Mayobridge

Mayobridge
Irish: Droichead Mhaigh Eo
Mayobridge  Mayobridge shown within Northern Ireland
Population	965 (2011 Census)
Irish grid reference	J154275
District	Newry and Mourne
County	County Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWRY
Postcode district	BT34
Dialling code	028
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	South Down
NI Assembly	South Down
List of places UK Northern Ireland Down

Mayobridge (from Irish Droichead Mhaigh Eo, meaning "bridge on the plain of yews") is a former village within Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, lying on the small river Clanrye which divides the townlands of Mayo and Bavan. It is located within the Newry and Mourne District Council area - it had a population of 965 people in the 2011 Census. It falls within the parish of Clonallan, and historically within the barony of Upper Iveagh Upper.

Demography

Mayobridge is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service. The Mayobridge ward (which includes a surrounding rural area) had a population of 965 on Census Day (27 March 2011). Of these:

• 26.9% of these were under 16 and 8.3% over 65 years of age;
• 51.8% of the population were male and 48.2% were female;
• 94.8% belonged to or were brought up in the Roman Catholic religion and 2.7% belonged to or were brought up in the Protestant religion;
• 6.2% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.

Facilities

• On 15 August 1859 Dr. Leahy, the co-adjutor bishop of the diocese, blessed the foundation stone of a new Catholic church to replace the existing, more primitive Mass House put up in 1806 (parts of which are still visible in the disused Parochial Hall); and a curate was appointed to live in Mayobridge. The new church, dedicated to St. Patrick, was erected on the site of a former Mass Rock. A fine Gothic-style building, reputed to be the largest ‘country' church in the diocese, it could hold up to 600 worshippers in comfort, and commanded a fine view of the surrounding countryside right into County Armagh. It was completed on 12 October 1862, with a dedicatory sermon by the Bishop of Kerry, Dr. David Moriarty.
• A police barracks was moved in 1854 from the Mayo side of the village to the Bavan side, and returned in 1865.
• St. Patrick's Primary School is a primary school, located on Chapel Hill.

Notable people

• Kieran Goss (b. 1962,) contemporary singer, songwriter
• Tommy Sands (b. 1945,) folk singer, songwriter and radio broadcaster
• Mickey Linden, Gaelic footballer, winner of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1991 and 1994
• Tom O'Hare (b. 1942,) Gaelic footballer, winner of All-Ireland Senior Football .

Championship in 1968

• (Mayobridge Band) are known throughout Ireland

Sport

St. Patrick's Gaelic Athletic Club, Mayobridge is the oldest Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Down.

Mayobridge won their tenth Down Senior Football Championship (and their fifth consecutive championship) in 2008 - adding to the success of the club, Mayobridge's reserve (seconds) team also won the Down Premier Reserve Football Championship and their minor team won the Down Minor Football Championship in 2008.

Mayobridge's under-16 team also won the Down Under-16 Football League and the Championship in 2006. Other underage teams (under-8 and under-10 teams) have gone unbeaten in 2006.

Former and current county footballers from Mayobridge

• Tom O'Hare - Former

Achievements: All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (1968)

• Mickey Linden - Former

Achievements: All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (1991 & 1994) and All Stars Award (1994)

• Brendan Coulter - Current

Achievements: All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (1999) and All Stars Award (2010)

• Ronan Sexton - Current

Achievements: All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (1999)

• Conor Garvey - Current

Achievements: All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (2005) and Ulster Under-21 Football Championship (2008)

• Cathal Magee - Current

Achievements: All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (2005,) Dr. McKenna Cup (2008) and Ulster Under-21 Football Championship (2008)

• Caolan "Gall" Gallagher- Current

Shortest ever Championship Final appearance (2mins 47secs) (2011)

• Ryan Brady - Current
• Keith Quinn - Current

See also

• List of villages in Northern Ireland