Ballymena
Encyclopedia
Ballymena is a large town
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census
.
The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I
in 1626, on the basis that the town hold two annual fairs and a free Saturday market in perpetuity. As of 2011, the Saturday market still runs.
The town used to host Ireland’s largest one-day agricultural show at the Ballymena Showgrounds. There are still many historic buildings in the town. The Town Hall was built in 1924 on the site of the old Market House, and was refurbished in 2007 at a cost of roughly £20 million.
s found in the townland
of Ballykeel and a site known as Camphill Fort in the townland of Ballee may also have been of this type. There are a number of souterrain
sites within a 1¼ mile (2 km) radius of the centre of Ballymena.
Two miles north of Ballymena in the townland of Kirkinriola, the ancient parish church and graveyard possess several indicators of Early Christian settlement including a souterrain. Also in 1868, a gravedigger found a large stone slab on which was carved a cross with the inscription ord do degen. This refers to Bishop Degen, who lived in Ireland during the 7th century. This stone is now in the porch of the Parish Church of St Patrick, in the Parish of Kilconriola, which is found in Castle Street, Ballymena.
At the end of the 5th century, a church was founded in Connor, 5 miles south of Ballymena. This was followed by a monastery at Templemoyle, Kells. In 831, however, the Norse
invaded the Ballymena area, burning the church.
In the 12th century, the Normans
conquered much of County Antrim
and County Down
and created the core of the Earldom of Ulster
. During this campaign they built great mounds of earth topped by wooden towers, referred to as mottes, as defensive structures. Harryville's motte-and-bailey
is one of the best examples of this type of fortification in Northern Ireland. Some sources, however, credit the Uí Fhloinn with building the mid-Antrim mottes and baileys in imitation of the invaders; the Uí Fhloinn defeated and repelled the Earl of Ulster, John de Courcy
, in 1177 and 1178.
In 1315, Edward Bruce
(brother of King Robert I of Scotland
, known as "Robert Bruce") invaded Ireland. On 10 September 1315, at the Battle of Tawnybrack (5 miles south of Ballymena at Kells), Edward conquered the army of, Richard De Burgo
, the Norman
Earl of Ulster
.
granted land, including the town of Ballymena, to Sir Thomas Smith
. The lands had been forfeited to the crown after Shane O'Neill
's resistance in the 1560s. Smith brought English settlers to the area. By 1581, Smith's settlement failed and the lands reverted to the crown.
On 10 May 1607, King James I
granted the native Irish chief, Ruairí Óg MacQuillan the Ballymena Estate. The estate passed through several owners, eventually passing into the possession of William Adair, a Scottish laird from Kinhilt in southwestern Scotland. The estate was temporarily renamed "Kinhilstown" after the Adair's lands in Scotland. The original castle of Ballymena was built in the early 17th century, situated to take advantage of an ancient ford over the River Braid. In 1626 Charles I
confirmed the grant of the Ballymena Estate to William Adair, giving him the right to hold a market at Ballymena on every Saturday.
In 1641, the local Ballymena garrison fought against the rebels but had to retreat to Carrickfergus
. Ballymena's first market house (on the site of the present town hall) was built in 1684.
In 1690, the Duke of Württemberg
, a Williamite general, used Galgorm Castle as his headquarters. Sir Robert Adair raised a Regiment of Foot for King William III
and fought at the Battle of the Boyne
.
By 1704, the population of Ballymena had reached 800. In 1707, the first Protestant
(Church of Ireland
) parish church was built. In 1740, the original Ballymena Castle burned down. The Gracehill
Moravian settlement was founded in 1765. During the 1798 rebellion
, Ballymena was occupied from 7 June to 9 June by a force of around 10,000 United Irishmen, who stormed the Market House (now the Town Hall) killing three of its defenders.
The first modern Roman Catholic Church in Ballymena was consecrated in 1827. By 1834 the population of Ballymena was about 4,000. In 1848 the Belfast and Ballymena Railway was established. In 1865 Robert Alexander Shafto Adair
(late Baron Waveney) started building Ballymena Castle, a magnificent family residence, in the Demesne. The castle was not completed until 1887.
In 1870 The People's Park, Ballymena was established, now a mature and beautiful setting, which continues to be a very popular park today.
, Duke of York
(later King George VI
) laid the cornerstone to the new town hall on 24 July 1924, and it was officially opened on 20 November 1928. The Urban District Council petitioned for borough status and the Charter was granted in December 1937. The first meeting of councillors as a borough Council was held on 23 May 1939. The population of Ballymena reached 13,000. Ballymena Castle was demolished in the 1950s. In 1973, the Urban and Rural District Councils were merged to create the present Ballymena Borough Council.
During the Second World War
, Ballymena was home to a large number of Gibraltar
ian evacuees. http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/2005/08/07/ballymena-finds-its-twin-in-gibraltar/
Like other towns in Northern Ireland, Ballymena was affected by the Troubles
. A total of eleven people were killed in or near the town, most of them by various loyalist
groups.
During the later half of the 20th century, Ballymena, like many other once prosperous industrial centres in Northern Ireland, experienced economic change with many of its former factories closing. Ballymena is now becoming a centre of information-based, international corporations and major retail outlets. However unlike other towns it retains a very successful manufacturing industry, with major employers such as Michelin and Gallaher, and the extremely successful local firm Wrightbus
.
In the 1950s Saint Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena was the Regimental Training Depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th). Many young men who had been conscripted on the United Kingdom mainland, along with others who had volunteered for service in the British Army, embarked upon their period of basic training in the Regimental Depot, prior to being posted to the regular regimental battalions. Many of these young men were to serve in Korea, Cyprus and with the British Army of the Rhine. In 1968 due to a series of government austerity measures the remaining three Irish regiments, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (27th) Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th) and the Royal Irish Fusiliers (89th)merged to become the Royal Irish Rangers.
Early in the 1990s the Royal Irish Regiment, whose Regimental Headquarters is at St Patrick's Barracks, was granted the Freedom of the Borough. In March 2000, the actor Liam Neeson
, a native of Ballymena, was offered the freedom of the borough
by the council, which approved the action by a 12–9 vote. The Democratic Unionist Party
objected to the offer and drew attention to his comments from an interview in 1999 with an American political magazine, George
. Neeson declined the award, citing tensions, and affirmed he was proud of his connection to the town. Ian Paisley
was eventually made a freeman of Ballymena in December 2004 instead.
Ballymena is described by some observers as being at the heart of Northern Ireland
's equivalent of the Bible Belt
. The Electric Light Orchestra
were banned from playing in the township of Ballymena with Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP) dominated council reasoning that their appearance would attract "the four Ds Drink, Drugs, Devil and Debauchery". Further the popular romantic drama Brokeback Mountain
was banned from scening in the town, as was a performance an impersonator of comic Roy 'Chubby' Brown
,. It should be noted that this does not necessarily reflect the overall views of the town's population. The town has a large Protestant majority. The majority of the Catholic population is situated around the Broughshane and Cushendall Road areas of the town. Recently there has now been tension in the Dunclug area of the town which now has a Catholic majority. These tensions have been associated with internment bonfires and the flying of republican flags though attempts have been made to reduce tensions.
Since the DUP's protests against ""the four Ds Drink, Drugs, Devil and Debauchery", drugs have been a major problem in the town, earning the moniker "the drugs capital of the North". However major steps have been taken in recent times to eradicate this.
In 2011 it was revealed that Ballymena has the third highest level of legal gun ownership in Northern Ireland.
Ballymena is about 10 Km from Slemish Mountain the legendary first known Irish home of Saint Patrick. The mountain rises about 1500 feet (437 metres) above the surrounding plain, and it is actually the central core of an extinct volcano. According to legend, following his capture and being brought as a slave to Ireland, Patrick worked as a shepherd at Slemish Mountain for about six years, from ages 16 through 22, for a man named Milchu (or Miluic).
It was during this time that Patrick turned to frequent prayer as his only consolation in his loneliness. In a vision he was encouraged to escape and return home. He did, became a priest and returned to Ireland, allegedly to convert his old master. The legend goes that his own real conversion took place while on Slemish out in all weathers, communing with nature and praying continuously. As Patrick was not the first Christian Bishop to visit Ireland, his ministry was confined to the North. Here he established churches and an episcopal system. One such church is thought to have been founded at the nearby site of Skerry Churchyard.
Slemish Mountain is open year-round, and on Saint Patrick's Day (17 March) large crowds hike to the top of the mountain as a pilgrimage. The one and a half kilometre round walk to the summit and back takes approximately one hour in good weather. Excellent views can be had of the Antrim and Scottish coasts to the east. Ballymena town, Lough Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains are all normally visible to the west whilst the Bann Valley and the higher summits of the Antrim Hills can be seen to the North. The 180 metre climb is steep and rocky. The path can become very slippery in wet weather so care should be taken.
had a reasonably large paramilitary
presence in the town; mostly through the presence of the UDA South East Antrim Brigade
.
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service website.
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...
and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 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....
.
The town is built on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
in 1626, on the basis that the town hold two annual fairs and a free Saturday market in perpetuity. As of 2011, the Saturday market still runs.
The town used to host Ireland’s largest one-day agricultural show at the Ballymena Showgrounds. There are still many historic buildings in the town. The Town Hall was built in 1924 on the site of the old Market House, and was refurbished in 2007 at a cost of roughly £20 million.
Early history
The recorded history of the Ballymena area dates to the Early Christian period from the 5th to the 7th centuries. RingfortRingfort
Ringforts are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Iron Age , although some were built as late as the Early Middle Ages . They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland...
s found in the townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Ballykeel and a site known as Camphill Fort in the townland of Ballee may also have been of this type. There are a number of souterrain
Souterrain
Souterrain is a name given by archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the Atlantic Iron Age. These structures appear to have been brought northwards from Gaul during the late Iron Age. Regional names include earth houses, fogous and Pictish houses...
sites within a 1¼ mile (2 km) radius of the centre of Ballymena.
Two miles north of Ballymena in the townland of Kirkinriola, the ancient parish church and graveyard possess several indicators of Early Christian settlement including a souterrain. Also in 1868, a gravedigger found a large stone slab on which was carved a cross with the inscription ord do degen. This refers to Bishop Degen, who lived in Ireland during the 7th century. This stone is now in the porch of the Parish Church of St Patrick, in the Parish of Kilconriola, which is found in Castle Street, Ballymena.
At the end of the 5th century, a church was founded in Connor, 5 miles south of Ballymena. This was followed by a monastery at Templemoyle, Kells. In 831, however, the Norse
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
invaded the Ballymena area, burning the church.
In the 12th century, the Normans
Normans
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...
conquered much of 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...
and County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
and created the core of the Earldom of Ulster
Earl of Ulster
The title of Earl of Ulster has been created several times in the Peerage of Ireland and Peerage of the United Kingdom. Currently, the title is a subsidiary title of the Duke of Gloucester, and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's son, Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster...
. During this campaign they built great mounds of earth topped by wooden towers, referred to as mottes, as defensive structures. Harryville's motte-and-bailey
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...
is one of the best examples of this type of fortification in Northern Ireland. Some sources, however, credit the Uí Fhloinn with building the mid-Antrim mottes and baileys in imitation of the invaders; the Uí Fhloinn defeated and repelled the Earl of Ulster, John de Courcy
John de Courcy
John de Courcy was a Anglo-Norman knight who arrived in Ireland in 1176. From then until his expulsion in 1204, he conquered a considerable territory, endowed religious establishments, built abbeys for both the Benedictines and the Cistercians and built strongholds at Dundrum Castle in County...
, in 1177 and 1178.
In 1315, Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce
Edward the Bruce , sometimes modernised Edward of Bruce, was a younger brother of King Robert I of Scotland, who supported his brother in the struggle for the crown of Scotland, then pursued his own claim in Ireland. He was proclaimed High King of Ireland, but was eventually defeated and killed in...
(brother of King Robert I of Scotland
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
, known as "Robert Bruce") invaded Ireland. On 10 September 1315, at the Battle of Tawnybrack (5 miles south of Ballymena at Kells), Edward conquered the army of, Richard De Burgo
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster
Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and 3rd Baron of Connaught , called The Red Earl, was one of the most powerful Irish nobles of the late 13th and early 14th centuries.-Early life:...
, the Norman
Normans
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...
Earl of Ulster
Earl of Ulster
The title of Earl of Ulster has been created several times in the Peerage of Ireland and Peerage of the United Kingdom. Currently, the title is a subsidiary title of the Duke of Gloucester, and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's son, Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster...
.
Post-medieval
In 1576, Queen Elizabeth IElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
granted land, including the town of Ballymena, to Sir Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith (diplomat)
Sir Thomas Smith was an English scholar and diplomat.He was born at Saffron Walden in Essex. He was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he became a fellow in 1530, and in 1533 was appointed a public reader or professor. He lectured in the schools on natural philosophy, and on Greek in...
. The lands had been forfeited to the crown after Shane O'Neill
Shane O'Neill
Seán Ó Néill, anglicised Shane O'Neill , nicknamed 'Seán an díomais', was an Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster in the mid 16th century. Shane O'Neill's career was marked by his ambition to be The Ó Néill Mór - Sovereign of the dominant Ó Néill Mór family of Tyrone... and thus head...
's resistance in the 1560s. Smith brought English settlers to the area. By 1581, Smith's settlement failed and the lands reverted to the crown.
On 10 May 1607, King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
granted the native Irish chief, Ruairí Óg MacQuillan the Ballymena Estate. The estate passed through several owners, eventually passing into the possession of William Adair, a Scottish laird from Kinhilt in southwestern Scotland. The estate was temporarily renamed "Kinhilstown" after the Adair's lands in Scotland. The original castle of Ballymena was built in the early 17th century, situated to take advantage of an ancient ford over the River Braid. In 1626 Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
confirmed the grant of the Ballymena Estate to William Adair, giving him the right to hold a market at Ballymena on every Saturday.
In 1641, the local Ballymena garrison fought against the rebels but had to retreat to 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...
. Ballymena's first market house (on the site of the present town hall) was built in 1684.
In 1690, the Duke of Württemberg
Württemberg
Württemberg , formerly known as Wirtemberg or Wurtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
, a Williamite general, used Galgorm Castle as his headquarters. Sir Robert Adair raised a Regiment of Foot for King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and fought at the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
.
By 1704, the population of Ballymena had reached 800. In 1707, the first Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism 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...
(Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
) parish church was built. In 1740, the original Ballymena Castle burned down. The Gracehill
Gracehill
Gracehill is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies about 3 km from Ballymena and is in the townland of Ballykennedy . It is part of the Borough of Ballymena....
Moravian settlement was founded in 1765. During the 1798 rebellion
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...
, Ballymena was occupied from 7 June to 9 June by a force of around 10,000 United Irishmen, who stormed the Market House (now the Town Hall) killing three of its defenders.
The first modern Roman Catholic Church in Ballymena was consecrated in 1827. By 1834 the population of Ballymena was about 4,000. In 1848 the Belfast and Ballymena Railway was established. In 1865 Robert Alexander Shafto Adair
Robert Adair, 1st Baron Waveney
Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, 1st Baron Waveney was a British Liberal Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Cambridge for 8 of the years from 1847 to 1857....
(late Baron Waveney) started building Ballymena Castle, a magnificent family residence, in the Demesne. The castle was not completed until 1887.
In 1870 The People's Park, Ballymena was established, now a mature and beautiful setting, which continues to be a very popular park today.
Twentieth century
In 1900, Ballymena assumed urban status. The Adairs disposed of most of their Ballymena estate to the occupying tenants in 1904, under the provisions of the Irish Land Act of 1903. The “old” town hall building, which also contained the post office and estate office, burned down in 1919. Prince AlbertGeorge VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
(later King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
) laid the cornerstone to the new town hall on 24 July 1924, and it was officially opened on 20 November 1928. The Urban District Council petitioned for borough status and the Charter was granted in December 1937. The first meeting of councillors as a borough Council was held on 23 May 1939. The population of Ballymena reached 13,000. Ballymena Castle was demolished in the 1950s. In 1973, the Urban and Rural District Councils were merged to create the present Ballymena Borough Council.
During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Ballymena was home to a large number of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
ian evacuees. http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/2005/08/07/ballymena-finds-its-twin-in-gibraltar/
Like other towns in Northern Ireland, Ballymena was affected by the Troubles
The Troubles in Ballymena
The Northern Irish Troubles resulted in 11 deaths in or near the County Antrim town of Ballymena. Eight people were killed by various loyalist groups, and three by the Irish Republican Army . Two of the IRA's victims were members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary; all other victims were civilians...
. A total of eleven people were killed in or near the town, most of them by various loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
groups.
During the later half of the 20th century, Ballymena, like many other once prosperous industrial centres in Northern Ireland, experienced economic change with many of its former factories closing. Ballymena is now becoming a centre of information-based, international corporations and major retail outlets. However unlike other towns it retains a very successful manufacturing industry, with major employers such as Michelin and Gallaher, and the extremely successful local firm Wrightbus
Wrightbus
Wrightbus is an independent coachbuilder and pioneer of the low-floor bus. Based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, it was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and currently run by his son William Wright.-History:...
.
In the 1950s Saint Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena was the Regimental Training Depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th). Many young men who had been conscripted on the United Kingdom mainland, along with others who had volunteered for service in the British Army, embarked upon their period of basic training in the Regimental Depot, prior to being posted to the regular regimental battalions. Many of these young men were to serve in Korea, Cyprus and with the British Army of the Rhine. In 1968 due to a series of government austerity measures the remaining three Irish regiments, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (27th) Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th) and the Royal Irish Fusiliers (89th)merged to become the Royal Irish Rangers.
Early in the 1990s the Royal Irish Regiment, whose Regimental Headquarters is at St Patrick's Barracks, was granted the Freedom of the Borough. In March 2000, the actor Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, a native of Ballymena, was offered the freedom of the borough
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
by the council, which approved the action by a 12–9 vote. The Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
objected to the offer and drew attention to his comments from an interview in 1999 with an American political magazine, George
George (magazine)
George was a glossy monthly magazine centered on the theme of politics-as-lifestyle co-founded by John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Michael J. Berman with publisher Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in New York City in September 1995...
. Neeson declined the award, citing tensions, and affirmed he was proud of his connection to the town. Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
was eventually made a freeman of Ballymena in December 2004 instead.
Ballymena is described by some observers as being at the heart of 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...
's equivalent of the Bible Belt
Bible Belt
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.The...
. The Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
were banned from playing in the township of Ballymena with Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP) dominated council reasoning that their appearance would attract "the four Ds Drink, Drugs, Devil and Debauchery". Further the popular romantic drama Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee. It is a film adaptation of the 1997 short story of the same name by Annie Proulx with the screenplay written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry...
was banned from scening in the town, as was a performance an impersonator of comic Roy 'Chubby' Brown
Roy 'Chubby' Brown
Roy "Chubby" Brown is an English stand-up comedian, notorious for his decidedly blue humour. The controversial nature of his act means that he rarely appears on major television channels, and Brown has attracted accusations that his comedy style is outdated whilst also being described as "The most...
,. It should be noted that this does not necessarily reflect the overall views of the town's population. The town has a large Protestant majority. The majority of the Catholic population is situated around the Broughshane and Cushendall Road areas of the town. Recently there has now been tension in the Dunclug area of the town which now has a Catholic majority. These tensions have been associated with internment bonfires and the flying of republican flags though attempts have been made to reduce tensions.
Since the DUP's protests against ""the four Ds Drink, Drugs, Devil and Debauchery", drugs have been a major problem in the town, earning the moniker "the drugs capital of the North". However major steps have been taken in recent times to eradicate this.
In 2011 it was revealed that Ballymena has the third highest level of legal gun ownership in Northern Ireland.
Ballymena is about 10 Km from Slemish Mountain the legendary first known Irish home of Saint Patrick. The mountain rises about 1500 feet (437 metres) above the surrounding plain, and it is actually the central core of an extinct volcano. According to legend, following his capture and being brought as a slave to Ireland, Patrick worked as a shepherd at Slemish Mountain for about six years, from ages 16 through 22, for a man named Milchu (or Miluic).
It was during this time that Patrick turned to frequent prayer as his only consolation in his loneliness. In a vision he was encouraged to escape and return home. He did, became a priest and returned to Ireland, allegedly to convert his old master. The legend goes that his own real conversion took place while on Slemish out in all weathers, communing with nature and praying continuously. As Patrick was not the first Christian Bishop to visit Ireland, his ministry was confined to the North. Here he established churches and an episcopal system. One such church is thought to have been founded at the nearby site of Skerry Churchyard.
Slemish Mountain is open year-round, and on Saint Patrick's Day (17 March) large crowds hike to the top of the mountain as a pilgrimage. The one and a half kilometre round walk to the summit and back takes approximately one hour in good weather. Excellent views can be had of the Antrim and Scottish coasts to the east. Ballymena town, Lough Neagh and the Sperrin Mountains are all normally visible to the west whilst the Bann Valley and the higher summits of the Antrim Hills can be seen to the North. The 180 metre climb is steep and rocky. The path can become very slippery in wet weather so care should be taken.
The Troubles
Ballymena throughout the course of The TroublesThe Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
had a reasonably large paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
presence in the town; mostly through the presence of the UDA South East Antrim Brigade
UDA South East Antrim Brigade
The UDA South East Antrim Brigade was one of the six paramilitaries of the Ulster Defence Association . It operated in County Antrim, mainly in Newtownabbey, Larne and Antrim. The Guardian has identified it as "one of the most dangerous factions"...
.
Notable natives
- Stone Blackthorn, Senior Pastor of the French Development League.
- Professor Darwin CaldwellDarwin CaldwellProfessor Darwin Caldwell is a noted international researcher and academic in robotics who is currently Research Director at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa, Italy...
: International robotics expert and leader of iCubICubAn iCub is a 1 metre high humanoid robot testbed for research into human cognition and artificial intelligence.It was designed by the RobotCub Consortium, of several European universities and is now supported by other projects such as ITALK. The robot is open-source, with the hardware design,...
project - Alexander CampbellAlexander Campbell (Restoration movement)Alexander Campbell was an early leader in the Second Great Awakening of the religious movement that has been referred to as the Restoration Movement, or Stone-Campbell Movement...
was from the town. Campbell was a leader in the Restoration MovementRestoration MovementThe Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
. - Sir Roger Casement, campaigner for the Congolese people and Irish revolutionary was educated in the town and his father buried there.
- Ian Cochrane, novelist.
- Sir Samuel CurranSamuel CurranSir Samuel Crowe Curran , FRS, FRSE, was a physicist and the first Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde - the first of the new technical universities in Britain....
, physicist, inventor of the Scintillation CounterScintillation counterA scintillation counter measures ionizing radiation. The sensor, called a scintillator, consists of a transparent crystal, usually phosphor, plastic , or organic liquid that fluoresces when struck by ionizing radiation. A sensitive photomultiplier tube measures the light from the crystal...
, and founder of Strathclyde University was born in Ballymena. - Steven DavisSteven DavisSteven Davis is a Northern Irish association footballer who currently plays for Scottish Premier League club Rangers and the Northern Ireland national team...
, Rangers and Northern Ireland midfielder was born in Ballymena, though raised in CullybackeyCullybackeyCullybackey or Cullybacky is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 4 miles north of Ballymena, on the banks of the River Maine, and is within the Borough of Ballymena. It had a population of 2,405 people in the 2001 Census....
. - Joseph DyasJoseph DyasJoseph Dyas was an Ensign in the British 51st Light Infantry, serving in the Napoleonic Wars....
, led the Forlorn Hope at the Storming of Badajoz on two occasions in 1811 whilst serving with 51st ( 2nd Yorkshire, West Riding) Light Infantry. He was buried in Ballymena in 1850. - Timothy EatonTimothy EatonTimothy Eaton was a Canadian businessman who founded the Eaton's department store, one of the most important retail businesses in Canada's history.-Early life and family:...
, the CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman who founded the Eaton'sEaton'sThe T. Eaton Co. Limited was once Canada's largest department store retailer. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an Irish immigrant. Eaton's grew to become a retail and social institution in Canada, with stores across the country, buying offices across the globe, and a catalogue...
department store, was born in Ballymena. - Graham ForsytheGraham ForsytheGraham Forsythe is a Canadian artist. Although Forsythe was classified blind at birth he has traveled extensively. He did not start painting until 1991 when his eyesight was restored by an operation.-Early life:...
, the Canadian artist, was born in Ballymena. - Jackie FullertonJackie FullertonJohn Alexander "Jackie" Fullerton, MBE is a Northern Irish television presenter and journalist, who is currently a reporter and football commentator for BBC Northern Ireland.-Sporting career:...
, BBC Sports broadcaster. - Jamie HamiltonJamie Hamilton (motorcycle racer)Jamie Hamilton is a Northern Irish motorcycle road racer. He initially pursued a career as a footballer and played for Leicester City under 9's, and then Bolton Wanderers under 11's...
, motorcycle racer. - Joanne HoggJoanne HoggJoanne Hogg is an Irish singer and songwriter for the band Iona.-Biography:Hogg was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland and is best known as the lead singer and songwriter with the Christian progressive Celtic/pop/rock band Iona . Her father is a Presbyterian minister, her mother a nurse; her...
, a vocalist, was born in Ballymena. - David Humphreys, Ulster and Ireland fly half is from this town.
- Ian HumphreysIan HumphreysIan Humphreys is a Irish rugby union footballer, who plays at fly-half for Ulster in the RaboDirect Pro12...
, Ulster and Ireland fly half and brother of David. - David KennedyDavid KennedyDavid Anthony Kennedy was the fourth of eleven children of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy.-Life:...
, Ireland international cricketer and top order batsman for Ballymena CC. - Matt McCulloughMatt McCulloughMatt McCullough is a retired Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster.McCullough was educated at Ballymena Academy and Trinity College Dublin. He captained the School's 1st XV rugby team 1999–2000, which reached the final of the 2000 Ulster Schools Cup, where they were beaten by...
, Ulster and Ireland rugby lock. - James McHenryJames McHenryJames McHenry was an early American statesman. McHenry was a signer of the United States Constitution from Maryland and the namesake of Fort McHenry...
, signatory of the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, was also from Ballymena. - Thomas "Tom" McKinneyThomas McKinneyThomas "Tom" McKinney was a Northern Irish rugby union and professional rugby league footballer of the 1940s and '50s who at club level played rugby union for Jed-Forest RFC, and at representative level played rugby league for Great Britain, Other Nations, British Empire XIII, and Rugby League...
, Jed-Forest rugby union; Salford, Warrington, St Helens, Great Britain rugby league footballer. - George Millar (singer)George Millar (singer)George Millar, is a singer/songwriter and guitarist with the Irish-Canadian music group The Irish Rovers.George was born in Ballymena, County Antrim, ca. 1947, the brother of Will Millar and Sandra Beech. As children, they performed as "The Millar Kids" in Ireland, before the family emigrated to...
, and founding member of musical group, The Irish RoversThe Irish RoversThe Irish Rovers is a Canadian Irish folk group created in 1963 and named after the traditional song "The Irish Rover". The group is best known for their international television series, and renditions of traditional Irish drinking songs, as well as early hits, Shel Silverstein's "The Unicorn",...
born and raised in Ballymena. - Dr. Syd MillarSyd MillarSydney "Syd" Millar, CBE, is the outgoing chairman of the International Rugby Board. He was born in Ballymena and previously played for Ballymena RFC and represented Ireland in the pack, winning 37 caps as a prop. In addition, he played 9 times for the British and Irish Lions...
, the former Ireland rugby player and current chairman of the IRBInternational Rugby BoardThe International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
, was born in Ballymena and in 2004 was awarded the Freedom of the town. - Colin MurdockColin MurdockColin Murdock is a Northern Irish former footballer.He is currently a trainee solicitor at Manchester law firm George Davies LLP...
, Accrington Stanley and former Northern Ireland International. - Liam NeesonLiam NeesonLiam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, the Oscar-nominated actor, was born and raised in Ballymena. - James NesbittJames NesbittJames Nesbitt is a Northern Irish actor. Born in Ballymena, County Antrim, Nesbitt grew up in the nearby village of Broughshane, before moving to Coleraine, County Londonderry. He wanted to become a teacher like his father, so he began a degree in French at the University of Ulster...
Actor James Nesbitt (born 15 January 1965) is a Northern Irish actor. Born in Ballymena. - Ian PaisleyIan PaisleyIan Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
, the Free Presbyterian Church minister and politician, was born in Armagh but raised in Ballymena. - Mary PetersMary Peters (athlete)Dame Mary Elizabeth Peters, DBE, DL is a former British athlete, competing mainly in the pentathlon and shot put.-Biography:Mary Peters was born in Halewood, Lancashire, but moved to Ballymena at age eleven...
, Northern Irish Olympian, was raised in Ballymena. - Nigel WorthingtonNigel WorthingtonNigel Worthington is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager.He was manager of the Northern Ireland national team from 2007 until after their final Euro 2012 qualifying campaign match against Italy in October 2011.As a player, he was a left full back and occasional left...
, the former Northern Ireland, Ballymena United and Sheffield Wednesday left back. Now current International manager. - Alexander Wright, a Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
recipient during the Crimean WarCrimean WarThe Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, was born in the town. - Bryan YoungBryan Young (rugby player)Bryan Young is an Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Ulster.Young is from Ballymena, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland. The middle of three children his elder brother Robert is the current captain of the Ballymena RFC XV, whilst his younger sister is studying at Queens University, Belfast.A...
, Ulster and Ireland international rugby player.
Demography
Ballymena is classified as a Large Town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population of between 18,000 and 75,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 28,717 people living in Ballymena. Of these:- 72.2% were from a Protestant background, 24.2% were from a Roman Catholic background
- 21.6% were aged under 16 years and 19.6% were aged 60 and over
- 47.5% of the population were male and 52.5% were female
- 3.9% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
- 7.7% were born outside Northern Ireland
For more details see: Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service website.
Education
There are a number of educational establishments in the town:- Ballymena AcademyBallymena AcademyBallymena Academy is a mixed grammar school located in the market town of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was founded in the early nineteenth century as a small provincial school for children in the town and surrounding agricultural hinterland.-Admissions:The school currently has...
- Cambridge House Grammar SchoolCambridge House Grammar SchoolCambridge House Grammar School is a mixed, controlled grammar school in the County Antrim town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland within the North Eastern Education and Library Board area.-General:...
- St Louis Grammar School, BallymenaSt Louis Grammar School, BallymenaSt Louis Grammar School is a school in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.- St.Louis' Achievements :The school has participated in all Ireland finals of Camogie...
- Slemish CollegeSlemish CollegeSlemish College is a co-educational integrated secondary school located in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.Slemish first opened its doors in September 1996 with just 84 pupils. The school has continued to grow with an annual intake of 120. It is one of the most oversubscribed schools in Northern Ireland...
- Dunclug College
- Ballee High School
- St Patrick's College
- Cullybackey High SchoolCullybackey High SchoolCullybackey High School is a secondary school in the village of Cullybackey, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was established in 1968 and has about 500 pupils and about 70 members of teaching staff.-Awards and recognition:...
- Northern Regional CollegeNorthern Regional CollegeNorthern Regional College is a third-level educational institution in Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The college has eight campuses around the north-east of Northern Ireland ; Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Felden, Larne, Magherafelt and Newtownabbey.- History :The college was set up...
Transport
- Ballymena railway stationBallymena railway stationBallymena railway station serves the Ballymena area in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located just outside of Ballymena town centre on the Galgorm Road, and is integrated with the local bus station. It is situated on the Derry line between Antrim and Cullybackey...
opened on 4 December 1855. A station was opened at Harryville on 24 August 1878, but closed on 3 June 1940. - The Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay RailwayBallymena, Cushendall and Red Bay RailwayThe Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway was a narrow gauge railway between Ballymena and Retreat, both in County Antrim, in what is now Northern Ireland. It operated from 1875 to 1940.-History:...
operated narrow gauge railway services from Ballymena to Parkmore from 1875 to 1940. - The Ballymena and Larne RailwayBallymena and Larne RailwayThe 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...
was another narrow gauge railway. The line opened in 1878, but closed to passengers in 1933 and to goods traffic in 1940. Between 1878 and 1880 the line terminated at Harryville, but was then extended to the town's main railway station.
Sport
- Ballymena United F.C.Ballymena United F.C.Ballymena United, is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club hails from the town of Ballymena, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Ballymena Showgrounds. Club colours are sky blue and white. Away Colours are Red and BlackThe club was...
- Wakehurst F.C.Wakehurst F.C.Wakehurst is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 2. The club, founded in 1969, hails from Ballymena, although plays its home matches at Moyola Park's ground at Mill Meadow...
- Ballymena RFCBallymena RFCBallymena Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland. It is affiliated to the Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The club fields six adult teams and an under-20 team. In youth rugby there are under-18, under-16 and under-14 teams...
- All Saints GACAll Saints GACAll Saints GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymena. The club is a member of the Antrim GAA and caters for Gaelic Football, Hurling, Ladies Football and Camogie.-Famous players:...
- Ballymena Lawn Tennis Club
- Ballymena Road Club
- Braid Angling Club
- Ballymena Cricket ClubBallymena Cricket ClubBallymena Cricket Club is a cricket club in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, playing in the NCU Premier League.-Honours:*NCU Senior League: 1**1998*NCU Junior Cup: ‡4**1906, 1935, 1939, †84‡ 1 won by 2nd XI† Won by 2nd XI...
- Ballymena Bowling Club http://www.bryansbowls.me.uk/ballymenabowls.htm
See also
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- Market Houses in Northern IrelandMarket Houses in Northern IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Northern Ireland towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper...