Cookstown

Cookstown (An Chorr Chríochach in Irish) is a small to medium town in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland. Its population is around 11,000. It was founded in 1609 by planter Alan Cooke. It was one of the main centres of the linen industry. A working linen mill can still be seen at Wellbrook Beetling Mill outside of Cookstown: beetling is the process used to smooth and polish linen after weaving.

Ardboe Cross is one of the best examples of a 9th/10th century High cross in Northern Ireland. 22 panels illustrate stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible.

Cookstown's high street is the longest in Ireland (at 1 and 3/4 mile long), and also the quickest way for large haulage trucks to get to wherever it is they seem to be going in no particular hurry whilst blocking traffic and occaisionally running over local pets.

Other ancient sites nearby include Beaghmore stone circles and Tullyhogue Fort, the crowning place of the ancient Earls of Ulster, the O'Neills.

In elections for the Westminster Parliament it is part of the Mid Ulster constituency.

The local authority, Cookstown District Council, was established in 1973, and includes part of County Londonderry, notably the village of Moneymore.

Cookstown is also the home town of Aston Villa and Northern Ireland central defender Aaron Hughes, and comedian Owen O'Neill. Cookstown is famous for its sausages, known as the 'Cookstown Sizzler', which were advertised on television by Rolf Harris and George Best. The 'Cookstown Sizzlers' is also the name of the local American football team. Fictionalised as 'Ballyglass', it is the hometown of the hero of Utterly Monkey, a novel by local writer Nick Laird (husband of novelist Zadie Smith).

See also: List of towns in Northern Ireland