Culture Areas of N. Ireland:

Aghadowey, Antrim border in the Bann valley Ballykelly, the main Derry - Limavady Road Bellaghy, the village is the birthplace of the Nobel Prize winning poet Seamus Heaney. Benone, is one of the longest Blue Flag beaches in Europe, is outside of Limavady Castledawson, between Belfast and Derry Castlerock, Claudy, is South East of Derry City Coleraine, built across the River Bann; is an important social, cultural economic and political centre in North Ireland. Draperstown (Ballinascreen), at the foot of the Sperrin Mountains and is surrounded by beautiful vistas of rural Ulster. Drumsurn, between Dungiven and Limavady in the middle of the County, the village sits at the foot of Donald’s Hill, on the East side of the Roe Valley. Dungiven, is on the main Derry to Belfast route. Eglinton, originally founded by the Grocer’s Company between 1823-25, with industrial development reaching to the shores of Lough Foyle. Feeny, in the mid-west of the County, between Dungiven and Claudy Garvagh, Greysteel, has views of Inishowen in County Donegal, a mile or two away across Lough Foyle Killaloo, is South East of Derry City, on the main Derry-Belfast Road Kilrea, on the Antrim border, sits high up the Bann Valley to the South East of Garvagh with long, straight roads and the ’Diamond’ at its centre. Limvady, is in the North of the County, close to the coast. Macosquin, on the Southern edge of Coleraine; area is known for its underground caves and springs. The village was home to a Cistercian Abbey in the 12th Century and has monastic links going back a further 600 years. Today St. Mary’s Church of Ireland provides testimony to this rich Christian heritage. Maghera, is the local commercial centre for the surrounding villages of Swatragh, Tobermore, Upperlands, Gulladuff and Knockcloghrim. St. Lurach’s Church in the town dates from the 6th Century, having been originally founded as a monastery. The importance of the monastery was such that Maghera was a Bishop’s seate in the 12th and 13th Centuries. Magherafelt, is the biggest town in the South of the County and is built around a central Diamond, which forms the heart of the town. Magilligan, to the North of Limavady, forms one side of the mouth of Lough Foyle, one mile from Greencastle in Co. Donegal in the ’South’ of Ireland. Lough Foyle represents the only waterborne approach to Derry City and was thus a key area for defence. Moneymore, in the South of the County Newbuildings, Portstewart, takes its name from a Lieutenant Stewart who in 1734 obtained a lease of land from the Earl of Antrim and is one of North Ireland’s major tourist destinations. Swatragh, a small village located on the main Cookstown-Coleraine Road, to the north of Magherafelt. Tobermore, is a large Mid-Ulster village just to the South of Maghera.