Moira ()Placenames NI - Moira is a town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the border with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Belfast–Dublin railway line are nearby. The population was 4,879 at the 2021 census.

History Toponymy The etymology of Moira is somewhat uncertain. It seems to be an anglicisation of the Irish Maigh Rath, which may mean either 'plain of the wheels' or 'plain of the ringforts'. Another Irish form of the name is Mag Rath. The change most probably occurred during or before the Plantation of Ulster. Regardless Moira has now evolved to become both the official name and the one in everyday use.

Prehistory to 1800

Moira has been a settlement for at least 1,500 years. For the period it consisted most probably only of small dwellings surrounded by several earthen ringforts. Evidence of three such forts still remain. The best known of these is the so-called "Rough Fort", situated on the Old Kilmore Road. However, the remains of "Pretty Mary's Fort" exist behind the Waringfield residential area. Finally evidence of a third ringfort can be found near Claremont.

In fact the supposed ring fort in Moira is actually a henge dating back thousands of years. see the book "Finding Footprints" by David McFarland.

The existence of these primitive defences, coupled with the good-view afforded from the top of Moira hill, made the settlement strategically valuable. Proximity to Lough Neagh enhanced this value. Accordingly, during the repeated power struggles of the first millennium the area was often fought over, and eventually witnessed the largest battle in the history of Ireland when three tribal kings contested the area to determine supremacy in Ulster and beyond. This was the Battle of Moira. Its impact on Moira is still felt; two townlands still bear battle names, Aughnafosker (meaning field of slaughter) and Carnalbanagh (meaning the Scotsman's grave). After the battle a bishop by the name of Ronan Finn (who was later canonized) was alleged to have created a monastery in the area.

The medieval period itself remains shrouded in mystery. It is known that the town and its hinterland were under the control of the O'Lavery Clan for a considerable period. They were Catholic families who held sway in large parts of Armagh. Indeed, prior to the Nine Years War Ulster was the most gaelic part of Ireland.R. R. Madden, The United Irishmen, Their Lives and Times Vol 1, J. Madden & Co (London 1845), Pg. 2-5. There were few towns, few roads and much of the country was thickly wooded.Cyril Falls: The Birth of Ulster.London, Constable and Company Ltd. 1996. Pages 11-12. P. Robinson The Plantation of Ulster. Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation. 2000. Page 28. Dr. I. Adamson: The Identity of Ulster. Bangor, Pretani Press. Third Impression, 1995. Page 11. However the subjugation of Ulster by the victorious armies of Elizabeth I greatly reduced the clout of Gaelic hierarchs, the O'Laverys included. But it was their participation in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 doomed their dominance. The Dublin Castle administration crushed the rebellion and confiscated vast amounts of Irish Catholic-owned property, in Moira as in the rest of Ireland. As a direct result of this the Protestant plantations of Ulster (which began in 1606) were accelerated.

Arrival of the Rawdon family

In 1631, Major George Rawdon, a wealthy man from the village of Rawdon, Yorkshire, settled in Moira. During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Rawdon led 200 English troops to victory over an Irish army under Sir Phelim O'Neill, re-securing Moira and its environs for the Crown. In 1651 a Major de Burgh purchased a small estate and built a brick house in Moira. This house, the forerunner of Moira Castle, was subsequently purchased by Rawdon. Following the defeat of the rebellion, Rawdon subsequently purchased vast amounts of land in the area (most probably financed by confiscations from rebels), and was said to have developed it greatly. In 1665 he was created a baronet by Charles II. At some point in his life he became a Member of Parliament. He was nicknamed the 'Great Highwayman' for his development of roads infrastructure in and around Moira. Rawdon was succeeded in his title by his son Arthur.

Later Rawdon Baronets

Sir Arthur (who would also become an Irish MP) became a General in the armies of King William III during the Williamite War in Ireland. He was quickly besieged in Derry, but managed to escape. After the war, with the Protestant Ascendancy of which he was a part yet again restored, Sir Arthur (who had presumably profited greatly from the war) returned to Moira. Having inherited the brick manor house his father had purchased he decided to expand it greatly, and it became one of the largest residences in the whole island, to be called Moira Castle. The castle, which in fact was a mansion, was also accompanied by vast gardens. These gardens became world-famous. In 1690 Sir Arthur utilised his friendship with fellow Down-born botanist Sir Hans Sloane, and acquired from him the seeds of 400 exotic plants, and instructions in how to grow them. To fit his ends Sir Arthur also constructed in Moira the first hothouse in Europe.

The subsequent baronets maintained the gardens (though the hothouse did not survive) for generations. In 1723 Sir John Rawdon, 3rd Baronet helped fund the construction of the Anglican Moira Parish Church, dedicated to St. John.

The Lords Rawdon

In 1750 Sir John Rawdon, 4th Baronet was raised to the peerage by George II as the Baron Rawdon of Moira. He subsequently flirted with Methodism, and invited John Wesley to speak at Moira Church. This caused a major religious rift in the town. And though Wesley did speak, he did so from the grounds of Moira Castle, not the church for which the Rawdons had largely paid. He was also granted a higher title in 1762 by George III, when he was made Earl of Moira.

In addition to flirting with Methodism, Lord Rawdon also flirted with Irish self-government (albeit under the Ascendancy), opposing the efforts of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger to forge closer Anglo-Irish links in the first decade of his ministry. His death on 20 June 1793 was significant in Moira history, in that it marked the largest funeral in the history of Ireland (a record now held by the attendance at the funeral of Michael Collins), a testament to his extensive political connections. Over four hundred carriages were in procession. This Lord Rawdon is buried in the family crypt in the church.

Upon his death his son Francis Rawdon-Hastings became the Earl of Moira. A respected general and politician with significant influence in London, his time as head of the family was nevertheless negative for the town of Moira, which had risen greatly in prestige as a result of his predecessors. He neglected the gardens in the Moira estate, which subsequently declined into decay. He also spent the vast majority of his time in England.

Moira 1800–present The 2nd Earl was raised to a yet-higher rank of the peerage in 1816, when he was created Marquess of Hastings, subordinating the Moira title.

Lord Hastings was the last member of the Rawdon family to reside in Moira Castle (which he had always used as a secondary residence in any case). In 1805 he sold it to Sir Robert Bateson, 1st Baronet, who also did not use it as a primary residence. The status of Moira thus declined considerably. The Rawdons' legacy lingered, however, with several streets and housing developments bearing their name centuries later. The Acts of Union had reduced the power of the Ascendency, and Moira was now directly governed by London instead of Dublin. In addition, the Great Reform Act had reduced the ability of landowners in general and lords in particular to control Moira.

Moira itself continued to develop during this period. A canal was built to the north (which became the boundary between Counties Antrim and Down), and a Market Hall completed at the expense of the Bateson family in about 1810. It was considered to have marked the completion of the village. In 1841 Moira railway station was completed, and is now the oldest such structure on the island of Ireland. Moira Castle itself was vacated by the Batesons, and was demolished during the Victorian Era. A few gate stumps remain, as does some stepping for the famous gardens, and the dug-out cellar.

During the Second World War the grounds of Moira Demesne (as the Castle had become known) were used by the British Army as a medical centre.

In the summer of 2018, a prolonged dry spell revealed what appeared to be foundations beneath the lawns of the demesne. In May 2019 the local council commissioned an archaeological dig by members from the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork and Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast. For two weeks, assisted by community volunteers, they explored several trenches and found some fascinating artefacts of life in the 17th and 18th centuries.

1998 bombing

Moira remained relatively uneventful for most of the 20th century, but did not escape The Troubles. On 20 February 1998 dissident republicans planted a car bomb, which exploded outside the police station, injuring 11 people. The bomb was intended to kill Royal Ulster Constabulary officers during a shift change. The blast was so loud that it could be heard fully away in Belfast. The bomb caused extensive damage, resulting in the police station and several nearby buildings having to be rebuilt. The bombing also threatened to derail the peace process at the time.

21st century The present village is primarily a dormitory settlement for commuters into Belfast, Lisburn, and Craigavon.

On 4 January 2019, it was announced that Frances and Patrick Connolly, a local couple in Moira, had won £115 million in the EuroMillions lottery, making them the UK's fourth-biggest lottery winners. The couple, who won precisely £114,969,775.70, told the Belfast Telegraph: "This is a massive sum of money and we want it to have a huge impact on the lives of other people we know and love as well as on our future too. This win gives us the chance to really make a difference for our family and friends".

Government and politics Moira is at the very edge of the boundaries of the City of Lisburn, and is therefore subject to the local government authority of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. Both the overall council and the electoral area (Killultagh) for Moira are dominated by unionist parties. During the 2011 council elections the members elected for Killultagh were, in order of preference, as follows:

Thomas Beckett - Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Jim Tinsley - Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Pat Catney - Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Jim Dillon - Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) John Palmer - Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

Following the 2014 Local Government Elections Moira formed part of the Downshire West (District Electoral Area) of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. The following councillors were elected in 2023:

Owen Gawith - Alliance Party (AP) Gretta Thompson - Alliance Party (AP) Alan Martin - Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Caleb McCready - Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Allan Ewart- Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

At a national level Moira is part of the Lagan Valley constituency. In the 2024 election Sorcha Eastwood (AP) was elected as MP. At a provincial level the identically named and districted Lagan Valley includes Moira. In 2022, this multi-member constituency elected two (DUP), two (AP) and one (UUP) MLAs.

Demography + Historical figures Year Population % Change 1971 853 - 1981 1,453 40.7% 1991 2,772 47.6% 2001 3,682 32.8% 2011 4,591 24.7% 2021 4,891 6.5%

The population of Moira at the 2021 census was 4,891 people. Their demographic characteristics were as follows:

18.3% were aged under 16 years; 63.9% were aged 16-65 years 17.7% were aged 66 and over.