Dungannon
Dungannon (Dún Gaynainn in Irish) is a town in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland It has about 10,000 inhabitants, and is the centre of a the Dungannon and South Tyrone local government area.
Its Royal School is said to be one of the oldest schools in Ireland. It was one of several royal schools chartered in 1608 by King James I with the intended purpose "that there shall be one Free School at least appointed in every County, for the education of youth in learning and religion." These schools provided an English style education to the sons of landed settlers in Ireland, most of whom were of Scottish or English descent. The Royal School Dungannon was established in 1614 at Mountjoy near Lough Neagh. A royal charter of 13th May - records the appointment of John Bullingbroke as the first Headmaster.
Dungannon was also one of the first towns in Ireland to form a rugby club, probably due to the Royal School. At least one player from Dungannon is listed in the first ever Irish side. The rugby club was founded in 1873, was the sixth club in Ireland and a founder member of the IRFU. Despite being a rugby union club since inception it's official title is Dungannon Football Club. This was in common with other clubs, such as the now defunct North of Ireland club from Belfast, who were founded prior to the formal division of the different styles of football into Association [soccer] & Rugby.
The town also has connections to New Zealand rugby. The Earl of Ranfurly presented the Ranfurly Shield to the NZRFU.
An interesting feature of the town is the former Police barracks at the top right hand corner of the market square which is quite unlike any other barracks of a similar vintage in Ireland. The unusal design of this building is apparently due to a mix up with the plans in Dublin which meant Dungannon got a station designed for the Khyber Pass in Afganistan and they, presumably, got a standard Irish barracks.
The once thriving linen industry has largely been replaced by glass-blowing, and the Tyrone Crystal factory is a major visitor attraction in Northern Ireland. Dungannon also had brick making industry using Coalisland fireclay.
Dungannon was one corner of the infamous murder triangle.
- See also: List of towns in Northern Ireland