Inishrush

Innisrush or Inishrush (from Irish Inis Rois, meaning 'island of the woods')^[1] is a small village and townland near Glenone in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 114 people. It lies within the Mid-Ulster District area.

Innisrush
Village, townland
Inishrush
Innisrush
Coordinates: 54°52′20″N 6°31′29″W

History

The local Orange Hall

The island referred to in the name of the village was in a small lake called Green Lough, which was located north-west of Inishrush until being drained in the 19th century.^[2]

Inishrush was a flashpoint during the Home Rule Crisis as it was a Protestant settlement that bordered territory where the Irish Volunteers and Ancient Order of Hibernians were strong.^[3]

In 1913, Sunday school children were attacked by nationalists as they made their way to a local fete.^[3] Fears of a repeat emerged the following year after a minister received letters threatening violence if the fete were held again.^[3] In response, the Ulster Volunteers mobilized 100 armed men to escort the children the one mile from the village to the fete.^[3] This time there was no trouble – whether the threats were genuine or the work of a local 'crank' is unknown.^[3]

On 17 June 1920, Patrick Loughran, an IRA volunteer, was killed by police when he attempted to burn the village RIC station.^[4] This was the first casualty suffered by the IRA in the six counties during the Anglo-Irish War.^[4] The police station was eventually closed in 1937.^[5]

The Troubles

On 20 December 1976, 'four raiders' damaged a public house with a bomb packed into a tea chest, firing shots into the building before they made their escape. No one was hurt in this incident.^[6] As the pub was Catholic-owned, this attack was likely carried out by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).^[7]

On 14 January 1977, James Greer, a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer, was killed by the IRA via a booby trap bomb attached to the car outside his parents' home in Inishrush.^[8]

See also

• List of townlands of County Londonderry