Tandragee

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Tandragee
County Armagh

Tandragee from the south
Location
Grid reference: J030462
Location: 54°21’15"N, 6°24’55"W
Data
Population: 3,050  (2001)
Post town: Craigavon
Postcode: BT62
Dialling code: 028
Local Government
Council: Armagh, Banbridge
and Craigavon
Parliamentary
constituency:
Newry and Armagh
Website: TandrageeOnline

Tandragee is a village on the Cusher River in County Armagh, close by the county's boundary with County Down. It had a population of 3,050 at the 2001 census.

The name of the village is from the Gaelic Tóin re Gaoith, meaning "Backside to the wind",[1] which refers to the hillside on which the village is built. Earlier spellings of the town's name include Tanderagee and Tonregee.

Overlooking the village is Tandragee Castle. Originally the seat of the Ó hAnluain sept, it was taken over during the Plantation of Ulster and rebuilt in about 1837 by George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester. Today, its grounds are home to the Tayto potato-crisp factory.

Northern Ireland Electricity has an interconnector to County Louth in the Republic of Ireland from the outskirts of the town.[2]

Sport

  • Football: Tandragee Rovers

There is a golf course within the grounds of Tandragee Castle, within walking distance of the main street. It is 6,218-yard, par 71, and a hilly parkland course.

Tandragee is also home to the Tandragee 100, a motorcycle road racing event held each year on country roads near the town.

Industry

Thomas Sinton opened a mill in town in the 1880s, an expansion of his firm from its original premises at nearby Laurelvale - a model village which he built. Sintons' mill, at the banks of the River Cusher, remained in production until the 1990s.[3]

The potato-crisp company Tayto has a factory and offices beside Tandragee Castle. It offers guided tours.

Transport

St Mark's Church overlooking part of Tanderagee

Tanderagee railway station opened on 6 January 1852 and was shut on 4 January 1965.[4]

The site of the old Tanderagee railway station

There is an airstrip for landing and taking off of small aircraft near the old porridge factory.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about Tandragee)

References