Newtownbutler began to be built as a Plantation village in the early 18th century. It was built within the townland of Aghagay. Originally known as Newtown, it was renamed Newtownbutler when Theophilus Butler was created Baron of the area in 1715. The local terrain was the undoing of some of the Jacobite forces in 1689 in the Battle of Newtownbutler. A Williamite force of less than 1000 Enniskillen troops captured and killed 3000 of James II’s troops here after they had got lost in an unmarked bog.
The Troubles
There were thirteen deaths in and around Newtownbutler during the Troubles.
Amenities
, Newtownbutler, owned by the National Trust, covers over of woods, parkland and wetland and is one of Ireland's most important nature conservation areas with the largest surviving area of oak woodland in Northern Ireland. There are also many attractive buildings on the estate, including Crom Old Castle and the romantic folly, Gad Island Tower. The wealth of wildlife at Crom is highlighted by the presence of two rare butterflies - the purple hair-streak and leptidea sinapis, as well as the pine marten and the largest herony in Ireland. The 19th century castle is private and not open to the public. The parish currently has two pubs, An Chead Chumann and Mulligans Bar and Lounge which regularly host an array of events and attract crowds in from across the country. Reilly's Hotel was also another well known public house in the village but closed in 2004 and was used in the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. The village also has two shops, two takeaways, a butchers, a chemists, a credit union, a parish hall, a community Centre, GAA Grounds and a large community park up the town.
Constantine Scollen was born just outside the village, on Galloon Island in Loch Erne. He became a famous missionary among the native peoples of North America and actually lived with the people of the Blackfoot Confederacy in Canada for almost a decade. In total he spent over thirty years on the prairies. He died in Dayton, Ohio, in 1902.
Newtownbutler is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency . On Census day there were 970 people living in Newtownbutler. Of these:
20.9% were aged under 16 years and 13.8% were aged 60 and over
49% of the population were male and 51% were female
81.5% were from a Catholic background; 17% were from a Protestant background and 1.5% were from an Other background
19% indicated that they had a British national identity, 53.5% had an Irish national identity and 27.8% had a Northern Irish national identity.
Sport
Newtownbutler is home to the Newtownbutler First Fermanagh's GAA football team. They play at all levels of football in both the men's and women's categories. Their last Fermanagh Senior Championship title came in 2007. Micky Jones,Garvan Chapman and Francy Brown prove to be a dynamic trio for the Firsts. Knowing each other on a deep level on and off the field this has really paid dividends to the firsts and they were praised by Current manager Patrick Glancy.
Groups
Marching bands
There are six marching bands operating in Newtownbutler Ward. Four are from Newtownbutler while the other two operate in the nearby village of Magheraveely. The four from Newtownbutler are: Feaugh Pipe Band; Loughkillygreen Accordion Band; Newtownbutler Flute Band; and Wattlebridge Accordion Band.
Active Orange lodges
According to County Fermanagh Grand Orange Lodge, Newtownbutler District No.1 is the largest district in the county with ten men's lodges and one women's lodge. The District covers the wards of Newtownbutler and Rosslea. Five lodges operate within Newtownbutler and its immediate surrounding area. These are: LOL 184 Newtownbutler; LOL 391 Wattlebridge; LOL 854 Loughkillygreen; LOL 1219 Crom Castle; and LOL 1320 Feaugh. There are also three Royal Black Preceptory lodges operating in the Newtownbutler area. They are: RBP 154 Newtownbutler; RBP 204 Loughkillygreen; RBP 811 Drummully.
Other
Newtownbutler Community Development Association, Newtownbutler Together, Newtownbutler Comhaltas, Galloon and Drummully Mothers Union, NTB Bowling Club, NTB Badminton Club, St Marys Youth Club, Scouts and Girl Guides Clubs.There is also a local Matt Fitzpatrick 1916 society in Newtownbutler who is named after local Kilgarrow native commandant Matt Fitzpatrick who was Murdered in Clones 11th February 1922.
