COAGH, a village

COAGH, a village, in that part of the parish of TAMLAGHT which is in the barony of DUNGANNON, county of TYRONE, and province of ULSTER, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Moneymore; containing 393 inhabitants. This place formed part of the estate granted to the Hon. Andrew Stewart by James I., in 1612, and confirmed by Charles I. in 1630. A battle took place here at the ford of the river, in 1641, when the chapel of Tamlaght was destroyed by the parliamentarians; and, in 1688, James II. crossed the river at this place, on his march to the siege of Derry. The village, which in 1831 consisted of 76 well-built houses, is pleasantly situated on the road from Magherafelt to Stewartstown, in a fertile vale, about two miles from Lough Neagh, and on the river Coagh or Ballinderry, over which is an ancient narrow bridge of stone of six arches. It is the property of William Lenox Conyngham, Esq., in whose family the estate has remained since the year 1663; and was erected about the year 1728, by George Conyngham, Esq., who obtained for it a charter for a market and four fairs, which have been changed to a market held on the first Friday in every month, for the sale of linens and provisions, and to 12 fairs held on the second Friday in every month, for horses, cattle, and agricultural produce. The market-house, a spacious and commodious building, was erected in 1828, by the present proprietor, who also built a good school-house and supports a school for male and female children. The linen market is very considerable; and the fairs, which are toll-free, are numerously attended. It is a constabulary police station, and has a penny post to Moneymore. There is a place of worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster.—See Tamlaght.