fine stone house, which is a feature of the village today. Castle Kirlish was joined to Castlederg Castle by a straight causeway, which was seven miles (11 km) long. Traces of this causeway could still be observed in 1837.
Drumquin was also a staging town in the 19th and early 20th century for coaches and travellers who were making their way to Derry from Omagh and vice versa. As a result of this the village flourished and hosted a hotel and several shops. Felix Kearney immortalised this area with songs such as "The Hills Above Drumquin" and others. On 26 August 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) attacked the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) barracks in Drumquin. One RIC constable and one IRA volunteer were killed.
The geography of the area is a mixture of flat fertile lands that clings to the banks of the Fairywater and steep rolling hills. There are also forests to the southwest of the village. Lough Bradan is also located roughly 7 miles from the village. The land is also covered in numerous rivers and streams, and two rivers meet on the outskirts of the village to form the river Fairywater.
The village itself is dominated by Dooish Mountain which is the highest point in the area. Close to the village Sloughan Glen Waterfalls can be found; these rest in a deep ravine. Beyond the townland of Bradan lies miles of wet bogland that stretch to the border with County Fermanagh. In the area of the glen the land rises dramatically before falling again into the Fermanagh countryside. The area in general is also dotted with several quarries, the biggest of these lying 2 miles outside of the village itself.
Places of interest
Lough Bradan is located roughly 7 miles from the village, and is used as a fishing location and regularly stocked with trout. The area around the lough also has a number of walking trails.
Sloughan Glen Waterfalls are located roughly 4 miles from the village. The waterfalls themselves lie in a deep ravine and can be accessed by a series of walkways and steps.
The stone monument on Dooish Mountain was built in order to mark the turn of the Millennium, and construction started on 14 September 1999 and was completed on 4 May 2000. The monument itself was built using traditional methods, with no modern tools or equipment used. It is accessed via a mountain walk from either east or west face of the mountain. From the top of the mountain itself there are views of the village of Drumquin and the surrounding countryside.
In the centre of the village is one of Ireland's oldest pubs: "The O'Cahan Arms". It is known locally as "Tom's" (named after well known publican "Tom O'Kane",1900-1992) or "Patrick's" (after current publican "Patrick O'Kane"). It was established in 1798 and is a landmark in its own right, full of history and is the villages' hidden gem with many visitors coming to trace their ancestors. Today the pub is still run by the O'Kane family, now into its 7th generation.
Jim McGirr Park, home of local GAA Club Drumquin Wolfe Tones - Irish: Droim Caoin Uilf Tón. The club was founded in its current form in 1968 and is named after the Father of Irish Republicanism, Theobald Wolfe Tone. Locals take pride in the fact that it is their club, with only people who live in the local area or who have familiar connections able to play for the club. Many families have had multiple generations play for the club, with some notable ones being: Donnelly's, Glackin's, Gormley's, McLaughlin's & Patterson's.
Sport
Traditional Games
Drumquin Wolfe Tones is the local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club which has been in existence in its current form since 1968. Previous clubs have existed in various forms from the early 1930s. The club has experienced success in recent years at underage level, with teams at Under-14 level winning the double in 2018 and 2023 & teams at Minor level winning the double in 2018 and 2021. Underage teams (as low as Under-14 level) have won a combined 10 titles in the last 5 years.
Others
Drumquin United is a soccer club founded in 2007, upon the folding of Drumquin Rovers in 2006. The U-13 team won the Grade 4 title in 2012.
Demography
19th century population
The population of the village decreased during the 19th century:[3][4]
Year
1841
1851
1861
1871
1881
1891
Population
352
316
354
247
221
218
Houses
71
61
75
51
51
52
2011 Census
On Census day in 2011:
71.3% were from a Catholic background and 26.6% were from a Protestant background.
Drumquin townland
The townland is situated in the historic barony of Omagh West and the civil parish of Longfield West and covers an area of 398 acres.[5] The population of the townland declined during the 19th century:[3][6]
Year
1841
1851
1861
1871
1881
1891
Population
91
100
70
78
72
56
Houses
22
17
13
16
16
13
The village of Drumquin is in both the townland of the same name, and in townland of Drumnaforbe in the civil parish of Longfield East. In 1891 the village was estimated to cover an area of 12 acres.[3]
