#1Writing & Arts
Charles Thomson
1729–1824American patriot leader (1729-1824)
13 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Maghera, Mid Ulster
17 famous people were born in Maghera, more of them leaders than in most towns
The best known is the American patriot leader Charles Thomson, with articles in 13 languages. The American children's writer Eve Bunting ranks second, ahead of Kenny Shiels. In the 20th century, 7 were born, the most of any period. For every 10,000 residents there are 40.1 on the list, well above the typical Mid Ulster town’s 26.7.
Born here
17
notable people
Best known
Charles Thomson
in 13 Wikipedia languages
First
1729
Charles Thomson
Youngest
1956
Kenny Shiels
Most common field
Politics & Law
6 people
What stands out about Maghera’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Maghera is known for
No other field is as far above the usual share as leaders, at 4 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Maghera’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1930s, at 4.
Politics & LawSportsWriting & ArtsFaithScience & MedicineMilitary
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Maghera
Three names lead: Charles Thomson (13 languages), Eve Bunting (7) and Kenny Shiels (7).
#1EB#2
#3Everyone
Everyone else born in Maghera
14 more, best known first.
Henry Clarke
1822–1907Politician and businessman in New South Wales, Australia
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
John Harris
1838–1911Politician, mayor and land owner from New South Wales, Australia (1838-1911)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Robert Hawthorne
1822–1879Irish bugler and soldier (1822–1879); recipient of the Victoria Cross
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, the fullest list is Magherafelt’s, at 24 names.
Questions about famous people from Maghera
Who is the most famous person from Maghera?
Charles Thomson (American patriot leader (1729-1824)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 13 languages. Next come Eve Bunting and Kenny Shiels.
How many famous people were born in Maghera?
17 people born in Maghera have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 18 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Maghera known for?
Among its famous people, leaders: 6 of the 17. That is 35% of the town’s list, against 9% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Maghera?
Charles Thomson, born in 1729. The youngest on the list was born in 1956.
Who counts as from Maghera?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Maghera’s settlement (NISRA’s settlement development limit), a hospital or district within it included, whose English Wikipedia article agrees. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.
Why is someone missing?
Their Wikidata birthplace may be a bigger area (“London”), another town, or missing, or their article may give no birthplace. We only list people both sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.
From Wikidata (CC0: birthplaces, descriptions, years, occupations) and English Wikipedia (each person’s article confirms the birthplace; linked, not quoted). Birthplaces are placed in the town by NISRA’s Settlement Development Limits 2015 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. Fields are read from Wikidata’s description and occupations. “The usual town”: everyone listed across UK towns. Portraits: each person’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (8)
- Charles Thomson: Joseph Wright / Formerly attributed to Matthew Pratt, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kenny Shiels: Seaninryan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Matthew D. Lagan: From 1900's "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, Volume 10" published by James T. White & Company, New York., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Clarke: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Harris: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Hawthorne: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William Shiels: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cara Dillon: Bryan Ledgard from Yorkshire, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.