Drumsurn

Drumsurn (from Irish: Droim Sorn meaning "furnace ridge")^[1] is a small village and townland in the Limavady Borough Council area^[2] of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southeast of Limavady and 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of Dungiven. It lies in the Roe Valley, at the foot of Donald's Hill and at the edge of the Sperrins. Drumsurn had a population of 357 people in the 2001 Census.

Features

Drumsurn is mainly residential with educational, social, and recreational facilities. These include the high quality recreation grounds and community centre at St Matthew’s GAC to the south of the village. There is a limited range of commercial services.^[2] The village of Drumsurn has a Roman Catholic population of greater than 95%. The Drumsurn Road is split between a mainly Protestant northern section up to Balteagh Presbyterian Church and a mainly Roman Catholic southern section thereafter. Relations between the two religious communities are good, with both sending their children to Limavady Grammar School.

History

The Troubles

During the Troubles, loyalist paramilitaries bombed a pub in Drumsurn, O Connors Bar, and threatened to bomb a bus full of children going to a Gaelic Athletic Association match in 2001.

Places of interest

• Legavannon and Legananam Pot, unusual landscape features formed by glaciers, are near the village.^[3][4]
• Kings Fort, one of the best preserved ráths in Northern Ireland, is nearby, but on private land.^[3][4]

Sport

• Drumsurn GAC is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.

Transport

• Drumsurn railway station opened on 4 July 1883, closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1933 and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950.^[5]

Gallery

Panorama of Ballyness townland, 2 1/4 miles from Drumsurn.

References

1. ^ Placenames Database of Ireland
2. ^ ^{a b} "Drumsurn Settlement Designation". Planning Service - Draft Northern Area Plan 2016. http://www.planningni.gov.uk/AreaPlans_Policy/Plans/Northern/draft_plan/Volume2/Part6/Villages/Drumsurn.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Drumsurn". Limavady Borough Council. http://www.limavady.gov.uk/visiting/towns-and-villages/drumsurn/. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Drumsurn". Culture Northern Ireland. http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/YourArea.aspx?location=445. Retrieved 2008-06-22. 
5. ^ "Drumsurn station". Railscot - Irish Railways. http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-10-12. 

Coordinates: 54°59′N 6°53′W / 54.983°N 6.883°W / 54.983; -6.883