Tobermore

Tobermore is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies 2. 5mi south-south-west of Maghera and 5. 5mi north-west of Magherafelt. Tobermore lies within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan and is part of Mid-Ulster District. It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin. Tobermore has won the Best Kept Small Village award four times and the Best Kept Large Village award in 1986. Most recently in September 2011, Tobermore won the Translink Ulster In Bloom village category for the third year in a row. EtymologyTobermore is named after the townland of Tobermore which is an anglicisation of the Irish words tobar meaning "well" and mór meaning "big /great", thus Tobermore means "big /great well". During the seventeenth century, Tobermore was also known as Tobarmore and Tubbermore, with Tubbermore being the preferred usage of the Masonic Order even to this day. TopographyTobermore lies on the descending slope of Slieve Gallion. Prominent hills are: Calmore Hill (in Calmore), 268ft; and Fortwilliam (in Tobermore), 200ft high. A large oak tree called the Royal Oak grew near Calmore Castle in Tobermore. Until it was destroyed in a heavy storm, the Royal Oak was said to have been so large that horsemen on horseback could not touch one another with their whips across it. From this vague description, it is conjectured that the Royal Oak was about 10ft in diameter or 30ft in circumference. Another oak tree that once grew near Tobermore was so tall and straight that it was known as the Fishing Rod. Tradition is that all of the townlands were once covered with magnificent oak trees.

Tobermore is a small village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies 2. 5mi south-south-west of Maghera and 5. 5mi north-west of Magherafelt. Tobermore lies within the civil parish of Kilcronaghan and is part of Mid-Ulster District. It was also part of the former barony of Loughinsholin. Tobermore has won the Best Kept Small Village award four times and the Best Kept Large Village award in 1986. Most recently in September 2011, Tobermore won the Translink Ulster In Bloom village category for the third year in a row. EtymologyTobermore is named after the townland of Tobermore which is an anglicisation of the Irish words tobar meaning "well" and mór meaning "big /great", thus Tobermore means "big /great well". During the seventeenth century, Tobermore was also known as Tobarmore and Tubbermore, with Tubbermore being the preferred usage of the Masonic Order even to this day. TopographyTobermore lies on the descending slope of Slieve Gallion. Prominent hills are: Calmore Hill (in Calmore), 268ft; and Fortwilliam (in Tobermore), 200ft high. A large oak tree called the Royal Oak grew near Calmore Castle in Tobermore. Until it was destroyed in a heavy storm, the Royal Oak was said to have been so large that horsemen on horseback could not touch one another with their whips across it. From this vague description, it is conjectured that the Royal Oak was about 10ft in diameter or 30ft in circumference. Another oak tree that once grew near Tobermore was so tall and straight that it was known as the Fishing Rod. Tradition is that all of the townlands were once covered with magnificent oak trees.