Things to Do in the Local Magherafelt Area

The Magherafelt area is a great place for sightseeing, lying as it does in a picturesque plain between Lough Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains. For information on tours go to the Seamus Heaney page.

Magherafelt has an excellent reputation for sports and leisure.

Rainey Endowed School is well-known for rugby and has hosted visiting teams from Australia, S. Africa and Argentina. The Rainey Old Boys Rugby Club is one of the best known in Ireland.

Moyola Football Club situated at Castledawson just 3 miles from Magherafelt were the first winners of soccer’s Irish Cup. One of the great legents of Irish football was Magherafelt born Peter Doherty. He was born on Church St. just a couple of hundred yards from Laurel Villa and he once brought the F.A. Cup to the town. Look out for the Blue Plaque which has been erected to mark his birthplace.

The local GAA club is O’Donovan Rossa G.F.C. Both St.Pius College and St. Mary’s Grammer School have brought honours to the town for Gaelic sports and in July 2007 the Rossa Under 14 footballers brought the All Ireland title to Magherafelt.

You will find some or all of these sports being played here at whatever time of the year you choose to visit. For fixtures, consult the websites of the above clubs or contact us for information.

There are a host of other activities and events happening all through the year in the Magherafelt area. For example World Championship Moto-cross events have been held at Desertmartin, just 3 miles from Magherafelt and at Toome just 6 miles away. Recently, the British and Irish Junior Fell Running Championships took place on Slieve Gallen (visit www.nimra.org.uk). An International triathlon event takes place each August at Ballyronan on the shores of Lough Neagh, just 5 miles from Laurel Villa. There are also a number of international angling competitions on the River Bann, one of the best coarse fishing rivers in Europe and just 10 minutes drive away.

The Sperrins are fast becoming a prime hill-walking destination and the Sperrins Hill Walking Festival takes place each August. Cycling is another activity which has been developed in the area with a number of routes completed by Sustrans, including the Lough Neagh Trail.
For information on the full list of Magherafelt activities and events contact Magherafelt District Council or Sperrins Tourism - Alternatively you can contact us for advice.