Joe's Hill, Cloughreagh - what's in a name?

Though it bears the name "McKnights Hill" today, Joe's Hill is the only name I've ever known for the B road linking Derrymore Road (beside the modern St Peter's Primary School) with Millvale Road in Cloughreagh townland outside Bessbrook in County Armagh (Northern Ireland).

I've never, however, seen it named Joe's Hill on any map, including the excellent historical maps available through the PRONI website - it's just how I knew it growing up. Is this how others knew it? What can the maps tell us about its name, local or official? The earliest of these maps online is the OSNI historical first edition dated 1832-1846 and the road I know as 'Joe's Hill' is there, opposite the site of Derrymore House (now managed by the National Trust). On this map, and the 1846-62, version it appears to run awkwardly to an entrance by a gate lodge on the Derrymore House estate. I don't think a trace of this exists today.

Beside its junction with Derrymore Road, St Peter's Primary school pops up (1960s) and later the Church of the Good Shepherd. The historical maps show this junction with Derrymore Road to be wider than its present day configuration, with buildings on the side opposite the present day school and church. Only a low wall is visible today (NB at the time of writing in February 2017, Hillcrest 'village' had yet to be built).



Down the hill, at the junction with Millvale Road, a number of mills come and go; the Bessbrook and Newry Tramway similarly makes an appearance and a disappearance.



Above: Joe's Hill junction with the Derrymore Road in March 2011. Church of the Good Shepherd on the right.




Half a mile or so down Joe's Hill is the much widened junction with the Millvale Road (on the right) almost forming a crossroads with Kidds Road (aka the Doctor's Hill) which is on the left of the image. On the corner of Joe's Hill is the Millvale Arms public house dating to the 1850s.

But who was Joe? And why is the road not named on maps? Was he a landowner or prominent local, perhaps Joseph McKnight who was a lessor in the townland in the 1900s according to the Griffiths Valuation books? Almost certainly this is who McKnights Hill is named after. Perhaps someone connected to the Derrymore estate? Maybe he was a later resident or just a regular visitor to the Millvale Arms (or 'the Pit', depending on your era).

I doubt I will ever know for certain. Whoever he was, Joe will likely remain a mystery and without being named on maps, even the road will cease to be known locally after him in the years to come.

Location: Bessbrook, Newry BT35, UK

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