Maguiresbridge

At the beginning of the 20th century, Maguiresbridge was served by four railways which stretched throughout Ulster. At that time, Maguiresbridge and Clones were two of the major junctions from Derry, Omagh, and Belfast into north Leinster, in particular, the major market towns of Athlone, Cavan, and Mullingar via the Inney junction. This back-bone rail infrastructure was administered by the Midland Great Western Railway which also linked to other major towns: namely, Sligo, Tullamore, via Clara, cities such as Dublin, Limerick, and other market towns on the south coast.

Maguiresbridge railway station on the Great Northern Railway opened on 1 March 1859 and was shut on 1 October 1957. The station serving as the western terminus of the narrow gauge Clogher Valley Railway opened on 2 May 1887 and was shut on 1 January 1942.{{cite web | title=Maguiresbridge station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | access-date=2007-11-25}}

On 17 November 1981 Albert Beacom, a Corporal in the Ulster Defence Regiment, was shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army while working on his farm outside Maguiresbridge.

{{Cite news | last = johnston | first = Victoria | title = Fermanagh family reflect on 40th anniversary of father's murder | newspaper = The Impartial Reporter | date = 2021-11-18 | url=https://www.impartialreporter.com/news/19725442.fermanagh-family-reflect-40th-anniversary-fathers-murder/ | accessdate=2024-01-23}}

On 11 February 1986 an off-duty member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Derek Breen (aged 29) was shot dead by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in the Talk of the Town Bar (now the Coach Inn). During the same incident John McCabe (aged 25), who was working as a barman there, was caught in the gunfire and died on scene.

{{cite web |title=Derek George Breen|url=https://policememorial.org.uk/memories/derek-george-breen |publisher=Police Remembrance Trust |accessdate=2024-01-23}}

Maguiresbridge grew considerably during the 2010s, with the building of five new housing developments holding 350 houses. New shops were also built during this time.{{cite web |url=http://www.shopping-time.co.uk/BT94/Coa/Hamilton-SPAR-Maguiresbridge-36-Main-Street-Maguiresbridge,24905.html |title=Hamilton SPAR Maguiresbridge in Coa |publisher=Shopping-time.co.uk |date=2012-06-25 |access-date=2013-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160114184707/http://www.shopping-time.co.uk/BT94/Coa/Hamilton-SPAR-Maguiresbridge-36-Main-Street-Maguiresbridge,24905.html |archive-date=14 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.yell.com/b/Hamilton's+Spar-Supermarkets-Enniskillen-BT944RZ-898109/index.html |title=Hamilton's Spar, Enniskillen | Supermarkets |website=yell.com |access-date=2013-04-22}}{{fv|reason=How do either of these directory entries support this text?|date=May 2023}}

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|title = National Identity of Maguiresbridge residents (2021){{cite web |title=National Identity (Irish) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=DZ21&v=NAT_ID_IRISH_AGG3&%7EDZ21=N20002036+N20002035 |access-date=20 December 2023}}{{cite web |title=National Identity (Northern Irish) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=DZ21&v=NAT_ID_NORTHERN_IRISH_AGG3&%7EDZ21=N20002036+N20002035 |website=NISRA |access-date=20 December 2023}}{{cite web |title=National Identity (British) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=DZ21&v=NAT_ID_BRITISH&%7EDZ21=N20002036+N20002035 |website=NISRA |access-date=20 December 2023}}

|titlebar=#ddd |left1=Nationality |right1=Per cent |float=right

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{{bar percent|British|Blue|44.13}}

{{bar percent|Irish|DarkOrchid|29.93}}

{{bar percent|Northern Irish|grey|31.34}}

Residents could identify as more than one nationality.

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On Census Day (2021) the most accurate resident population of Maguiresbridge village was 940. This incorporates NISRA Census areas Erne East C2 and C3.{{cite web |title= Maguiresbridge village census 2021 |url=https://explore.nisra.gov.uk/area-explorer-2021/N20002035/ |website=NISRA |access-date=20 December 2023}} Of these:

• 40.66.7% (381) identified as Roman Catholic religion.
• 42.15% (395) identified as 'Protestant and Other Christian' religion.
• 16.54% (155) had no religious background.
• 0.64% (6) had an 'Other' religious background.{{cite web |title=Religion |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=DZ21&v=RELIGION_BELONG_TO_AGG4&%7EDZ21=N20002036+N20002035 |website=NISRA |access-date=20 December 2023}}

• 35.92% (337) indicated that they had a British only identity,
• 28.14% (264) had an Irish only identity
• 22.60% (212) had a Northern Irish only identity {{cite web |title=National identity (person based) |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=DZ21&v=NAT_ID_BASIC&%7EDZ21=N20002036+N20002035|website=NISRA |access-date=20 December 2023}}

On the day of the 2011 census, 27 March 2011, there were 1,020 people living in Maguiresbridge.{{cite web | url = https://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/AreaProfileReportViewer.aspx?FromAPAddressMulipleRecords=Maguiresbridge@Exact%20match%20of%20location%20name:%20@Exact%20Match%20Of%20Location%20Name:%20%20Maguiresbridge@23? | title = Census 2011 Population Statistics for Maguiresbridge Settlement | publisher = Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) | access-date = 2019-10-08}} Of these:

• 24.80% were aged under 16 years
• 11.37% were aged 65 or over
• 52.16% were female and 47.84% were male
• 49.61% were from a Protestant background
• 46.47% were from a Catholic background
• 5.65% of people aged between 16 and 74 were unemployed

Local primary schools include St. Mary's Roman Catholic Primary and Maguiresbridge Controlled Primary.{{fact|date=May 2023}}

Maguiresbridge does not have any secondary school, with eligible residents traveling to Lisnaskea and Enniskillen to receive secondary education.{{fact|date=May 2023}}

Image:Colebrooke River, Maguiresbridge.jpg

The local Roman Catholic church is Saint Mary's Church, and the local Church of Ireland church is Christchurch.{{fact|date=May 2023}} There are also Methodist and Presbyterian churches.{{fact|date=May 2023}}

Maguiresbridge is home to both a soccer and Gaelic football club. Saint Mary's GFC is a Gaelic football club with its grounds on the Drumgoon Road, whilst the soccer club plays its games in Lisnaskea.

Bernadette Collins, who worked as head of race strategy for the Aston Martin Formula One Team from 2020 to 2022, was born and raised in the town.{{Cite news|url=https://fermanaghherald.com/2014/02/making-marks-on-her-career-track/|title=Making marks on her career track|date=22 February 2014|work=Fermanagh Herald|access-date=27 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107130330/https://fermanaghherald.com/2014/02/making-marks-on-her-career-track/|archive-date=7 January 2019|url-status=live}}

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{{County Fermanagh}}

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Category:Villages in County Fermanagh