Солтүстік Ирландиядағы Мойра ауылының тарихы мен ескерткіштері

Moira is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the border with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Belfast–Dublin railway line are nearby. The population was 4,591 at the 2011 Census.

The etymology of Moira is somewhat uncertain. It seems to be an anglicisation of the Irish Maigh Rath, which may mean either 'plain of the wheels' or 'plain of the ringforts'. Another Irish form of the name is Mag Rath. The change most probably occurred during or before the Plantation of Ulster. Regardless Moira has now evolved to become both the official name and the one in everyday use.

Moira has been a settlement for at least 1,500 years. For the period it consisted most probably only of small dwellings surrounded by several earthen ringforts. Evidence of three such forts still remain. The best known of these is the so called "Rough Fort", situated on the Old Kilmore Road. However, the remains of "Pretty Mary's Fort" exist behind the Waringfield residential area. Finally evidence of a third ringfort can be found near Claremont. The existence of these primitive defences, coupled with the good view afforded from the top of Moira hill, made the settlement strategically valuable. Proximity to Lough Neagh enhanced this value. Accordingly, during the repeated power struggles of the first millennium the area was often fought over, and eventually witnessed the largest battle in the history of Ireland when three tribal kings contested the area to determine supremacy in Ulster and beyond. This was the Battle of Moira. Its impact on Moira is still felt; two townlands still bear battle names, Aughnafosker (meaning field of slaughter) and Carnalbanagh (meaning the Scotsman's grave). There were few towns, few roads and much of the country was thickly wooded. However the subjugation of Ulster by the victorious armies of Elizabeth I greatly reduced the clout of Gaelic hierarchs, the O'Laverys included. But it was their participation in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 doomed their dominance. The English authorities crushed the rebellion and confiscated vast amounts of native Irish property, in Moira as in the rest of Ireland. It was considered to have market the completion of the village. In 1841 Moira railway station was completed, and is now the oldest such structure on the island of Ireland. Moira Castle itself was vacated by the Batesons, and was demolished during the Victorian Era. A few gate stumps remain, as does some stepping for the famous gardens, and the dug out cellar. During the Second World War the grounds of Moira Demesne (as the Castle had become known) were used by the British Army as a medical centre. In summer 2018, a prolonged dry spell revealed what appeared to be foundations beneath the lawns of the demesne. In May 2019 the local council commissioned an archaeological dig by members from the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork and Archaeology at Queen's University Belfast. For two weeks, assisted by community volunteers, they explored several trenches and found some fascinating artefacts of life in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Moira remained relatively uneventful for most of the 20th century, but did not escape The Troubles. On 20 February 1998 dissident republicans planted a car bomb, which exploded outside the police station, injuring 11 people. The bomb was intended to kill police officers during a shift change. The blast was so loud that it could be heard fully 20 mile (32 km) away in Belfast. The bomb caused extensive damage, resulting in the police station and several nearby buildings having to be rebuilt. The bombing also threatened to derail the peace process at the time.

The present village is primarily a dormitory settlement for commuters into Belfast, Lisburn, and Craigavon. On 4 January, 2019, it was announced that Frances and Patrick Connolly, a local couple in Moira, had won £115 million in the EuroMillions lottery, making them the UK's fourth biggest lottery winners. this resulted in the couple being the UK's fourth biggest lottery winners. The couple, who won precisely £114,969,775.70, told the Belfast Telegraph: "This is a massive sum of money and we want it to have a huge impact on the lives of other people we know and love as well as on our future too. This win gives us the chance to really make a difference for our family and friends".

+ Historical figures Year Population % Change 1971 853 1981 1,453 40.7% 1991 2,772 47.6% 2001 3,682 32.8% 2011 4,591 24.7%

The population of Moira on Census day (27 March 2011) was 4,591 people. Their demographic characteristics were as follows: In 2011 they also became Great Taste Awards 2011 Supreme Champion, among other accolades. The StillHouse and Pretty Marys are the two popular pubs in the town, and Wine and Brine and The Fat Gherkin are also popular food and drink establishments. Moira and specifically The Moira Drive Thru and Internet Cafe was also the filming location for Channel 4's award winning Facejacker comedy program which had over 3,000,000 viewers.

Moira Primary School, reopened by The Princess Royal, and Rowandale Integrated Primary School provide education for the first two key stages. Moira has no secondary education, with most children commuting into Lurgan, Lisburn or Belfast to attend schools such as Friends', Wallace, RBAI, Hunterhouse, Lurgan Junior High School, St. Michael's Grammar School,(Lurgan), Lismore Comprehensive School; St. Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh; St Colman's College, Newry; St. Patrick's Academy, Lisburn and Rathmore Grammar School. Since the closure of St. Colman's PS Kilwarlin, pupils now attend a range of local primary schools including St. Patrick's PS in Magheralin. Moira's library has been rebuilt.

Moira has two junior football clubs: Moira FC that fields several young teams that play locally, and Moira Youth FC. Moira FC, which started in the Autumn of 2009, is linked to The LOGIC Cafe, which is part of St John's Parish Church in the village. Moira Youth FC prides itself on being a community club. The club are the reigning MUYL U12 Bowl champions and currently cater for players born in 2007 and 2008. In 2019 Moira Youth FC affiliated with Premier Intermediate League club Dollingstown FC in order to develop local youth players with a view to them eventually playing senior football for Dollingstown FC and retaining local talent in the area. Moira Youth FC folded in 2021. Moira has another (unrelated) football team, Moira Albion, an amateur football club who host two teams and play in the Mid Ulster League. The Moira area is represented in Gaelic games by the St. Michael's club in Magheralin as Moira falls within the Magheralin Parish. St. Michael's play in the Down County League and their most notable player to date is George Lavery, who came from Moira and won two senior all irelands with Down in 1960 and 1961. George played soccer for Moira Young Men's club in the 1940s and 1950s, playing in the local league before being offered a contract by Belfast Celtic.