'The history of Drumlamph and its people' is my own personal
project, and is to record as much information about the townland and all the families that have lived there during the 19th
and 20th centuries.
Over the past 200 years, many families have lived in the townland, some for only a short time,
others have remained, (some on the same farm) for the last two centuries. This project is to make a record of as many of these
families as possible. This will include things like when families moved into and out of the townland, where they lived, what
other families in the area they were related to, where these families came from, where their descendants can be found today
etc..
During the years spanning the 'Potato Famine' (1845-1852)
the population of Drumlamph dropped by almost a quarter. While some died, many emigrated to escape the famine. Where possible
I would like to record where some of these people went.
For more information about 'The Potato Famine' click on the
link below.
Like most townlands, Drumlamph has its fair share of local/old
names for roads, lanes, houses, fields etc.. These old names are gradually dissappearing from the townlands throughout Ireland,
perhaps in a few generations the townland names themselves may also be a thing of the past.
In Drumlamph in recent
years the 'Wee Road' has been renamed 'Drumlamph Lane' the 'Moss Road' is now called 'Drumlamph Road', and the 'Double Corpse
Wood'/'Corpse Wood' (pronounced 'Copy') has been given the new name of 'Drumlamph Wood'. (which causes confusion with another
wood of the same name and also a few miles from Maghera). Other names like 'Cottage Farm', the 'Bog Lonnan' the 'Whinney Car
Road' the 'Bull Hole Field' 'Island Burn' 'Pimley's Brea' etc have almost been forgotton altogether.
Our forefathers,
the people that lived and worked in the townlands, gave these places their names. These names often reflected the character
of the townland at that time, and are therefore part of the history of the area. In most cases these changes are made by the
current population, and, like the old names, say something about the area, and in due course these names become part of the
townland's character.
However with new postal addresses, post codes, computerised records etc., some of these 'modern'
names have been 'thought up' by people who have never even visited the townland, and therefore say nothing about the area.
One of the aims of this project it to record these names before they are lost forever.
Throughout the townland there are a number of ruins of
old homesteads, many have not been occupied in living memory, others have totally dissappeared. It is hoped that this project
will identify which families lived in each house, and when they lived there.
All aspects
of life in Drumlamph will be recorded, local events, damage caused by 'The Big Wind' of 1839, local characters, stories about
the area (fact, fiction, true or untrue) myth's, suprestitions etc.
Over the
years a number of items of historical interest have been found in Drumlamph, old coins (some dated 1575) crocks of butter,
a brass sword, quern-stones etc. Where are these items now or do you know of any other finds?
I would like to hear from anyone who has any information
about the area, however little. If you are researching a family that have connections with any of the neighbouring townlands,
Bellaghy or Castledawson area, please get in touch. Who knows, I may have some information about your family.
In short, this project is to make a unique historical record
about the people and the history of the townland of Drumlamph.
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