Kilrea
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  Location withinNorthern Ireland | |
| Population | 1,678 (2011 Census) |
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| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COLERAINE |
| Postcode district | BT51 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
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| NI Assembly | |
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Kilrea (/kɪlˈreɪ/kil-RAY, fromIrishCill Ria, meaning 'church on the hill')[1][2] is a village,townland andcivil parish inCounty Londonderry,Northern Ireland. It gets its name from the ancient church that was located near where the current Church of Ireland is located on Church Street looking over the town. It is near theRiver Bann, which marks the boundary between County Londonderry andCounty Antrim. In the2011 Census it had a population of 1,678 people.[3] It is situated withinCauseway Coast and Glens district.
There is a tradition thatSt Patrick visited the area during the fifth century, a story repeated recently in the book 'The Fairy Thorn' produced by Kilrea local historians. During thePlantation of Ulster Kilrea and the surroundingtownlands were granted to theWorshipful Company of Mercers byKing James I for settlement.[4] Their headquarters in Ulster were at nearby Movanagher on the banks of the River Bann. Today Kilrea is a market town and commercial centre of the surrounding district. The village is centred on 'The Diamond' which includes the town's War Memorial erected in honour of Kilrea men killed in theGreat War.[5] The village is featured in theOrange song, Sprigs of Kilrea. It is also mentioned in the songKitty the rose of Kilrea by The Irish Rover band.[citation needed]
A total of seven people died in violence relating tothe Troubles. Five were killed by theProvisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) and two by theUlster Freedom Fighters (UFF). All the IRA's victims were current or former members of the security forces, with two belonging to theRoyal Ulster Constabulary, one a current and one a former member of theUlster Defence Regiment, and one belonging to theBritish Territorial Army. All wereProtestants and three of the five were off duty when they were killed. According to the Sutton Index of Deaths, both men killed by the UFF were former members of the IRA. At the time of their deaths, both were associated withSinn Féin. Both wereCatholic. Of the seven killed in the Kilrea Troubles, all were killed in separate incidents and all were shot except one of the RUC officers, who was killed by abooby trap bomb while on patrol. While deaths in many other areas were concentrated in the early 1970s, in Kilrea they were spread between 1976 and 1992.[6]
A feature of Kilrea is its 'Fairy Thorn' tree, which stands just outside the front wall ofFirst Kilrea Presbyterian Church. The festival began in 1992 and ran for 11 years until 2003, but was again revived successfully in 2022 as a summer cross-community festival in the town. The festival features, among other events, Comedy and Music nights, Funfairs and fun days for children, Vintage Rallies, Treasure Hunts and showcases for the townsfolk by the townsfolk.[7]
Kilrea railway station was opened by theDerry Central Railway on 18 February 1880.[8] It was taken over by theNorthern Counties Committee in September 1901.
The station was closed to passengers on 28 August 1950 by theUlster Transport Authority.
Kilrea is classified as a village by theNorthern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e., with a population between 1,000 and 2,499 people). On Census day (22 March 2011) there were 1,678 people living in Kilrea. Of these:
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