Mid Ulster

COOKSTOWN

Whether it’s for living in, working in or visiting, Cookstown has it all. Located in the heart of Northern Ireland with Lough Neagh to the East and the rugged Sperrin Mountains to the west Cookstown District is waiting to be discovered by you! What’s in a name?Cookstown got its name from its founder, a Mr. Allen Cooke, an English Lawyer from Dublin whom in about 1620 obtained leases for the town land of ‘Corrigan’ meaning ‘Boundary Hill’.  Of Cooke’s original town there is now little trace except in the place name ‘Oldtown’, the town’s northern quarter over which Slieve Gallion at 1737ft stands.  Cookstown is also famous for its shopping market every Saturday.  Tradition has it that permission to hold the market was granted by Charles I in 1628.

Cookstown today is now a bustling commercial centre, Cookstown still manages to retain all the appealing qualities of a traditional market town.  Easy access to all other parts of Northern Ireland makes Cookstown an attractive place to visit for leisure or business, and indeed for visitors into Northern Ireland via the airports and ports which can accessed within an hour.   The area offers some of the finest scenery and attractions. There are many places of interest, such as Killymoon Castle, Tullyhogue Fort and numerous archaeological sites including Ardboe Cross and Beaghmore Stone Circles. National Trust Properties, Springhill House and Wellbrook Beetling Mill are located within tens minutes drive of Cookstown.  For the outdoor enthusiast Drum Manor Forest Park and Ballyronan Marina are also within easy reach. Indeed if there is too much to do in a day trip why not stay overnight in one of the four fabulous hotels in the area. 

Cookstown is also a fantastic place for leisure and activity. Located in the town centre the Burnavon Arts & Cultural Centre offers a fantastic range of performances and exhibitions throughout the year. The Cookstown District is also home to the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena - a state of the art outdoor sports facility and centre of excellence for sports provision in Mid- Ulster.  The area is rapidly expanding in all sectors with the new East Tyrone Further & Higher Education College recently opened and the Market Yard redevelopment close to completion offering prime retail space. A major planned new investment to the District is the location of the £130 million Training College for Police, Fire & Rescue and Prison Services at Desertcreat just outside Cookstown.   The central location and fantastic mix of shopping, attractions and leisure activities means Cookstown has something to offer everyone in the family. It’s the centre for sights, for entertainment and being entertained. Experience Cookstown for yourself and you’ll agree Cookstown is not just ‘looking good, it’s looking great’. . .   

MAGHERAFELT

Whether you are a resident, a friend, a visitor or just curious about Magherafelt and Mid Ulster, I invite you to explore my web site to discover what makes Magherafelt such a great place to live, work and play.

Magherafelt is a rapidly expanding provincial town, its located just off the main Belfast / Londonderry Road, approximately 40 minutes drive from Belfast via the M2 motorway.

It is also convenient to the International Airport outside Antrim, and central to other towns such as Coleraine, Cookstown, Londonderry, Omagh, Dungannon etc.

Sitting at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains, Magherafelt is well known for its excellent Schools, Shopping, night life and leisure facilities, which include Moyola Park Golf Club (18 hole), Ronan Valley Golf Club, Greenvale Leisure Centre, making Magherafelt a town with sports facilities for everyone.

Whether you're shopping for gifts, looking to treat yourself or just looking to try somewhere different, at any time of year Magherafelt is a great place to hit the stores. Magherafelt draws shoppers from throughout the Mid Ulster area and beyond.

Magherafelts streets and Meadowlane shopping centre boast dozens of shops offering clothing, accessories and jewellery, ranging from T-shirts to stores specialising in athletic jerseys and leather goods. In addition, we have bookstores, Supermarkets, music/video outlets and an array of speciality shops offering some of the top names in electric goods and apparel for men and women, from luxurious intimate wear to rugged, outdoor clothing. You can accessories your house at one of the home furnishings stores -- or accessorise yourself at one of the jewellery shops.

There also are home furnishings and cookware shops, accessory and beauty salons, florists and shoe shops + many large high street names. And when all that shopping works up an appetite, there are as many places to satisfy any hunger. The menu choices run from fast-food and hearty fare to the elegant atmosphere of some wonderful restaurants.

The name of Magherafelt according to some means " the Plain of Fegads" while others have it as " the Plain of Felta" It was ancientaly known as Tafelta or Teoffigalta. Very little is known about Magherafelt prior to the Plantation but the existence of the Old Church can be traced back to 1425.