Maguiresbridge

Maguiresbridge is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The village is named after the bridge over the Colebrooke River, first built by the local Maguire family about 1760. The village is 8 miles from Enniskillen and 3 miles from Lisnaskea.

History

Old railway

At the beginning of the 20th century, Maguiresbridge was served by four railways which stretched throughout Ulster. At that time, Maguiresbridge and Clones were two of the major junctions from Derry, Omagh, and Belfast into north Leinster, in particular, the major market towns of Athlone, Cavan, and Mullingar via the Inney junction. This back-bone rail infrastructure was administered by the Midland Great Western Railway which also linked to other major towns: namely, Sligo, Tullamore, via Clara, cities such as Dublin, Limerick, and other market towns on the south coast.

Maguiresbridge railway station on the Great Northern Railway opened on 1 March 1859 and was shut on 1 October 1957. The station serving as the western terminus of the narrow gauge Clogher Valley Railway opened on 2 May 1887 and was shut on 1 January 1942.

The Troubles

On 17 November 1981 Albert Beacom, a Corporal in the Ulster Defence Regiment, was shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army while working on his farm outside Maguiresbridge.

On 11 February 1986 an off-duty member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Derek Breen (aged 29) was shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in the Talk of the Town Bar (now the Coach Inn). During the same incident John McCabe (aged 25), who was working as a barman there, was caught in the gunfire and died on scene.

21st century

Maguiresbridge grew considerably during the 2010s, with the building of five new housing developments holding 350 houses. New shops were also built during this time.

Demographics

2021 Census

On Census Day (2021) the most accurate resident population of Maguiresbridge village was 940. This incorporates NISRA Census areas Erne East C2 and C3. Of these:
* 40.66.7% (381) identified as Roman Catholic religion.
* 42.15% (395) identified as 'Protestant and Other Christian' religion.
* 16.54% (155) had no religious background.
* 0.64% (6) had an 'Other' religious background.

* 35.92% (337) indicated that they had a British only identity,
* 28.14% (264) had an Irish only identity
* 22.60% (212) had a Northern Irish only identity

2011 Census

On the day of the 2011 census, 27 March 2011, there were 1,020 people living in Maguiresbridge. Of these:
*24.80% were aged under 16 years
*11.37% were aged 65 or over
*52.16% were female and 47.84% were male
*49.61% were from a Protestant background
*46.47% were from a Catholic background
*5.65% of people aged between 16 and 74 were unemployed

Education

Local primary schools include St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary and Maguiresbridge Controlled Primary.

Maguiresbridge does not have any secondary school, with eligible residents traveling to Lisnaskea and Enniskillen to receive secondary education.

Religion

The local Roman Catholic church is Saint Mary's Church, and the local Church of Ireland church is Christchurch. There are also Methodist and Presbyterian churches.

Sport

Maguiresbridge is home to both a soccer and Gaelic football club. Saint Mary's GFC is a Gaelic football club with its grounds on the Drumgoon Road, whilst the soccer club plays its games in Lisnaskea.

Bernadette Collins, who worked as head of race strategy for the Aston Martin Formula One Team from 2020 to 2022, was born and raised in the town.

References

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Villages in County Fermanagh