There is evidence of settlement in the area for at least 1000 years. There may have been an abbey in the area around 700AD. The Augustinian abbey of St Mary's was built in the 11th century. Its ruins contain the tomb of O'Cahan (Cooey na Gall O' Cahan), laid to rest in 1385.[3] A thicket of thorn bushes hung with rags conceals a bullaun stone, visited for wart cures.[4]
Between the 12th and 17th centuries the area was ruled by the Ó Catháin clan, one of the most influential clans in Ulster
The town sprang up around Dungiven Castle and the Church of Ireland (Anglican church), later spreading westwards along Chapel Road and Main Street towards the bridging point on the River Roe.[5]
During The Troubles in Northern Ireland, seven people were killed in or near Dungiven in connection with the conflict, six of whom were members of the security forces. The one civilian, Francis McCloskey, was found beaten to death in disputed circumstances during street riots, in which the police were called to respond. He has sometimes been deemed as the first person killed in the last installment of the Troubles (1969-1997).[6]
Education
There are two secondary schools in the town, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire and St. Patrick's College. Located on Main Street and Curragh Road respectively.[7][8] There are also two primary schools in the town, Gaelscoil Neachtain and St. Canice's Primary School.[9]
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire and Gaelscoil Neachtain are both co-educational, interdenominational Irish-medium secondary and primary schools.[10][11]
On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 3,346 people living in Dungiven.[2] Of these:
24.65% were aged under 16, 63.04% were aged between 16-65, and 12.31% were aged 66 or over.[13]
51.02% of the population were female, and 48.98% were male.[14]
94.32% were from a Catholic background, 2.93% were from a Protestant or other Christian background, 0.42% were from an 'other' religious background, and 2.33% did not adhere to or weren't from any religious background.[15]
72.8% identified as Irish,[16] 24.1% identified as Northern Irish,[17] 5.9% identified as British,[18] 3.08% identified as 'other'.[19]
24.57% were aged under 16 and 10.55% were aged 65 and over
48.87% of the population were male and 51.13% were female
95.41% were from a Catholic background and 3.65% were from a Protestant or other Christian background
8.63% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed
Transport
Dungiven sits beside the main A6 road and has good road links to Derry (29 km to the west) and Limavady (13 km to the north). A proposed by-pass for Dungiven, following a route to the south west of the town, has been marked-out since the 1973 Limavady Area Plan, and opened to traffic in 2022.[5]
Dungiven was the terminus of the Limavady railway, which closed in 1950. Dungiven railway station opened on 4 July 1883, closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1933 and closed altogether on 3 July 1950.[24]
Rivers
The River Roe is a major river in Northern Ireland and the largest river in the town. The river can be seen at the western end of Dungiven at Dungiven Bridge. It starts up the Glenshane Pass and flows in a northwestern way towards the town and then north through Burnfoot and then Limavady.
The Owenbeg River is a large tributary to the Roe it starts near Feeny and flows into the river downstream from Buttermilk Bridge.
The Owenreagh River is also a major tributary which starts up in Banagher Glen and flows into the river downstream from the new A6 Bridge.
The Pellipar Burn is a small river or stream which flows through the heart of the town mainly a polluted urban stream and parts flowing underground in culverts. The burn can be seen below New Bridge beside the Church on New Street. it flows into the Roe a short distance downstream from Pellipar Bridge. The burn is named after Pellipar House.
The Derryware Burn is another small stream that flows at the northern end of the town this burn is around the same size as the Pellipar and flows into the River Roe above Pellipar House Estate.
Sister Aloysius McVeigh (1923-2008), Artist, iconographer and teacher
John Mitchel (1815-1875), a 19th-century Irish patriot who inspired the Young Ireland Movement, was born at Camnish, between Dungiven and Burnfoot; the Mitchel Park area is named for him