Ballyclare
Encyclopedia
Ballyclare is a small town
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It had a population of 8,770 people in the 2001 Census
. Under the reorganisation of Northern Ireland local government in 1973, Ballyclare lost its urban district
status and became part of Newtownabbey Borough
.
It sits on the river Six Mile Water
with Craig Hill providing a wooded backdrop to the east. Its medieval origins can still be seen in Ballyclare Motte
, which is to the south of the town. The broad main street dates from the 18th century. A clock tower is a central focus within the town and the old mill marks the industrial district on the south east developed along the Six Mile Water. It is a local service centre with a significant dormitory role in relation to Belfast. It is the main focus within the rural area for housing, shopping and commerce, industry and employment, education and recreation.
. The earliest evidence of people in this area is a hoard of flint arrow heads found when houses were being built north of the river in November 1968. There were a total of thirty-nine flints discovered — some perfectly finished and others are blank indicating an 'industry' and trading here near the river crossing over four thousand years ago.
When the Normans built the castle
at Carrickfergus
they placed a line of outposts along the river which was then called the "Ollar"- River of the Rushes. In time the soldiers making the journey from Carrickfergus
to Antrim
reached the river at this spot when they had traveled six miles so began to call the Ollar the Six Mile Water
. One of these mottes is close by the river in the War Memorial Park in Ballyclare. There are two on opposite sides of the river at Doagh
and one at Antrim. The village grew after the Plantation of Ulster
and was granted permission by King George II
in 1756 to hold two fairs each year making it an important market centre.
At the same time as the Pilgrim Fathers landed in America
, Ballyclare was settled by Scots planters
. Jonathan Swift
preached here and it was from here the families of Mark Twain
, Sam Houston
and General Alexander Macomb left for America. The people of Ballyclare and the surrounding villages played a part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
and fought in the Battle of Antrim
. At the beginning of the twentieth century Ballyclare was a growing industrial town with an urban district council
and became the largest paper producer in Ireland
.
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service
There is also another Ballyclare in Co. Offaly, a townsland adjacent to Ferbane town.
It includes three stages: the 1880 school house, the 1923s extension, the 1950s extension, the 2006 mobile classrooms addition.
in 1915.
Band
is Glen Houston. The Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band is also based in the town and is regular in parades and RSPBA competitions.
to hold two yearly fairs, although only the May Fair now survives. The fair began as a local horse fair, but representatives of cavalry regiments came from all over Europe came to buy as the reputation of the fair spread. The fair's heyday ended with the First World War, but it is still a well-loved event in the town.
The May Fair is one of the few horse fairs now left in the country. The Main Street is sanded down and given over to horse selling for the day. There is, however, now a variety of modern amusements in the square. Other events include the Mayor's parade, followed by sports, street events, concerts and exhibitions. Local shops compete for the best dressed window, and children take part in fancy dress competitions and the duck race. A May Fair queen is chosen to represent the town over the next year.
A recent attempt by local traders to uproot the traditional fair from the town's Market Square has sparked outcry and protest amongst the local residents.
. Neither of these have been in use since the 1950s. Ballyclare railway station on the narrow gauge Ballymena and Larne Railway
opened on 24 August 1878, closed to passenger traffic on 1 October 1930, closed to goods traffic on 3 June 1940 and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950. The station on the broad gauge Northern Counties Committee
railway line opened on 3 November 1884, closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1938, closed for goods traffic on 2 May 1938 and finally closed altogether on the same date as its narrow gauge counterpart in 1950.
The building was demolished altogether in 2004 and was replaced with a similarly shaped and styled building. The old engine shed, however, remains and is now a carpet sales room.
Ballyclare Colts Football Club was founded in 2003 and has teams ranging from U11 through to U15, plus a mini soccer programme for boys and girls aged 8 to 10.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It had a population of 8,770 people in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
. Under the reorganisation of Northern Ireland local government in 1973, Ballyclare lost its urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
status and became part of Newtownabbey Borough
Newtownabbey Borough Council
Newtownabbey Borough Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Newtownabbey has a population of over 80,000 and is on the north shore of Belfast Lough just immediately north of Belfast. The Borough was founded in 1958 as a result of an Act of Parliament passed in 1957 and...
.
It sits on the river Six Mile Water
Six Mile Water
The Six Mile Water is a river in southern County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was historically called the Ollar and is known in Irish as Abhainn na bhFiodh. The Six Mile Water is an indirect tributary of the River Bann, via Lough Neagh...
with Craig Hill providing a wooded backdrop to the east. Its medieval origins can still be seen in Ballyclare Motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
, which is to the south of the town. The broad main street dates from the 18th century. A clock tower is a central focus within the town and the old mill marks the industrial district on the south east developed along the Six Mile Water. It is a local service centre with a significant dormitory role in relation to Belfast. It is the main focus within the rural area for housing, shopping and commerce, industry and employment, education and recreation.
History
People have lived in Ballyclare for five thousand years. Invaders included Vikings and NormansNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. The earliest evidence of people in this area is a hoard of flint arrow heads found when houses were being built north of the river in November 1968. There were a total of thirty-nine flints discovered — some perfectly finished and others are blank indicating an 'industry' and trading here near the river crossing over four thousand years ago.
When the Normans built the castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best...
at Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
they placed a line of outposts along the river which was then called the "Ollar"- River of the Rushes. In time the soldiers making the journey from Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
to Antrim
Antrim, County Antrim
Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
reached the river at this spot when they had traveled six miles so began to call the Ollar the Six Mile Water
Six Mile Water
The Six Mile Water is a river in southern County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was historically called the Ollar and is known in Irish as Abhainn na bhFiodh. The Six Mile Water is an indirect tributary of the River Bann, via Lough Neagh...
. One of these mottes is close by the river in the War Memorial Park in Ballyclare. There are two on opposite sides of the river at Doagh
Doagh
Doagh is a village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is in the Six Mile Water Valley about two miles southwest of Ballyclare. It had a population of 1,130 people in the 2001 Census....
and one at Antrim. The village grew after the Plantation of Ulster
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
and was granted permission by King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
in 1756 to hold two fairs each year making it an important market centre.
At the same time as the Pilgrim Fathers landed in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Ballyclare was settled by Scots planters
Plantation (settlement or colony)
Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were "planted" abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base. Such plantations were also frequently intended to promote Western culture and Christianity among nearby indigenous peoples, as can be seen in the...
. Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
preached here and it was from here the families of Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
and General Alexander Macomb left for America. The people of Ballyclare and the surrounding villages played a part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
and fought in the Battle of Antrim
Battle of Antrim
The Battle of Antrim was fought on 7 June 1798, in the county Antrim in Ulster, Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 between British troops and Irish insurgents led by Henry Joy McCracken...
. At the beginning of the twentieth century Ballyclare was a growing industrial town with an urban district council
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
and became the largest paper producer in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Demography
Ballyclare is classified as a small town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 4,500 and 10,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 8,770 people living in Ballyclare. Of these:- 21.5% were aged under 16 years and 18.9% were aged 60 and over
- 48.3% of the population were male and 51.7% were female
- 8% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 92% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background. - 3.3% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service
- The population has grown significantly over the last 30 years from 1,999 in 1971 to 8,654 in 2001, an increase of 433%.
There is also another Ballyclare in Co. Offaly, a townsland adjacent to Ferbane town.
Buildings of note
- Ballyclare Market House is a 3–bay, 2–storey building built about 1855 currently used as a shopping centre. Now derelict and under threat of demolition
- The old cinema, near the river on main street, which is currently used as a toilet block.
- The current Ballyclare Primary School building was originally built in 1880 and has been vigorously extended ever since.
It includes three stages: the 1880 school house, the 1923s extension, the 1950s extension, the 2006 mobile classrooms addition.
Literature
Archibald McIlroy's novel "When Lint Was In The Bell" is a light-hearted, lightly fictionalized chronicle of life in 19th century Ballyclare. A Ballyclare native, born c. 1860, Mr. McIlroy was lost in the sinking of the RMS LusitaniaRMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
in 1915.
Music
Two award-winning musical ensembles frequently represent the town on the regional, national and international stage: the Ballyclare Male Choir since 1933, and the Ballyclare Victoria Flute Band since 1919. The current guest conductor of the FluteFlute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
Band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
is Glen Houston. The Major Sinclair Memorial Pipe Band is also based in the town and is regular in parades and RSPBA competitions.
The May Fair
Ballyclare May Fair occurs on a Tuesday in May every year, and is part of a week of festivities. The tradition stems from a grant by King George IIGeorge II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
to hold two yearly fairs, although only the May Fair now survives. The fair began as a local horse fair, but representatives of cavalry regiments came from all over Europe came to buy as the reputation of the fair spread. The fair's heyday ended with the First World War, but it is still a well-loved event in the town.
The May Fair is one of the few horse fairs now left in the country. The Main Street is sanded down and given over to horse selling for the day. There is, however, now a variety of modern amusements in the square. Other events include the Mayor's parade, followed by sports, street events, concerts and exhibitions. Local shops compete for the best dressed window, and children take part in fancy dress competitions and the duck race. A May Fair queen is chosen to represent the town over the next year.
A recent attempt by local traders to uproot the traditional fair from the town's Market Square has sparked outcry and protest amongst the local residents.
Notable Denizens
- Ballyclare is the hometown of Andy CairnsAndy CairnsAndrew James Cairns , is a founding member, singer, guitarist and songwriter for Therapy?, a hard rock band from Northern Ireland.- Therapy? :...
, guitarist and vocalist from one of Northern Ireland's top hard rock exports - Therapy?Therapy?Therapy? is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar... - Former IrelandIreland national rugby union teamThe Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and British and Irish LionsBritish and Irish LionsThe British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
rugby captain Willie John McBrideWillie John McBrideWilliam James McBride, MBE, better known as Willie John McBride is a former rugby union footballer who played as a lock for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions. He played 63 Tests for Ireland including eleven as captain, and toured with the Lions five times — a record that gave him 17...
is a resident of the town. - Caroline Lindsay, historian of the NuttNutt-List of people surnamed Nutt:*Alfred Trübner Nutt British publisher*Commodore Nutt American dwarf who worked for P. T. Barnum*Danny Nutt American football coach*David Nutt British Scientist*David Nutt English publisher...
and LindsayLindsay (name)Lindsay is a Scottish surname, originally denoting membership in clan Lindsay, ultimately deriving from the territory of Lindsey in Lincolnshire, from the Old English toponym Lindesege "Lindum Isle", i.e...
families of county Antrim - European Tour golfer Gareth MaybinGareth MaybinGareth Maybin is a Northern Irish professional golfer.Born in Belfast, Maybin turned professional in 2005 after completing a scholarship at the University of South Alabama. He remained in the United States and competed on the NGA Hooters Tour, where he finished fourth on the money list in his...
attended Ballyclare Primary School in the town during the late 1980s and early 1990s. - Celebrated psychologist and artist Alan Finlay
Road
The road network in Ballyclare is centred on Main Street, North End and Market Square in the Town Centre. A number of roads lead into the Town Centre including the Hillhead Road from the south, the Doagh Road from the west and the Rashee, Ballyeaston and Ballycorr Roads from the north and north east. Car parking available in the town centre ranges from surface-level parking to free and paid on-street parking.Rail
Ballyclare had a narrow gauge rail link to Larne and a broad gauge connection to BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. Neither of these have been in use since the 1950s. Ballyclare railway station on the narrow gauge Ballymena and Larne Railway
Ballymena and Larne Railway
The Ballymena and Larne Railway was a narrow gauge railway in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The first part opened in July 1877 and regular passenger services began in August 1878, the first on the three foot Irish narrow gauge...
opened on 24 August 1878, closed to passenger traffic on 1 October 1930, closed to goods traffic on 3 June 1940 and finally closed altogether on 3 July 1950. The station on the broad gauge Northern Counties Committee
Northern Counties Committee
The Northern Counties Committee was a railway that served the north-east of Ireland. It was built to Irish gauge but later acquired a number of narrow gauge lines...
railway line opened on 3 November 1884, closed for passenger traffic on 1 January 1938, closed for goods traffic on 2 May 1938 and finally closed altogether on the same date as its narrow gauge counterpart in 1950.
The building was demolished altogether in 2004 and was replaced with a similarly shaped and styled building. The old engine shed, however, remains and is now a carpet sales room.
Sport
- Ballyclare Comrades F.C.Ballyclare Comrades F.C.Ballyclare Comrades is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 2. The club was founded in 1919 by veterans of the 1914–18 War, most of them from "C" Company of the 12th Royal Irish Rifles - a battalion made up entirely of East Antrim men, who fought at the Somme...
, based at Dixon ParkDixon ParkDixon Park is a football stadium located in Ballyclare, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is home to Ballyclare Comrades F.C. and Ards F.C..-Features:...
plays in the IFA Championship - Ards F.C.Ards F.C.Ards F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1900, is from Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Dixon Park in Ballyclare, which it shares with Ballyclare Comrades...
, also of the IFA Championship, also play at Dixon ParkDixon ParkDixon Park is a football stadium located in Ballyclare, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is home to Ballyclare Comrades F.C. and Ards F.C..-Features:... - Ballyclare Rugby Football Club play out of the Cloghan found on the Doagh road.
- Templepatrick Cricket ClubTemplepatrick Cricket ClubTemplepatrick Cricket Club is a cricket club in Ballyclare, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, playing in Section 2 of the NCU Senior League.The club was founded in 1969...
also plays at the Cloughan.
Ballyclare Colts Football Club was founded in 2003 and has teams ranging from U11 through to U15, plus a mini soccer programme for boys and girls aged 8 to 10.