Drumcrow

Drumcrow (locally [ˌdrömˈkroː], from Irish Droim Cró 'bloody ridge'^[2]) is a townland lying within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the north of the parish with the Moyola River running along its northern boundary. It is bounded by the townlands of; Drumballyhagan, Drumballyhagan Clark, Drumconready, Kirley Lisnamuck, Moneyshanere, and Moybeg Kirley. It was apportioned to the Vintners company.^[3]

Drumcrow
townland
Irish transcription(s)
• Derivation:	Droim Cró
• Meaning:	"Bloody ridge"
Drumcrow Drumcrow shown within Northern Ireland Show map of Northern Ireland Drumcrow Drumcrow (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates: 54°49′12″N 6°43′41″W
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Northern Ireland
County	County Londonderry
Barony	Loughinsholin
Civil parish	Kilcronaghan
Plantation grant	Vintners Company
First recorded	1613
Government
• Council	Mid Ulster District
• Ward	Tobermore
Area [1]
• Total	109.05 acres (44.13 ha)
Irish grid ref	H818977

The townland was part of Tobermore electoral ward of the former Magherafelt District Council, however in 1926 it was part of Tobermore district electoral division as part of the Maghera division of Magherafelt Rural District.^[4] It was also part of the historic barony of Loughinsholin.^[3]

Etymology

Drumcrow is suggested to derive its name from the Irish Droim Cró, meaning "bloody ridge". This is based upon the context of earlier forms of the name, which suggested the use of the noun cró, which means "blood, gore". An early Irish poem makes mention of a Droim Cró (now Drumcree) in County Westmeath, which was the site of a battle with the editor remarking that the final element of the name meant "blood, gore".^[2] Ridges where an ideal defence-attack position, where the defender could rain missiles upon an enemy that had to climb uphill, and quickly take up an offensive position with a downhill charge.^[2]

History

Population Year Pop. 1841 37 [5] 1851 33 [5] 1861 45 [5] 1871 39 [5] 1881 30 [5] 1891 26 [6] 1901 23 [6] 1911 25 [4] 1926 16 [4]

Size (acres, roods, poles) Year a, r, p 1851 108, 0, 23 [7] 1881 108, 0, 23 [5] 1901 108, 0, 23 [6] 1926 110, 2, 5 [4]

Earlier recorded forms[8] Year Form 1613 Drum Crowor 1622 Drom Crow 1654 Drumcrow 1659c Drumcrow 1661 Half Dromcrow 1663 Drumero 1813 Half Drumcro

See also

• Kilcronaghan
• List of townlands in Tobermore
• Tobermore

References

1. Northern Ireland Environment Agency. "NIEA Map Viewer". Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
2. Toner, Gregory: Place-Names of Northern Ireland, page 121. Queen's University of Belfast, 1996, ISBN 0-85389-613-5
3. Notes on the Place Names of the Parishes and Townlands of the County of Londonderry, 1925, Alfred Moore Munn, Clerk of the Crown and Peace of the City and County of Londonderry
4. HistPop; County and County Borough of Londonderry, 1926, page 27
5. HistPop; Area, population and number of houses, Vol. III, Ireland, 1881, page 698
6. HistPop; Area, houses, and population, Vol. III [Part 2], Ireland, 1901 Page 35
7. HistPop; County of Londonderry, 1851, page 241
8. Place Names NI - Drumcrow