A Brief History of Limavady, Northern Ireland

 
 
The Roe Park Resort is proud to be deeply associated with the long history of Limavady that dates back around 2000 years.
 
No-one is sure about the exact date of Limavady's origins but estimates date from around 5 AD. Early records tell of Saint Columba, who presided over a meeting of the Kings at Mullagh Hill near Limavady in 575 AD, a location which is now part of the Roe Park Resort.
 
Between the 12th and 17th centuries the area around Limavady was ruled by the O'Cahan clan, who give their name to any number of locations throughout the town including our very own O'Cahan's Bar. O'Cahan's Rock is where, according to local myth, a dog belonging to one of the tribal chiefs jumped the river to get help from nearby clans after a surprise enemy attack. This little dog gave Limavady its name, which comes from the Irish Leim a' Mhadaidh or “leap of the dog”.
 
Perhaps Ireland's most famous song, Danny Boy, has its origins here too. Originally taken from a melody composed by O’Cahan bard Rory Dall O’Cahan, it was rediscovered in the mid-19th century by Jane Ross, who collected the tune the Londonderry Air from a local fiddle player. It was this tune that was later used as the basis for the song which is celebrated annually in the town's Danny Boy Festival.
 
Limavady is a small market town but its location in the scenic Roe Valley area and Roe Valley Country Park have made it an ideal base for exploring the North West of Ireland and the Causeway Coast.