Ardboe is a large parish civil parish in east County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It borders the western shore of Lough Neagh and lies within the Mid Ulster District Council area. It is also the name of the local civil parish, which incorporates both Mullinahoe and Moortown. Ardboe Development Association, which developed a small business park, and Ardboe Community Group are based in the Mullinahoe part of the parish. The name "Ard Boe" means "high cow" comes from a legend that the monastery of Ardboe was built from the milk of a magic cow which emerged from nearby Lough Neagh.

History

During the Second World War, in 1941, an RAF station was built in the townland of Kinrush in Ardboe. RAF Cluntoe was initially used by the Royal Air Force, but quickly handed over as a training station for the United States Army Air Forces, and by 1943, over 3,500 troops were stationed there. By 1946 the war was over and the Americans had left. The RAF kept the airfield ticking over and it was reopened in 1952 as a training station for pilots going to the Korean War. By 1955 it closed for good. Remains of the Cluntoe Airfield around Ardboe can still be seen, with the area known as "The Drum" among locals.

The Troubles

The parish of Ardboe experienced multiple fatal incidents during the Troubles.

Places of interest

Townlands

Arboe civil parish contains the following townlands (four of which are in County Londonderry): • Aghacolumb • Annaghmore • Annahavil • Anneetermore • Anneeterbeg • Ardean • Ballygonny More • Ballymaguire • Ballymurphy • Ballynafeagh • Ballynargan • Brookend • Carnan • Cluntoe (Quin) • Cluntoe (Richardson) • Dromore • Drumard • Drumenny (Conyngham) • Drumenny (Stewart) • Drumhubbert • Drummullan • Eary Lower • Elagh • Farsnagh • Feagh • Gortigal • Gortnagwyg • Killycanavan Lower • Killycolpy • Killygonlan • Killymenagh • Killywoolaghan • Kilmascally • Kinrush • Kinturk • Lurgyroe • Moneyhaw • Mullaghglass • Mullaghwotragh • Mullinahoe • Sessia (in Coagh division) • Sessia (in Mullanahoe division) • Stuart Hall • Tamlaghtmore • Tamnavally • Trickvallen

Notable people

Communications

Sport

Census 2011

Ardboe is a very large parish. Is Classified A Small Village By The NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA): there were 986 people living there in 2011.