Limavady (; ) is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. Lying east of Derry and southwest of Coleraine, Limavady had a population of 11,279 people at the 2021 Census. In the 40 years between 1971 and 2011, Limavady's population nearly doubled. Limavady is within Causeway Coast and Glens Borough.
From 1988 to 2004, a total of 1,332 dwellings were built in the town, mainly at Bovally along the southeastern edge of the town. The large industrial estate at Aghanloo is 2 miles (3 km) north of the town.
History
Limavady and its surrounding settlements derive from Celtic roots, although no-one is sure about the exact date of Limavady's origins. Estimates date from around 5 CE. Early records tell of Saint Columba, who presided over a meeting of the Kings at Mullagh Hill near Limavady in 575 CE, a location which is now part of the Roe Park Resort.
Gaelic Ireland was divided into kingdoms, each ruled by its own family or clan. In the Limavady area, the predominant family was the O'Cahans. Their mark is found everywhere in the town and surrounding area. O'Cahan's Rock is one of Limavady's main historical points. This is where, according to local myth, a dog belonging to one of the Chiefs jumped the river to get help from nearby clans after a surprise enemy attack. This gave Limavady its name, Limavady being the anglicised version of Leim an Mhadaidh, which means leap of the dog. This rock, along with other relics of Limavady's history, can be seen at Roe Valley Country Park.
The town developed from a small Plantation settlement founded by Sir Thomas Phillips. In 1610 Sir Thomas Phillips was granted 13,100 acres of land at Limavady which included an O’Cahan castle. He commenced the building of the 'Newtown of Limavady' which was laid out in a cruciform road pattern. Newtown Limavady was incorporated, with the appointment of a Provost and 12 Burgesses, on 31 March 1613 with a charter granted by King James I. By 1622, 18 one-storey houses and an inn had been built and they were centred on the crossroads which contained a flagpole, a cross and stocks.
Limavady had an early association with the linen and Irish whiskey industries. In 1608, a licence was granted to Sir Thomas Phillips by King James I to distil whiskey.
for the next seven years, within the countie of Colrane, otherwise called O Cahanes countrey, or within the territorie called Rowte, in County Antrim, by himselfe or his servauntes, to make, drawe, and distil such and soe great quantities of aquavite, usquabagh and aqua composita, as he or his assignes shall thinke fitt; and the same to sell, vent, and dispose of to any persons, yeeldinge yerelie the somme 13s 4d...
The Limavady Distillery was founded in 1750 on the banks of the River Roe. Limavady, however, did not benefit from subsequent expansion of linen manufacturing in the 19th century. As a result, it remained a modest sized market town until the late 20th century. Limavady Town Hall, later known as the Alexander Memorial Hall and now part of the Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre, was completed in 1872.
In 1941 RAF Limavady, a base for air patrols over the Atlantic during World War II, was opened just to the north of the town. The RAF left the base in 1945 but it continued as a naval air station until 1958, when the land was returned to agricultural use.
During the Troubles in Northern Ireland, four people were killed in or near Limavady by the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Two were members of the security forces and two were civilians who were killed by a bomb as they drove past Limavady Royal Ulster Constabulary station.
In 1987, Limavady became famous as the unintended arrival point for the world's first transatlantic hot air balloon crossing by Richard Branson and Per Lindstrand.
Townlands Limavady sprang up within the townland of Rathbrady Beg in the parish of Drumachose and was originally known as Newtown Limavady.Parish of Drumachose www.ulsterancestry.com Retrieved 28 June 2010 Over time, the urban area has expanded into the surrounding townlands. These include: Bovally ( or Bóbhealaigh, 'cow pass') Carran (historically Carrownakilly, from Ceathrú na Coille, 'quarter of the wood') Coolessan (from Cúil Leasáin, 'nook of the little fort') Deer Park (historically Gortney, probably from Gort an Fhia, 'field of the deer') Enagh (probably from Eanach, 'marsh') Killane (from Cill Liadhaine, 'Leonard's church') Mullagh (from Mullach, 'hilltop' – location of Roe Park, and historical site of Druim Ceat) Rathbrady Beg and Rathbrady More (from Ráth Bhríde, 'fort of Saint Brigid')
Politics Limavady is in both the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area and the East Londonderry constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly. In 2023, the residents of Limavady district elected 2 Democratic Unionist Party, 1 Social Democratic and Labour Party, 1 Sinn Féin and 1 Alliance Party councillor to the borough council.
Places of interest Limavady lies in the scenic Roe Valley area and the Roe Valley Country Park on the River Roe lies to the southwest of the town. The birthplace of New Zealand Prime Minister Rt. Hon. William Massey is on Irish Green Street. Nearby Massey Avenue is named after him. A bronze statue of Rt. Hon. William Massey is positioned outside of the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Limavady Office, and the Limavady Library. The statue was subject to controversy due to Massey's position as the Grand Master of the Orange Order in New Zealand. Sinn Féin requested the removal of the statue because of his Orange Order links. The archaeologically significant Broighter Gold collection was found nearby in 1896. It is currently in the National Museum in Dublin, having previously been on display in the town in 2013. Jane Ross, who first transcribed Londonderry Air, was born and lived in Limavady. A plaque is shown above her old house on Main Street.
Demography 2021 census On census day (21 March 2021) there were 11,729 people living in Limavady. Of these:
19.26% were aged under 16, 62.83% were aged between 16-65, and 17.90% were aged 66 and over. 51.4% of the usually resident were female and 48.6% were male. 47.6% belong to or were brought up Protestant (including other Christian-related denominations), 45.65% belong to or were brought up Catholic, 0.45% belong to or were brought up in an 'other' religion, and 6.3% did not adhere to or weren't brought up in any religion. 39.93% indicated that they had a British only identity, 26.47% had a Northern Irish only identity, 18.51% had an Irish only identity, 3.78% had an 'other' national identity and the remaining 11.31% indicated a mixture of identities. When accounting for the fact respondents could select multiple national identities, 50.6% indicated that they had a British identity, 37.45% had a Northern Irish identity, and 22.20% had an Irish identity. 10.24% had some knowledge of Ulster Scots and 8.15% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge). 2011 census On census day (27 March 2011) there were 12,032 people living in Limavady (4,759 households), accounting for 0.66% of the NI total. Of these:
21.52% were aged under 16 years and 13.54% were aged 65 and over 51.37% of the usually resident population were female and 48.63% were male 51.83% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion and 44.41% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion 56.27% indicated that they had a British national identity, 31.08% had a Northern Irish national identity and 18.47% had an Irish national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity) 37 years was the average (median) age of the population 9.20% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots and 6.43% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge).
Transport Limavady is in close proximity to City of Derry Airport, 9 miles (15 km) to the west, and the Port of Londonderry, 13 miles (22 km) to the west.
Road In 2003 a road bypass was completed to the north of Limavady at a cost of £11.5 million. This bypass aimed to reduce the time taken to travel on the A2 between Derry and Coleraine.
Rail The Limavady Railway was a branch line to the main Belfast–Derry line. Limavady railway station opened on 29 December 1852, closed for passenger traffic on 3 July 1950 and finally closed altogether on 2 May 1955. Nowadays it is the site of the bus station, which Ulsterbus occupies. Limavady Junction railway station opened on 1 March 1855 and finally closed on 17 October 1976. Limavady is no longer served by the branch line – the nearest station is at Bellarena, approximately from the town.
Bellarena railway station has direct trains west to Derry~Londonderry and east to Castlerock, Coleraine (for stations to ), and stations to Belfast Lanyon Place and Belfast Grand Central.
An All-Island Review on railways commissioned in 2021 recommended that a short spur of the Limavady branch line be reinstated up to Limavady to restore services.
Canal The Broharris Canal was constructed in the 1820s when a cut, some long on the south shore of Lough Foyle near Ballykelly was made in the direction of Limavady. The inhabitants of Limavady appealed for the building of a canal from Lough Foyle to the town but were turned down, and the Broharris Canal was the nearest they came to achieving such a navigable link.
Education There are five primary schools, three secondary schools, a regional college and a special education school in Limavady. Limavady's schools are closely located in an 'education circle'. The three secondary schools are all located along the same stretch of road (Ballyquin Road and Irish Green Street), with Rossmar Special School adjacent to Limavady Grammar School, Termoncanice Primary opposite Limavady High School and St. Mary's High School. Limavady Central Primary School is located a short distance from the other schools. Roe Valley Integrated is situated further down Ballyquin Road. Gaelscoil Leim An Mhadaidh, is situated where Roe Valley Integrated previously lay on Roe Mill Road.
Primary schools Termoncanice Primary School Roe Valley Integrated Primary Limavady Central Primary School Drumachose Primary School Gaelscoil Leim An Mhadaidh
Secondary schools St Mary's High School Limavady Grammar School Limavady High School
Regional college North West Regional College
Special needs schools Rossmar Special School (formerly Limegrove/Greystone Hall)
Sport Limavady CRFHC is the local Cricket, Rugby, Football, and Hockey Club Limavady United F.C. Roe Valley F.C. Roe Rovers F.C. Newtowne F.C. Drummond Cricket Club
Popular culture Danny Boy Limavady is most famous for the tune "Londonderry Air" collected by Jane Ross in the mid-19th century from a local fiddle player. The tune was later (ca. 1913) used for the song "Danny Boy".
Events The town hosts events such as the NI Super Cup, the Danny Boy Jazz and Blues Festival, the Roe Valley Folk Festival; the Stendhal Festival of Art, and the Bishop Hervey International Summer School.
Notable people
Rev. Robert Bradford MP - Methodist Minister and MP for South Belfast. Murdered by the Provisional IRA on 14 November 1981. David Brewster LLB - noted Solicitor and former UUP Forum member for East Londonderry 1996. John Deighan – Derry GAA Gaelic footballer and SDLP Councillor. Sir Denis Desmond, KCVO, CBE (Born 1943), is a retired British company director and public administrator, who was Lord Lieutenant of County Londonderry from 2000 to 2018. Lives in Bellarena House just outside Limavady. Boyd Douglas (born 13 July 1950) - Councillor on Limavady Borough Council and later Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council from 1997 - 2014. He also served as MLA for East Londonderry from 1998 to 2003.