Across the road is Garvagh Health Centre, first built in
1968. It was around this area in 1813 that a man called Ned Dooey
from Dungiven was shot and killed in what was to become known as
‘The Battle of Garvagh’. As Irish battles go this
was a minor fair day skirmish
which had been going on for months between rival religious
factions. The incident would have most likely been forgotten with
the passage of time had not
somebody thought it important enough to write a song,
part of which
goes ‘ His heels went up and his head went down at the third tree in
Garvagh’. The third tree was
around where
The Health Centre is now.
Before 1968, two doctors, Dr. Maclaine and Dr. Kelly had a surgery
where Peter Brolly now lives and further down the street Dr Ian
Kerr had his surgery beside Jackie Tempeltons chemist shop. Dr Maclaine retired in 1967 and in 1969 the town was shocked to hear
of the sudden death of Dr Kelly at the age of forty two. For
almost a year Dr. Ian Kerr was the only doctor in Garvagh until Dr.
Brian Wilson came. Dr. Wilson retired in 1994 because of ill
health and died a short time later. Dr. Ian Kerr retired in
1990. The present doctors are Dr. John Kerr, Dr Connor
and Dr Louise Dunlop. Dr. Orr is the fourth doctor in
Garvagh at the present time.
Years ago the
doctor also had to make up the pills and medicines for his patients
and his surgery would have resembled a chemists shop. In 1917
Alex Tempelton who came from Portaferry opened a chemist shop in
premises owned by Thomas McKinney. These premises are now
McKinneys off licence. Alex’s wife, formerly Miss Sarah Sloan was
also a chemist. In 1937 Alex Tempelton rented No 73 Main Street
from Bertie Brown, two years later Alex’s son Jackie came into the
business. After the second world war The National Health service
came with free prescriptions, and as Garvagh grew bigger,
Tempelton’s business increased. As well as dispensing medicine
Jakie Tempelton ran a photographic business and also sold fishing
tackle. Mr James Donaghy opened a second chemist’s
shop just across the road and later transferred it to Paddy
Devlin. Alex Tempelton died in 1967, his son Jackie would remain
in business for another 23 years until he retired in 1990. In 1989
Paddy Devlin retired and died in 1998. Devlin’s chemist is now
owned by Mr Sam Wilkinson and is the only pharmacy in the town.
A short
distance from the health centre is Garvagh Museum. The museum is
situated in the walled garden of the former Garvagh House. It
contains artefacts from the stone age, a large collection of domestic and horse drawn implements, a 19th century kitchen, bedroom
and bathroom, a shoemakers shop, a forge, a large collection of
pictures, as well as many other items of the past. This piece of
history is the brainchild of George McIlroy, a local historian and
former teacher in Garvagh High School. The museum is open June to
August, Thursday and Saturday 2pm to 5 and is well worth a visit.
Groups can be catered for on request.
The next
building on this side of the street is the War Memorial. First
unveiled in 1924 Garvagh’s War Memorial like dozens of others in
towns and villages throughout the country, was erected in memory of
the 32 local men who lost their lives fighting in the great war
1914—1918. Those who served are also recorded here. Little did
anyone think on that Spring day over three quarters of a century
ago, that within 15 years Britain and Germany would be at war again
in a conflict which would cost 65 million lives.
Beside the
war memorial is a building where the old R.U.C. station used to be.
This picture of over 100 R.I.C. officers obviously expecting trouble
in the town was taken on 15th August 1910. This photograph taken
in 1948 shows constable Dan Hegarty and Johney Kane the barber.
When the police station moved to its present location on the
Limavady road these premises were bought by Peter Brolly and became
a garage and car salesroom. In the late 1970s Eugene Mullan,
Mullan Autosales had his garage here until he moved to his present
location at the bottom of Main Street.
Over the past
few years Garvagh has undergone many changes, one of them is The new
community centre half way up the main street. Garvagh and
District Development Association (GADDA) was formed in 1995 after a
public meeting was called to obtain local views concerning the
formation of a community group. It was agreed at the conclusion of
the meeting that a group be formed and a committee elected.
One of the
first tasks of this new committee was to endeavour to provide a
place for public amenities. This neutral venue would be to provide
community rooms, community offices and retail units.
The estimated
cost of this project was one million pounds and work commenced in
1999. The substantial building was purchased from Hans Clyde.
This building was first erected in 1861 by Robert Roberson a
prosperous grocer who leased the ground for 99 years from Lady
Garvagh. This agreement remained in force until 1913 when
Robertson bought the property which consisted of two shops and two
dwelling houses. The family carried on in business as hardware and
general merchants. In the 20th century the premises were owned by
two Garvagh brothers Alfred and George Clyde. George carried on
in the Robertson tradition, hardware and general merchandise while
Alfred was a draper and undertaker.
Garvagh History Page 2 |
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