Tamlaght is a small village in County Londonderry. It is located in Mid-Ulster, about three miles from Portglenone. It’s name comes from the Irish Tamhlacht, meaning “plague burial place.”
In the census of 2001, the village had a population of 123 people.
Important landmarks within the village, include Churchtown Presbyterian Church, the Church of Ireland church and Drumard Primary School. Between 1917 and 1950, the village had it’s own railway station, Tamlaght Halt.
The Church of Ireland church is known as Tamlaght O’Crilly Upper. Tamlaght O’Crilly Lower church is to be found just outside Innisrush (some two miles away). Both churches share the same minister.
Along with my father, and local people, many happy week-night evenings were spent playing bowls in Tamlaght Upper’s church hall.
Tamlaght O’Crilly, Drumard School 1949
Drumard School
The photograph above was taken in 1949. Sourced from my uncle (who is actually in the back row of the photograph) many years ago, it had to be cleaned up significantly in photoshop. The names (which were on a separate sheet) have also been added. The image shows the students that were enrolled that academic year at Drumard School. The surnames include Armstrong, Kelso, Getty, Crockett, Mulholland, Riddell, Rowe, Henry, Dempsey, Pollock, Anderson, Taylor, Linton, Patterson, Holmes, Kyle, Williamson, Wallace, Stewart.
7 of my first cousins are in here.
McCaughey….. Margaret (Dolly) Neely my mothers sister married Alexander McCaughey ,
Stewart…….Sarah (Sadie) my mothers sister married James Stewart from Brookfield, Drumard
Lennox,,,Armstrong,,,,Wallace are far out relatives
2 of the Children’s names which have been omitted are – 2nd boy in from right hand side of front row is Jim Graham and last girl on right hand side of 3rd row from front is Betty Graham.
Thanks so much for this info.
I had been planning to clean up this photo some more, probably in next few months.
At that point, I will update the names. Thank you so much for these additional names.
My husband William Service, who was reared at Killygullib and attended this school in the late 1950s was delighted to see the Drumard Primary School photo which included his cousin Mary Scott (his mother was Mary Ann Scott of Ballynian who married John Service of the Grillagh). Mary’s father was Alex Scott, married to Lizzie Dickey.
He was also thrilled to see a good number of the Stewarts of Brookfield as his brother Alex, surnamed Scott married Mildred Stewart, now sadly deceased. They have a sizable family in and around Maghera, Tamlaght, Boveedy, Garvagh, and of course Brookfield is still in the family today, in the surname of McCahon..
Many old chums, too many now deceased were identified with much pleasure. Irene Linton, very much alive, is now Irene McDermott and we live near her.
He tells me there was a story that the over-wrought headmaster used to beat the road outside the school with his stick!
If you haven’t yet encountered Denver Boyd’s Maghera Geneology site I do recommend it to you. I have taken some steps in hubby’s family tree and found it had some interesting local stuff.
Best wishes,
Hello Iris, thank you for such a lovely message. Made my day.
The school photograph was in my uncle’s archive (recently passed) – indeed he is in the picture (back row).
It was a delight to tweak it in photoshop. I must return to it soon and add a few more names.
Yes, Denver Boyd has a fantastic website. He does sterling work.
I will send you an email.
Best regards.
The relevance of this photo has just become apparent. I was tidying up some records of Kelso/Rowe marriages which weren’t my direct lines. Other than Anna Evelyn Kelso (still living) who married the neigbouring farmer Basil Rowe, who are both in the photo.
So I have now developed the Rowe family of Drumoolish into my tree. Many of the other names in the photo also appear.