Claudy (from Irish Clóidigh, meaning 'the one who washes/the strong-flowing one')[2] is a village and townland (of 1,154 acres) in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies in the Faughan Valley, 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Derry, where the River Glenrandal joins the River Faughan. It is situated in the civil parish of Cumber Upper and the historic barony of Tirkeeran.[3] It is also part of Derry and Strabane district.

Claudy
Main Street in the village
Claudy is located in Northern Ireland
Claudy
Claudy
Location within Northern Ireland
Population1,336 (2011 Census)
Irish grid referenceC541075
• Belfast62 mi (100 km)
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLONDONDERRY
Postcode districtBT47
Dialling code028, +44 28
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
County Londonderry
54°54′43″N 07°09′16″W / 54.91194°N 7.15444°W / 54.91194; -7.15444

Claudy had a population of 1,336 people in the 2011 census.[4] It has two primary schools, two churches and a college named St Patrick's and St. Brigid's College.

History

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During the Troubles in Northern Ireland, 13 people were killed in or near the village of Claudy. Nine of these people (all civilians) — including a nine-year-old child — were killed in the Claudy bombing of 31 July 1972. In this incident three suspected Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) car bombs exploded almost simultaneously in Main Street. Inadequate warning was given, and no paramilitary group has ever admitted responsibility for the bombing.[5] Of the other four people to be killed in Claudy, three were Protestant members of the security forces (two Ulster Defence Regiment and one Royal Ulster Constabulary), and all were killed by the IRA in separate incidents. The other person to be killed was a Catholic civilian killed by the Ulster Freedom Fighters. All 13 victims were killed during a relatively brief period, from 1972 to 1976.

Because of Claudy's small population, it has one of Northern Ireland's higher Troubles-related fatality rates. The 13 people killed there in the Troubles are equivalent to one per cent of the village's 2001 population; in comparison, the death rate in Belfast was equivalent to just over half a per cent of the city's 2001 population, and that in Derry a quarter of a per cent.[6]

Sport

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  • Claudy has a local Gaelic Athletic Association club, Claudy GAC.
  • Claudy is home to two rival football clubs, Claudy United and Claudy Rovers.
  • The village also has a local leisure centre called the Diamond Centre. It has sporting, gym, and ICT facilities.

Demography

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2011 census

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In the 2011 census, Claudy had a population of 1,340 people (504 households).[7]

On census day 27 March 2011, in Claudy Settlement, considering the resident population:

  • 99.10% were from the white (including Irish Traveller) ethnic group;
  • 80.45% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 17.39% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion; and
  • 22.24% indicated that they had a British national identity, 50.45% had an Irish national identity and 31.04% had a Northern Irish national identity.

2001 census

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Claudy is classified as a village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,316 people living in Claudy. Of these:

  • 26.7% were aged under 16 and 12.3% were aged 60 and over
  • 49.1% of the population were male and 50.9% were female
  • 77.9% were from a Catholic background and 21.4% were from a Protestant background
  • 4.9% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed

Education

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  • St. Patrick's and St. Brigid's College
  • Cumber Claudy Primary School
  • St Colmcilles Primary School and Nursery Unit

NIMDM deprivation 2005

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Of 582 wards in Northern Ireland, Claudy is ranked 241st.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Map and Placenames Key Archived 3 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Derry City Council. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  2. ^ "Claudy". Place Names NI. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Claudy". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Claudy". Census 2011 Results. NI Statistics and Research Agency. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Who was Father James Chesney?". BBC Online. 24 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Sutton Index of Deaths: Deaths by Geographical Location". Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  7. ^ "Census 2011 Population Statistics for Claudy Settlement". NINIS. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2019.
  8. ^ NI Neighbourhood Information Service Archived 1 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service website
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