Craigavon Historical Society

Cross section through a local Cruck Truss dwelling, the logo of Craigavon Historical Society

Digging Deeper into Kilmochmóg

This booklet brings together the findings of the community archaeological investigations we held in 2022, 2023 and 2025 at Kilmocholmóg field, Lurgan, which identified a previously unrecorded Neolithic site and early medieval ecclesiastical site. The booklet was created as part of the 'Pagans, Saints and Birdmen: Revealing the hidden stories of our landscape together' project, which was supported by The National Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

Click here to download the booklet

Sweeney Astray Workbook

A primary school workbook produced to accompany an education programme held in 2026 at St. Patrick's Magheralin and Maralin Village primary schools. The booklet includes information and exercises related to the medieval tale of Buile Shuibhne (The Frenzy of Sweeney) and the history of Magheralin. The booklet was created as part of the 'Pagans, Saints and Birdmen: Revealing the hidden stories of our landscape together' project, which was supported by The National Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.

Click here to download the booklet

Sir Robert Hart

Craigavon Historical Society cooperated with the children of Hart Memorial School in Portadown to produce a film about Sir Robert Hart. Click on link to view the video.

A recording of our January 2024 Zoom talk ‘The World Administered by Irishmen: Sir Robert Hart and Contemporary Irish in Asia’ given by historian Robin Masefield can be viewed by clicking on this link.

About us

We are a cross-community group formed in 1967 with the objective of preserving community history as land between Lurgan and Portadown was being cleared to develop the "New City" of Craigavon.

Our interests cover the former borough of Craigavon including the towns of Portadown and Lurgan and the villages and rural areas surrounding them, each with their own rich history.

Our logo shows a section through a cruck truss dwelling typical of houses once common in this area. Click here to view the interior of Cruck House at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra.

Research and publications

We encourage research into local history and are proud of our biennial journal, Review which includes articles by members and friends. We have also published a number of booklets including historical town trails of Lurgan and Portadown.

Outings

We organise outings not only to local sites of historical interest but also further afield helping set our local history in the context of developments throughout Ireland.

Ballance House

Photographs from Craigavon Historical Society outings

REVIEW - journal of Craigavon Historical Society.

Some of the covers of Review published during the last 35 years.

Review Vol. 11 No. 3, launched in 2024, has 64 pages containing many articles on the history of Lurgan, Portadown and the surrounding areas including illustrations in full colour. Please note that the contents of recent Reviews (those published in the last 10 years) may not appear on the web site for some years after date of publication.

Cover of Review Vol. 11 No 3

Reviews may be purchased by mail order for a small additional charge to cover postage costs.

To order Review(s) by post please email us at admin@craigavonhistoricalsociety.org.uk for further informatiom. Price, including postage, is £8.00 to UK, £10.00 to Éire and £12.00 to USA and Canada.

Lurgan Stories: Digging deeper into Kilmocholmóg

Drew McFarland and Joyce Blakely - local volunteers at the 2023 dig.

Click to view video of 2023 dig Watch as evidence of an early medieval site is revealed during a community archaeological excavation of a site known as Kilmocholmóg (meaning ‘Church of my little Colman’), off Kilmore Road, Lurgan.