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Tandragee () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is on a hillside above the Cusher River, and is overlooked by Tandragee Castle. The town is in the civil parish of Ballymore and the historic barony of Orior Lower. Earlier spellings of the name include 'Tanderagee' and 'Tonregee'. It had a population of 3,545 people in the 2021 census.
Tandragee Castle was rebuilt in about 1837, after having previously been destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, for George Montagu, 6th Duke of Manchester. Its grounds have been home to the Tayto crisps factory since 1956, after being bought by businessman Thomas Hutchinson.
In April 1642, Felim O'Neill, leading the rebellion, commanded that his forces gather at Tandragee to prepare to confront the Covenanters who had landed in Ulster. About 2,000 soldiers responded to O'Neill's call.
On 12 May 1643, Robert Monro led an army of 4,000 Covenanters to Tandragee, and burned homes in the surrounding region. Felim O'Neill's forces, comprising both cavalry and infantry, engaged Monro's men. During this skirmish, the lieutenant of Colonel Monro's cavalry, along with two captains and several soldiers, lost their lives. Ultimately, the O'Hanlons lost their hold of Tandragee, with the castle left in a state of disrepair as a result of the conflict.
On 9 September 1679 a group of Redmond O'Hanlon's followers murdered Henry St John, grandnephew of Sir Oliver St John, when horse-riding near Knockbridge. He was the owner of Tandragee Castle and its demesne at the time.
The Tandragee Volunteers, organised by Captain Nicholas Johnston in 1779, were fitted with scarlet uniforms faced with white details. Johnston set up another company in Tandragee known as the Tandragee Invincibles. In the churchyard, there is a grave dedicated to one of its volunteers, John Whitten, who died in 1785.
Other companies included the Tandragee Light Dragoons, led by James Craig. Volunteer activities were mostly ceremonial, featuring reviews and shooting competitions. The Tandragee Volunteers played a notable role in a skirmish at Lisnagade in 1791. A group of Catholic Defenders set up camp at Lisnagade fort, planning to confront a group of Protestant Peep O' Day Boys commemorating King William's triumph at the Battle of the Boyne. This skirmish inspired the creation of a ballad known as Lisnagade ("Ye Protestants of Ulster").
The Volunteers' influence waned after the American Revolutionary War as new government-sanctioned groups emerged, such as the Yeomanry. Following the Battle of the Diamond, the Yeomanry became associated with the Orange Order. Established in 1796, the Tandragee Yeomanry, along with the County Armagh Yeomanry, played a key role in suppressing the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion. The Newry Telegraph estimated that 40,000 met at a demonstration in Tandragee. With the Irish Volunteers disbanded and the United Irishmen defeated, the Acts of Union 1800 dissolved the all-Ireland Parliament.
Tandragee also had a strong representation in the Ulster Defence Union. In the central assembly of 600 members appointed on 21 October 1886, the southern region, including Armagh, Cavan, and Monaghan, was represented by eight local representatives: Rev. P.A. Kelly, Rev. W. McEndoo, Rev. R.J. Whan, Maynard Sinton, Thomas White, William O’Brien, John Atkinson, and Rev. George Laverty.
In 1910, branches of the Unionist Club were founded in Tandragee, Clare, Scarva, Poyntzpass, and Ballyshiel. In September, under the supervision of William Montagu, 9th Duke of Manchester, members of the Tandragee Club engaged in drills prior to the Ulster Covenant.
During the Third Home Rule Crisis, the Ulster Unionist Party leadership chose to unite the various Ulster loyalism. By December 1912, the County Armagh Committee included several figures from the business sector, the legal field, and the local aristocracy. The representatives from Tandragee were Rev. R.J. Whan and George Davison. These people played a role in the eventual formation of a local battalion of the Ulster Volunteers.
Tandragee was identified by the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1912 as one of ten locations where unionist paramilitary drills were occurring. The population of the Tandragee area became a majority of the Third Battalion of the County Armagh Regiment of the Ulster Volunteer Force - also known as the Tandragee Volunteers. Tandragee Castle was the headquarters of the Tandragee Volunteers, with records indicating that the 9th Duke of Manchester occasionally inspected the troops and permitted the use of his estate.
A mural commemorating the Third Battalion of the County Armagh Regiment UVF is located at the junction of Montague Street and Ballymore Road in Tandragee.
Peace Day celebrations took place in Tandragee on 19 July 1919, featuring a costume parade and a sports day in the Duke of Manchester's demesne. In the evening, a parade led by an effigy of the Kaiser made its way to the square, where the effigy was set ablaze.
The Tandragee war memorial was unveiled in April 1925, the first in County Armagh. A large crowd gathered for the unveiling ceremony. After the hymn 'O God Our Help in Ages Past' was performed, Major Shellington MP, a former officer of the 9th Royal Irish Fusiliers, unveiled the memorial. The obelisk, crafted from Newry granite, is nearly tall and is situated in the square near the castle gates.
Just over a year later, life in the town would experience a significant transformation with the arrival of American GIs from the 6th Cavalry. In 1943, Alexander Montagu, the 10th Duke of Manchester, leased Tandragee Castle to the United States Army for use during World War II.
Tandragee's links to the primary Belfast-Dublin railway, along with its proximity to the River Cusher and Newry Canal, positioned it as a strategic staging area for the United States Army in 1943. Tandragee railway station experienced the arrival of thousands of soldiers during World War II.
The 6th Cavalry unit conducted its final parade in Tandragee on 31 December 1943. Following this, the regiment transitioned to become the 6th Mechanized Cavalry Group, which comprised the 6th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and the 28th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron. Reports suggest that General George S. Patton was a visitor to Tandragee Castle in 1943. While inspecting troops in Northern Ireland, he was guest of honour at a dance in the castle.
The Tandragee war memorial commemorates the soldiers who served in both World War I and World War II.
In 2000, Tandragee was scene of the Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine, two teenaged local Protestants who were unaffiliated with any paramilitary organization, by three members of the UVF Mid-Ulster Brigade and as part of an ongoing Loyalist feud between the UVF and LVF.
Tandragee District No.4 hosts The Twelfth every 11 years, as part of a rotation in which each district lodge in County Armagh takes its turn to organise the event.
The district has its origins in 1796, the year following the establishment of the Orange Order. The inaugural Orange Order in Tandragee occurred on 12 July 1796, coinciding with the first Twelfth demonstration held at Lurgan Park. At that time, the district comprised 14 lodges. By 1834, the district was home to 27 lodges with a total of 810 members. In 1900, this number had decreased to 25 lodges with 750 members, while as of the early 21st century, there are 21 lodges with over 700 members.
On 12 July 1831, 10,000 Orangemen from across Ulster gathered in Tandragee to celebrate the Twelfth. They marched around Lord Mandeville's Castle (Tandragee Castle), which featured castle gates decorated with Orange arches and showcased between 80 and 90 Orange banners.
Tandragee District Hall was constructed in 1912 and initially established as a Protestant Temperance Hall. The building later functioned as a Movie theater during the 1940s and for later for dances, until it eventually transitioned to function as Tandragee District Hall. The hall also holds other events throughout the year.
On New Year's Day 2008, the hall was the target of an arson attack, during which the door was forcibly opened, the interior was ignited and the hall sustained significant smoke damage.
Folk musician, from the nearby Portadown, Robin Morton speaking about the song, "Here's a fairly modern Orange song, and a great favorite among 'the brethren' because they can all join in on the last line of each verse. Dick Bamber, who gave it to me, is generally credited as the writer, but he tells me this is not correct. An old lady who lived beside him in Ballylisk, near Tandragee, 'wrote it years ago.' Just how long ago she wrote it he doesn't remember, but he says she gave it to him and he was the first to sing it in public. Now it's an Orange standard."
The church has a history spanning over 650 years, connected to the Dukes of Manchester until the mid-1950s. The church was mentioned in 14th-century records but it was burnt down by Edmond O'Hanlon in the Irish Rebellion of 1641. It was reconstructed in 1812 as it had become inadequate for the congregation's needs. During construction, remnants of the old walls were found, showing signs of fire damage from the Irish Rebellion of 1641.
In February 1967, Rev. Ian Paisley was invited to lead a gospel campaign at the Protestant Temperance Hall. Each evening, the hall was filled to capacity and, on the final two Sunday meetings, Cargans Memorial Orange Hall was used as an overflow venue, allowing additional participants to view the services via closed circuit television. The enthusiasm for this style of preaching was so significant that, as the mission drew to a close, several members of the congregation approached Rev. Paisley with a request to establish a separate Protestant witness, specifically a Free Presbyterian Church, in Tandragee. On Easter Sunday, 26 March 1967, Paisley delivered a sermon at the Temperance Hall, leading to the formation of the Tandragee Free Presbyterian Church.
On 18 October 2008, a new church complex spanning was opened to serve the growing congregation, located off the Portadown Road in the Willowfield housing estate. This facility features a sanctuary with seating for 450, a church hall that can accommodate 350 people, a prayer room for 130, and a youth fellowship area designed for 70 participants. The complex also has a minister's office, a space for parents with infants during services, committee room, garage, storage areas, recording studio and two kitchens.
Approximately 2 years following the establishment of the church, the members resolved to construct a meeting house, contingent upon securing a suitable location. During a church meeting held on 11 October 1866, with thirteen members in attendance, it was decided to accept a site from William Montagu, 7th Duke of Manchester and to "solicit subscriptions towards the building of the chapel by means of letter and personal solicitation". The Duke of Manchester granted a lease for a parcel of land measuring 1 Rood and 27 perches, which housed an existing structure. The lease term was set for 91 years at an annual rate of 30 shillings (£1.50). It was agreed that the chapel would measure , constructed with stone sourced from the nearby Tullyhue quarry. Initially, the funds raised were sufficient only to construct the walls, leading to a temporary halt in progress. However, work resumed shortly after a donation from Mr. E D Atkinson allowing for the completion of the roof. By the close of 1867, the church was opened without any outstanding debts, although certain tasks were still pending completion as late as 1871.
The final service at the old church building took place on the afternoon of Sunday, 22 April 2001. Shortly after, in early May 2001, the structure was demolished. The building had been deemed structurally unsound. It lacked proper foundations, the roof beams were severely affected by dry rot, and several beams were precariously positioned on the wall above the windows without adequate support. A new church building was opened in 2002.
The church encountered criticism and faced a prosecution file in November 2020 for conducting services that violated COVID-19 restrictions.
White's Mill was established by Thomas Henry White in 1841 as a corn and flour mill along the banks of the Cusher River. It is now Northern Ireland's largest oat miller and breakfast cereal producer. In 2023, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council approved plans for White's Oat's to move to new premises in Craigavon.
The potato-crisp company Tayto has a factory and offices beside Tandragee Castle which offers guided tours. In November 2019, Prime Minister Boris Johnson toured UK businesses, which included a visit to the Tayto factory.
Taranto Ltd. manufactures concrete products at a production site situated on Scarva Road.
Tandragee Wastewater Treatment Works, owned by NI Water, is located on the Scarva Road.
Northern Ireland Electricity has an interconnector to County Louth in the Republic of Ireland from the Portadown Road in the outskirts of the town.Eirgrid-SONI Transmission System Map, October 2007
Tanderagee railway station opened on 6 January 1852 and was shut on 4 January 1965.
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