| South-east of Dungannon and on
the River Blackwater which here forms the district border
is Moy, known locally as ‘The Moy’. Centred round
a pleasant square, it was founded as a plantation settlement
in 1764 by Lord Charlemont.
Moy is connected with the village of Charlemont, named after
Lord Charlemont, by a bridge that was built by William Durgan,
who was the engineer noted for planning not only Belfast’s
Queen Island but also the Portadown to Dungannon section of
the Ulster Railway.
Moy was for many years the site of one
of Ireland’s most famous horse fairs and it supplied
many of the horses used by Wellington at the Battle
of Waterloo. Ruins of the old fort (burnt down in 1920
during the ‘troubles’) can still be seen
as can those of Roxborough Castle which was the secondary
home of the Charlemonts. Today the village is a Conservation
area.
A Public Services Building comprises community rooms
and a library with an interesting display on the life
of John King, the famous soldier and explorer who was
born near the village. Today the village is renowned
for its antique shops. |
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