Toponymy The
etymology of Moira is somewhat uncertain. It seems to be an
anglicisation of the Irish
Maigh Rath, which may mean either 'plain of the wheels' or 'plain of the ringforts'. Another Irish form of the name is
Mag Rath. The change most probably occurred during or before the
Plantation of Ulster. Regardless Moira has now evolved to become both the official name and the one in everyday use.
Prehistory to 1800 Moira has been a settlement for at least 1,500 years. For the period it consisted most probably only of small dwellings surrounded by several earthen
ringforts. Evidence of three such forts still remain. The best known of these is the so-called "Rough Fort", situated on the Old Kilmore Road. However, the remains of "Pretty Mary's Fort" exist behind the Waringfield residential area. Finally evidence of a third ringfort can be found near Claremont. The existence of these primitive defences, coupled with the good-view afforded from the top of Moira hill, made the settlement strategically valuable. Proximity to
Lough Neagh enhanced this value. Accordingly, during the repeated power struggles of the first millennium the area was often fought over, and eventually witnessed the largest battle in the history of Ireland when three tribal kings contested the area to determine supremacy in
Ulster and beyond. This was the
Battle of Moira. Its impact on Moira is still felt; two townlands still bear battle names, Aughnafosker (meaning field of slaughter) and Carnalbanagh (meaning the Scotsman's grave). There were few towns, few roads and much of the country was thickly wooded. However the subjugation of Ulster by the victorious armies of
Elizabeth I greatly reduced the clout of Gaelic hierarchs, the O'Laverys included. But it was their participation in the
Irish Rebellion of 1641 doomed their dominance. The
Dublin Castle administration crushed the rebellion and confiscated vast amounts of Irish Catholic-owned property, in Moira as in the rest of Ireland. It was considered to have market the completion of the village. In 1841
Moira railway station was completed, and is now the oldest such structure on the island of Ireland. Moira Castle itself was vacated by the Batesons, and was demolished during the
Victorian Era. A few gate stumps remain, as does some stepping for the famous gardens, and the dug-out cellar. During the
Second World War the grounds of Moira Demesne (as the Castle had become known) were used by the
British Army as a medical centre. In the summer of 2018, a prolonged dry spell revealed what appeared to be foundations beneath the lawns of the demesne. In May 2019 the local council commissioned an archaeological dig by members from the Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork and Archaeology at
Queen's University Belfast. For two weeks, assisted by community volunteers, they explored several trenches and found some fascinating artefacts of life in the 17th and 18th centuries.
1998 bombing Moira remained relatively uneventful for most of the 20th century, but did not escape
The Troubles. On 20 February 1998 dissident republicans planted a
car bomb, which exploded outside the police station, injuring 11 people. The bomb was intended to kill
Royal Ulster Constabulary officers during a shift change. The blast was so loud that it could be heard fully away in
Belfast. The bomb caused extensive damage, resulting in the police station and several nearby buildings having to be rebuilt. The bombing also threatened to derail the
peace process at the time.
21st century The present village is primarily a
dormitory settlement for commuters into Belfast, Lisburn, and Craigavon. On 4 January 2019, it was announced that Frances and Patrick Connolly, a local couple in Moira, had won £115 million in the
EuroMillions lottery, making them the UK's fourth-biggest lottery winners. The couple, who won precisely £114,969,775.70, told the
Belfast Telegraph: "This is a massive sum of money and we want it to have a huge impact on the lives of other people we know and love as well as on our future too. This win gives us the chance to really make a difference for our family and friends". ==Government and politics==