Bangor is a large
townA 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 Down-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
,
Northern IrelandNorthern 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 is a
seaside resortA seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
on the southern side of
Belfast LoughBelfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
and within the
Belfast Metropolitan AreaThe Belfast Metropolitan Area is a grouping of council areas which include commuter towns and overspill from Belfast, Northern Ireland with a population of 579,276. The area was first officially classified as a Metropolitan area in the late 1990s when the Government began to prepare for a cohesive...
.
Bangor MarinaBangor Marina is the second largest marina in Ireland and is located in the centre of the town of Bangor, Northern Ireland. The Marina is one of 35 marinas internationally that has been awarded Five Anchors by the Yachting Harbour Association....
is one of the largest in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and holds
Blue FlagThe Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
status. In 2007, and again in 2008, the town was voted by
Ulster TelevisionUTV is a television channel based in the UK region of Northern Ireland. The channel is the Channel 3 or Independent Television licensee for Northern Ireland and is operated by UTV Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of UTV Media.- Terrestrial :* Analogue: Normally tuned to 3 * Freeview : 3...
viewers as the most desirable place to live in
UlsterNorthern 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 is primarily residential and can be viewed as a
commuter townA commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
for the
Greater BelfastGreater Belfast is an area surrounding and including Belfast in Northern Ireland.It includes Belfast and parts of the North Down, Lisburn, Castlereagh and Newtownabbey district council areas. Greater Belfast is the largest urban area in Northern Ireland, and second largest in Ireland...
area, from which it is linked by the A2 road and a direct
railwayNI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways and for a brief period of time, Ulster Transport Railways , is the railway operator in Northern Ireland...
line. Bangor is situated 13.6 miles (22 km) east from the heart of
BelfastBelfast 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...
and thirty minutes by train or bus with
George Best Belfast City AirportGeorge Best Belfast City Airport is a single-runway airport in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Situated adjacent to the Port of Belfast it is from Belfast City Centre. It shares the site with the Short Brothers/Bombardier aircraft manufacturing facility...
even closer.
Bangor is part of the
North Down Borough CouncilNorth Down Borough Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland with an overall population of around 80,000. Its main town is Bangor, 20 km east of Belfast with a population of approximately 55,000. The Council is headquartered in Bangor. Its secondary centre is the former Urban...
area and is twinned with the Austrian city of
Bregenz-Culture:The annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele is a world-famous festival which takes place on and around a stage on Lake Constance, where a different opera is performed every second year.-Sport:* A1 Bregenz HB is a handball team....
, and the US city of
Virginia BeachVirginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
. The Mayor of Bangor is John Montgomery and the Deputy Mayor is
Harry DunlopHarry Alexander Dunlop is an American former catcher, coach and manager in professional baseball...
. It is also host to the
Royal UlsterRoyal Ulster Yacht Club is located in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, on the south shore of Belfast Lough.-History:The Club was established in 1866 as the Ulster Yacht Club, on the impetus of Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. In 1869 it received a Royal...
and
BallyholmeBallyholme Yacht Club is located in Ballyholme, County Down, Northern Ireland on the south shore of Belfast LoughThe club is one of the clubs on the lough that form part of the Belfast Lough Yachting Conference-External links:* *...
Yacht clubA yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
s. Tourism is important, particularly in the summer months, and plans are being made for the redevelopment of the seafront; a notable building in the town is
Bangor Old Custom HouseThe Old Custom House of Bangor is a 17th century tower and adjoining tower house. It is situated on the seafront in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland...
. The largest remaining individual land owner in the area is the
Clandeboye EstateThe Clandeboye Estate is a country estate located in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, outside Belfast. Covering , it contains woodlands, formal and walled gardens, lawns, a lake, and of farmland...
, located a few miles from the town centre.
Name
Originally called "Inver Beg" after the (now culverted) stream which ran past the abbey, the name
Bangor is derived from the Irish word
Beannchar (archaically
Beannchor, as seen on the town crest) meaning a horned or peaked curve or perhaps a staked enclosure, as the shape of Bangor Bay resembles the horns of a bull. It may also be linked to
Beanna, the Irish for cliffs. The area was also known as
The Vale of Angels, as
Saint PatrickSaint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
once rested there and is said to have had a vision filled with
angelAngels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s.
Coat of arms
The shield is emblazoned with two ships, which feature the
Red Hand of UlsterThe Red Hand of Ulster is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish province of Ulster. It is less commonly known as the Red Hand of O'Neill. Its origins are said to be attributed to the mythical Irish figure Labraid Lámh Dhearg , and appear in other mythical tales passed down from generation...
on their sails, denoting that Bangor is in the Irish province of
UlsterUlster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
. The blue and white stripes on the shield show that Bangor is a seaside town. Supporting the shield are two
dolphinDolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s, signifying Bangor's links with the sea. Each is charged with a gold roundle; the left featuring a
shamrockThe shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. The name shamrock is derived from Irish , which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover ....
to represent
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and the right featuring a bull's head, possibly in reference to the derivation of the town's name. The arms are crested by a haloed St Comgall, founder of the town's abbey, who was an important figure in the spread of
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The motto reads
Beannchor, the archaic form of the town's name in
IrishIrish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
.
History
Bangor has a long and varied history, from the
Bronze AgeThe Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
people whose swords were discovered in 1949 or the Viking burial found on Ballyholme beach, to the Victorian pleasure seekers who travelled on the new railway from Belfast to take in the
sea airThe air at or by the sea is traditionally thought to be healthy. This was variously attributed to iodine or ozone but its cleanliness or salt may be more significant....
. The town has been the site of a monastery renowned throughout Europe for its learning and scholarship, the victim of violent Viking raids in the 8th and 9th centuries, and the new home of Scottish and English planters during the
Plantation of UlsterThe 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...
. The town has prospered as an important port, a centre of cotton production, and a Victorian and Edwardian holiday resort. Today it is a large retail centre and a commuter town for Belfast, though the remnants of the town's varied past still shape its modern form.
Bangor Abbey
The
Annals of UlsterThe Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
tells us that the
monasteryMonastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Bangor was founded by
Saint ComgallSaint Comgall, an early Irish saint, was the founder and abbot of the great Irish monastery at Bangor , who flourished in the sixth century.-Life:...
in approximately 555 and was where the
Antiphonarium BenchorenseThe Antiphonary of Bangor is an ancient Latin manuscript, supposed to have been originally written at Bangor Abbey in modern day Northern Ireland....
was written, a copy of which can be seen in the town's
heritage centreA heritage centre is a museum facility primarily dedicated to the presentation of historical and cultural information about a place and its people, including, to some degree, natural features...
. The monastery had such widespread influence that the town is one of only four places in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to be named in the
Hereford Mappa MundiThe Hereford Mappa Mundi is a mappa mundi, of a form deriving from the T and O pattern, dating to ca. 1300. It is currently on display in Hereford Cathedral in Hereford, England...
in 1300. The monastery, situated roughly where the
Church of IrelandThe 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...
Bangor AbbeyBangor Abbey was established by Saint Comgall in 558 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland and was famous for its learning and austere rule. It is not to be confused with the even older abbey in Wales on the site of Bangor Cathedral. Bangor Abbey was a centre of learning which trained...
currently stands at the head of the town, became a centre of great learning and was among the most eminent of Europe’s missionary institutions in the
Early Middle AgesThe Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
, although it also suffered greatly at the hands of
VikingThe term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raiders in the 8th century and the 9th century.
Saint MalachySaint Malachy was the Archbishop of Armagh, to whom were attributed several miracles and a vision of the identity of the last 112 Popes...
was elected
AbbotThe word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the monastery in 1123, a year before being consecrated Bishop of
ConnorThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor, is a Roman Catholic diocese in the north-eastern part of Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh and is subject to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh...
. His extensive travels around Europe inspired him to rejuvenate the monasteries in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and he replaced the existing wooden huts with stone buildings; all that remains today of these is a solitary wall beside the current Bangor Abbey, supposed to be part of the monastery's
refectoryA refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
. Despite the decline of the monastery, its influence can still be observed in the modern town; streets names such as Abbots Close and Abbots Walk in the area of the Abbey give clues as to the town's illustrious ecclesiastical past.Bangor’s founder, Comgall, was born in Antrim in 517. Originally a soldier, he soon took monastic vows and was educated for his new life. He is next seen in the Irish annals as a hermit on Lough Erne, however his rule was so severe that seven of his fellow monks died. He was persuaded to leave and establish a house at Bangor (or Beannchar, from the Irish “Horned Curve”, probably in reference to the bay) in the famed Vale of the Angels. The earliest Irish annals give 558 as the date of Bangor’s commencement.
Bangor Mór and Perpetual Psalmody
At Bangor, Comgall instituted a rigid monastic rule of incessant prayer and fasting. Far from turning people away, this ascetic rule attracted thousands. When Comgall died in 602, the annals report that three thousand monks looked to him for guidance. Bangor Mór, named “the great Bangor” to distinguish it from its British contemporaries, became the greatest
monastic schoolMonastic schools were, along with cathedral schools, the most important institutions of higher learning in the Latin West from the early Middle Ages until the 12th century. Since Cassiodorus's educational program, the standard curriculum incorporated religious studies, the Trivium, and the...
in Ulster as well as one of the three leading lights of Celtic Christianity. The others were Iona, the great missionary center founded by Colomba, and Bangor on the Dee, founded by Dinooth; the ancient Welsh Triads also confirm the “Perpetual Harmonies” at this great house.
Throughout the sixth century, Bangor became famous for its choral psalmody. “It was this music which was carried to the Continent by the Bangor Missionaries in the following century”. Divine services of the seven hours of prayer were carried out throughout Bangor’s existence, however the monks went further and carried out the practice of laus perennis. In the twelfth century, Bernard of Clairvaux spoke of Comgall and Bangor, stating, “the solemnization of divine offices was kept up by companies, who relieved each other in succession, so that not for one moment day and night was there an intermission of their devotions.” This continuous singing was antiphonal in nature, based on the call and response reminiscent of Patrick’s vision, but also practiced by St. Martin’s houses in Gaul. Many of these psalms and hymns were later written down in the Antiphonary of Bangor which came to reside in Colombanus’ monastery at
BobbioBobbio is a small town and commune in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There is also an abbey and a diocese of the same name...
, Italy.
The Bangor Missionaries
The ascetic life of prayer and fasting were the attractions of Bangor. However, as time progressed, Bangor also became a famed seat of learning and education. There was a saying in Europe at the time that if a man knew Greek he was bound to be an Irishman, largely due to the influence of Bangor. The monastery further became a missions-sending community. Even to this day missionary societies are based in the town. Bangor Monks appear throughout medieval literature as a force for good.
In 580, a Bangor monk named Mirin took Christianity to Paisley, where he died “full of miracles and holiness”. In 590, the fiery Colombanus, one of Comgall’s leaders, set out from Bangor with twelve other brothers, including Gall who planted monasteries throughout Switzerland. In Burgundy he established a severe monastic rule at
LuxeuilLuxeuil-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-History:Luxeuil was the Roman Luxovium and contained many fine buildings at the time of its destruction by the Huns under Attila in 451...
which mirrored that of Bangor. From there he went to
BobbioBobbio is a small town and commune in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There is also an abbey and a diocese of the same name...
in Italy and established the house which became one of the largest and finest monasteries in Europe. Colombanus died in 615, but by 700 AD, one hundred additional monasteries had been planted throughout France, Germany and Switzerland. Other famed missionary monks who went out from Bangor include Molua, Findchua and Luanus.
17th and 18th centuries
The modern town had its origins in the early 17th century when
James HamiltonJames Hamilton, 1st Viscount Claneboye was a Scot who became owner of large tracts of land in County Down, Ireland, and founded a successful Protestant Scots settlement there several years before the Plantation of Ulster...
, a
ScotThe Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, arrived in Bangor, having been granted lands in north Down by
King James IJames 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...
in 1605. The
Old Custom HouseThe Old Custom House of Bangor is a 17th century tower and adjoining tower house. It is situated on the seafront in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland...
, which was completed by Hamilton in 1637 after James I granted Bangor the status of a port in 1620, is a visible reminder of the new order introduced by Hamilton and his Scots settlers, and is one of the oldest buildings in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to have been in continual use. In the 17th century
UlsterUlster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
ports began to rise in prominence. In 1625 William Pitt was appointed as Customer of the ports of
NewcastleNewcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
,
DundrumDundrum is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is beside Dundrum Bay, about 4 miles outside Newcastle on the A2 road. The town is best known for its ruined Norman castle. It had a population of 1,065 people in the 2001 Census....
,
KilloughKillough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the Irish Sea shore near Ardglass, five miles southeast of Downpatrick. It is notable for its sycamore-lined main street. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 845 people....
,
PortaferryPortaferry is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula, near the Narrows at the entrance to Strangford Lough. It had a population of 2,467 people in the 2001 Census. It has an aquarium and is well-known for the annual Galway Hookers Regatta. It hosts...
,
DonaghadeeDonaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
, Bangor and
HolywoodHolywood is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.-Name:...
. In 1637 the Surveyor General of Customs issued a report compiled from accounts of customs due from each port and their "subsidiary creeks". Of the Ulster ports on the list,
CarrickfergusCarrickfergus , 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...
was first, followed by Bangor,
DonaghadeeDonaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
, and
StrangfordStrangford is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 475 people at the 2001 Census.On the other side of the lough is Portaferry and there is a ferry service between the two villages...
.
The town was an important source of customs revenue for the Crown and in the 1780s Colonel Robert Ward improved the harbour and promoted the cotton industries; today's picturesque seafront was the location of several large steam-powered cotton mills, which employed over three hundred people. The construction of a large stone market house around this time, now used by the
Northern BankNorthern Bank , is a commercial bank in Northern Ireland. It is one of the oldest banks in Ireland having been formed in 1809. Northern Bank is considered one of the leading retail banks in Northern Ireland with 82 branches and four finance centres...
, is a testament to the increasing prosperity of the town.
The end of the 18th century was a time of great political and social turmoil in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, as the United Irishmen, inspired by the
AmericanThe American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and
French RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
s, sought to achieve a greater degree of independence from
BritainThe former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
. On the morning of 10 June 1798 a force of United Irishmen, mainly from Bangor,
DonaghadeeDonaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
,
GreyabbeyGreyabbey or Grey Abbey is a small village and townland located on the eastern shores of Strangford Lough, on the Ards Peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies south of Newtownards. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,011 people...
and
BallywalterBallywalter is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the east coast of the Ards Peninsula between Donaghadee and Ballyhalbert...
attempted to occupy the nearby town of
NewtownardsNewtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
. They met with
musketA musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
fire from the market house and were subsequently defeated.
Victorian Era
By the middle of the 19th century, the cotton mills had declined and the town changed in character once again. The laying of the railway in 1865 meant that inexpensive travel from
BelfastBelfast 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...
was possible, and working class people could afford for the first time to holiday in the town. Bangor soon became a fashionable resort for
VictorianThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
holidaymakers, as well as a desirable home to the wealthy. Many of the beautiful houses overlooking Bangor Bay (some of which have now been demolished to make way for modern apartments) date from this period. The belief in the restorative powers of the sea air meant that the town became a popular location for sea bathing and marine sports, and the number of visitors from Great Britain increased during the Edwardian era at the beginning of the 20th century, which also saw the improvement of
Ward ParkWard Park is situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The 37 acre park contains 10 tennis courts, a duck pond and a selection of wildfowl housed in breeding pens....
and the Marine Gardens.
20th century to present
The inter-war period of the early 20th century saw the development of the fondly remembered
Tonic CinemaThe Tonic Cinema was built in 1936 in Bangor, Northern Ireland.At the time it was the largest Cinema in Ireland with 2,001 seats. It was demolished in 1992 following a fire. The old Compton Theatre Organ, formerly in the Tonic Cinema, is now in the care of Bangor Academy School...
, Pickie Pool and Caproni’s
ballroomA ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
— all three among the foremost of their type in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. All three no longer exist, although there is a fun park named Pickie. This park has a small children's paddling pool, and was created as the original Pickie's was demolished due to the rejuvenation of Bangor seafront in the 1980s and early 1990s.
During
World War IIWorld 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...
,
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
addressed
Allied troopsThe Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
in Bangor, who were departing to take part in the D-Day landings. In 2005, his granddaughter Mary-Jean Eisenhower came to the town to oversee the renaming of the marina's North Pier to the Eisenhower Pier.
With the growing popularity of inexpensive foreign holidays from the 1960s onwards, Bangor declined as a tourist resort and was forced to rethink its future. The second half of the 20th century saw its role as a dormitory town for Belfast become more important. Its population increased dramatically; from around 14,000 in 1930 it had reached 40,000 by 1971 and 58,000 by the end of the century (some council publicity material counting it as high as 70,000), making it one of the ten largest settlements in all of
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The late 1960s also saw work begin on the construction of the Ring Road around the town.
The 1970s saw the building of the Springhill Shopping Centre, an out–of–town development near the A2 road to Belfast and Northern Ireland's first purpose-built
shopping centreA shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
. It has been demolished to facilitate a modern
TescoTesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket. The town expanded rapidly in the 1980s to accommodate many new residents, absorbing much surrounding countryside. This period also saw the construction of the Marina and major light industrial and retail developments. In the early 1990s, Bloomfield Shopping Centre, another out–of–town development, opened beside Bloomfield Estate. In 2007, a major renovation of the centre began, including the construction of a multistorey car park. The trend towards out–of–town shopping centres was somewhat reversed with the construction of the Flagship Centre around 1990 and a large Safeway store in the town centre, which has now become
AsdaAsda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
.
Currently the seafront of the town is awaiting redevelopment and has been for over a decade, with a large part of the frontage already demolished, leaving a patch of derelict ground facing onto the marina. Because of this, a great deal of local controversy surrounds this process and the many plans put forward by the council and developers for the land (see External links), in November 2009, it was voted by UTV viewers as Ulster's Biggest Eyesore. A state of the art recycling centre is being built in Balloo Industrial Estate, supposed to be one of the most advanced in Europe. It opened in the summer of 2008.
On Saturday 12 May 2007, a series of unidentified flying objects in the form of orange lights appeared in the sky over the town. The lights even prompted calls to
Belfast International Airport'sBelfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
air traffic control, including one from the
coastguardHer Majesty's Coastguard is the service of the government of the United Kingdom concerned with co-ordinating air-sea rescue.HM Coastguard is a section of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of all civilian maritime Search and Rescue within the UK...
; air traffic control stated they had no record of any aircraft in the area at the time. It has been speculated that the lights were caused by Thai wedding lanterns, released into the sky to celebrate a marriage.
The Troubles
Despite escaping much of the sectarian violence during
The TroublesThe 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...
, Bangor was the site of some major incidents. During the troubles there were 8 killings in the town including that of the first RUC woman to be killed on duty; 26 year old Mildred Harrison was killed by an explosion while on foot patrol in the High Street On 23 March 1972 the IRA detonated two large car bombs on the town's main street. On 30 March 1974, paramilitaries carried out a major incendiary bomb attack on the main shopping centre in Bangor. On 21 October 1992, the
IRAThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
exploded a 200 pounds (90.7 kg) bomb in Main Street, causing large amounts of damage to nearby buildings. Main Street sustained more damage on 7 March 1993, when the IRA exploded a 500 pounds (226.8 kg) car bomb. Four
Royal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) officers were injured in the explosion; the cost of the damage was later estimated at
£The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
2 million, as there was extensive damage to retail premises and Trinity Presbyterian Church, as well as minor damage to the local Church of Ireland Parish Church and First Bangor Presbyterian Church.
Demographics
Bangor is classified by the
NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) as a large town (i.e., with a population between 18,000 and 75,000) within the
BelfastBelfast 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...
Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 58,388 people living in Bangor. Of these:
- 20.2% were aged under 16 years and 20.3% were aged 60 and over
- 47.7% of the population were male and 52.3% were female
- 82.7% were from a Protestant
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...
background and 10.6% were from a Roman Catholic background
Places of interest
- Bangor Marina
Bangor Marina is the second largest marina in Ireland and is located in the centre of the town of Bangor, Northern Ireland. The Marina is one of 35 marinas internationally that has been awarded Five Anchors by the Yachting Harbour Association....
- Clandeboye Estate
The Clandeboye Estate is a country estate located in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, outside Belfast. Covering , it contains woodlands, formal and walled gardens, lawns, a lake, and of farmland...
- Ward Park
Ward Park is situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The 37 acre park contains 10 tennis courts, a duck pond and a selection of wildfowl housed in breeding pens....
- Clandeboye Park
Clandeboye Park is a football stadium in Bangor, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Bangor FC.At one time, the pitch was the smallest in the Irish league, but it no longer holds this distinction since the pitch was enlarged after the stock-car racing track was removed in the later years of...
- Castle Park
- Bangor Abbey
Bangor Abbey was established by Saint Comgall in 558 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland and was famous for its learning and austere rule. It is not to be confused with the even older abbey in Wales on the site of Bangor Cathedral. Bangor Abbey was a centre of learning which trained...
- Bangor Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
- Bangor Castle
Bangor Castle in Bangor, Northern Ireland, was completed in 1852 for The Hon Robert Edward Ward. This imposing building is not so much a castle as an elegant mansion in the Elizabethan-Jacobean revival style. It has 35 bedrooms and incorporates a huge salon for musical recitals...
- Somme Heritage Centre
The Somme Heritage Centre is a tourist attraction and education center in Conlig,County Down, Northern Ireland. Opened in 1994 the centre promotes Ireland's role in the First World War, and especially the role of both Protestant and Catholic, unionist and nationalist in the war...
- Bangor Market House, which dates from the late 18th century, is a 5-bay 2-storey building currently used as a bank
- Bangor Old Custom House
The Old Custom House of Bangor is a 17th century tower and adjoining tower house. It is situated on the seafront in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland...
- McKee Clock
The McKee Clock is a clock tower in the town of Bangor, Northern Ireland. Situated at the foot of High Street in the marina's sunken gardens in an area known as the "McKee Clock Arena", the clock is named for its benefactor William McKee, a local rates collector who donated £200 towards its...
Areas of Bangor
As is common in
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Bangor area has long been divided into
townlandA 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...
s. Many of their names are ultimately derived from the Irish Language, others come from English and Scots dialects. Bangor sprang up in a townland that is now called Corporation. Over time, the surrounding townlands have been built upon and they have given their names to many roads and housing estates.
The following is a list of townlands and housing estates in the area. Townlands are marked with an asterisk (*)
- Albany
- Ashbury
- Balloo* (from Baile Aodha meaning "Hugh's townland")
- Ballyholme* (from Baile Hóm meaning "Hóm's townland")
- Ballycroghan* (from Baile Cruacháin meaning "townland of the small stack")
- Ballymaconnell* (from Baile Mhic Dhónaill meaning "MacConnell's townland")
- Ballymacormick* (from Baile Mhic Cormaic meaning "MacCormick's townland")
- Ballymagee* (from Baile Mhig Aodha meaning "MacGee's/Magee's townland")
- Ballyree* (from Baile an Fhraoigh meaning "townland of the heather")
- Ballyvarnet* (from Baile Bhearnan meaning "townland of the gap")
- Baramoral
- Bexley
- Bloomfield
- Breezemount
- Bryansburn
- Carnalea
Carnalea is a townland west of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It consists of the Killaire area, Station Road area and Seymour area and falls under the control of North Down Borough Council, and within the Bangor West electoral boundary...
* (from Carnán Lao meaning "small mound of the calf")
- Clandeboye
Clandeboye is in modern times an area of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is named after the Clandeboye family, a branch of the O'Neill dynasty. They settled in the 1330s after the death of the Earl of Ulster in what is now south Antrim and north Down, giving their name to the territory...
- Conlig
Conlig is a village and townland about halfway between Bangor and Newtownards in County Down, Northern Ireland.-Mining:The area includes extant ancient copper mines. Weapons forged with the copper from this mine have been found across Europe, and was traded for tin from Cornwall during the Bronze...
* (from an Choinleic or an Choinleac meaning "stone of the hound")
- Gransha
- Kilcooley (from Cill Chúile)
- Kilmaine
- Penbrook
- Primacy
- Rathgael
- Rathgill*
- Rathmore
- Silverstream
- Springhill
- Towerview
- Whitehill
- Willowbrook
Sources for Irish names:
Climate
Like the rest of
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Bangor has a mild climate with few extremes of weather. It enjoys one of the sunniest climates in
Northern IrelandNorthern 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 receives about 900 millimetres (35.4 in) of
rainRain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to non-liquid kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet. Rain requires the presence of a thick layer of the atmosphere to have temperatures above the melting point of water near and above the Earth's surface...
per year, which is moderate by
Ireland'sIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
standards. It enjoys a mild microclimate, with very little snow.
SnowSnow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
is rare but occurs at least once or twice in an average winter and
frostFrost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
is not as severe as areas further inland. This is due to the mild winters and close proximity to the sea. Winter maximums are about 8C but can reach as high as 16C. Average maximums in summer are around 20C, although the record high is 31C. The lowest recorded temperature is -5.4C. Temperatures above 25C in Bangor are usually uncomfortable due to the high humidity, and
real feelsThe heat index is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity in an attempt to determine the human-perceived equivalent temperature — how hot it feels, termed the felt air temperature. The human body normally cools itself by perspiration, or sweating, which evaporates and carries...
would be in the low 30s. The climate puts Bangor in plant hardiness zone 9.
Bangor has had a number of extreme weather events in recent years, including a hot summer in 2006, followed by 3 of the wettest summers on record in 2007, 2008 and 2009, with flooding in June 2007. Heavy snow also fell on the town on 4 January 2008. The Autumn of 2006 was also the warmest recorded. Heavy snow fell in the town on 19 December 2009 & again more heavy snow fell in January 2010. This was followed by 4 weeks of feezing conditions, with temperatures as low as -4.4C. Inland areas of
Northern IrelandNorthern 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...
saw -14C. The freeze finally ended on 14 January 2010. This was during
Winter of 2009–10 in EuropeThe winter of 2009–2010 in Europe was unusually cold. Globally, atypical weather patterns brought cold, moist air from the north. Weather systems were undergoing cyclogenesis from North American storms moving across the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and saw many parts of Europe experiencing heavy...
. July 2010 was the dullest on record, with 200% of normal rainfall. December 2010 saw record snowfall fall on the town, with temperatures below -7C. On 21 December 2010 an unofficial weather station manned by a retired meteorological officer in the Springhill area recorded a low of minus 8.1C, and a high of minus 2.0C. Snow lay to a level depth of 24 cm, the same morning. Inland Northern Ireland saw almost -19C, new record lows
Transport
The first section of
Belfast and County Down RailwayThe Belfast and County Down Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948...
line from
BelfastBelfast 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...
to
HolywoodHolywood is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.-Name:...
opened in 1848 and was extended to Bangor by the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway (BHBR), opening on 1 May 1865, along with
Bangor railway stationBangor railway station is a terminal railway station which serves the town of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. The station was opened by the Belfast and County Down Railway on 1 May 1865 and closed to goods traffic on 24 April 1950.-Service:...
. It was acquired by the BCDR in 1884. and closed to goods traffic on 24 April 1950.
Bangor West railway stationBangor West railway station is located in the townland of Ballyvarnet in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.It was opened on 1 June 1928 by the Belfast and County Down Railway to serve the rapidly expanding suburbs of Bangor...
was opened on 1 June 1928 by the
Belfast and County Down RailwayThe Belfast and County Down Railway was an Irish gauge railway in Ireland linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948...
to serve the rapidly expanding suburbs of Bangor.
Football
In football, the IFA Championship side Bangor FC plays at
Clandeboye ParkClandeboye Park is a football stadium in Bangor, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Bangor FC.At one time, the pitch was the smallest in the Irish league, but it no longer holds this distinction since the pitch was enlarged after the stock-car racing track was removed in the later years of...
on Clandeboye Road. There is a large number of amateur league football teams within the Bangor area playing in the
Northern Amateur Football LeagueThe Northern Amateur Football League, also known as the Northern Amateur League and often simply as the Amateur League, is an association football league in Northern Ireland. It contains 13 divisions...
.
In fact, in the early rounds of the Steel & Sons Cup, one of the premier knock-out cup competitions for Intermediate football sides in Northern Ireland, there were no less than 5 teams with “Bangor” in their name; the other teams besides Bangor FC were Bangor Amateurs, Bangor Rangers,
Bangor SwiftsBangor Swifts is a Northern Irish intermediate-level football club playing in Division 1C of the Northern Amateur Football League. The club was founded when a team representing Wesley Centenary Youth Guild played its first match on the 12th September 1970 at Rathgael Special School...
and 1st. Bangor.
Other sides from the Bangor area playing in the Amateur league include Groomsport, Castle United and Bryansburn Rangers.
Bangor Young Men FC are one of the oldest Amateur League Clubs from the Town and there is some debate as to the actual year they were originally set up, potentially going back as far as 1931. for more.
Sailing
Bangor has a high reputation for sailing, hosting great world events and also has high prestige clubs such as the
Royal Ulster Yacht ClubRoyal Ulster Yacht Club is located in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, on the south shore of Belfast Lough.-History:The Club was established in 1866 as the Ulster Yacht Club, on the impetus of Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava. In 1869 it received a Royal...
and
Ballyholme Yacht ClubBallyholme Yacht Club is located in Ballyholme, County Down, Northern Ireland on the south shore of Belfast LoughThe club is one of the clubs on the lough that form part of the Belfast Lough Yachting Conference-External links:* *...
which is the venue for Northern Ireland's Elite Sailing Facility.
Motor sport
Every year Bangor hosts the motorcycle World Trials Championships at the marina. Bangor also hosted an off–road karting event on Gransha Road in 2007.
Basketball
Bangor's basketball team, the
Bangor Sharks(previously Bangor Mariners), has grown in strength and size with the development of its youth team. The team had a successful first season in the 2005/06 Ulster Basketball Association Premier Division. In the 2010/2011 season the Sharks reached the semi-final of the Premier Division.
Cricket
Bangor Cricket ClubBangor Cricket Club is a cricket club in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, playing in the NCU Premier League.-Honours:*NCU Senior League: 1**2004*NCU Junior Cup: †4 **†1983 , †1990, †1999 , †2004† Won by 2nd XI...
runs five teams now in full league competition and has a reputation for providing one of the best wickets to play on anywhere in Ireland. Not traditionally one of the giants of local cricket, they surprised many people by winning the NCU Senior League Section 1 three seasons ago, thanks largely to the exploits of New Zealander Regan West and all rounder Johnny Hewitt, who have now left the club. The club is now mid-table and looking to heavily develop its next generation. It is greatly aided in this regard by their Sri Lankan professional Yasas Tillakaratne.
Bangor Grammar SchoolBangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
won the 2008 Ulster Schools Cricket Cup, which has led to great belief in the future of the cricket club.
Athletics
In 2006 North Down Athletics club won the Hibernian League and became Irish Champions for the first time in their history.
Hockey
Bangor's
hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
club is situated on the Old Belfast Road at Bangor Sportsplex, and comprises five men's teams, two women's teams and a large youth section. The first XI are currently in the Vi-sport Premier league and finished sixth in the 2006/07 season.
Inline hockey
Bangor has an
inline hockeyInline hockey, often referred to as roller hockey in the United States, is a sport similar to ice hockey but played with inline skates. Like its parent sport, skaters on two teams use hockey sticks to direct a disk-shaped puck into the opponent's goal; however, various details of the game, such as...
club which meets at the town's Inline Hockey Arena.
Swimming
It was announced in June 2007 that the town would be the location of Northern Ireland's first Olympic-sized 50-metre swimming pool, intended to replace the town's ageing
leisure centreA leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
. The 10-lane indoor pool, which was expected to be completed by 2010 will now open after the olympic games in 2012 without providing the planned facilities for both local and international athletes training for the
2012 London OlympicsThe 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.. This is due to delays in funding for the project and also hold ups at the design stage.
Volleyball
North Down Volleyball Club was established in 1997. Previously the team trained at Newtownards leisure centre, but moved to Bangor leisure centre in 2004. Currently there is a men's team competing in the NIVA division 1 league, in which the first team won in the 2005/06 season. After the indoor volleyball season is over, the beach volleyball season begins at Ballyholme Beach during the summer months.
Professional wrestling
Bangor has it own professional wrestling company (Bangor Championship Wrestling).
GAA
St.Paul's G.A.C. in Holywood serves the towns of Bangor, Holywood and Newtownards. The club was founded in 1979 and play their home games at MacNamee Park in Holywood.
Parkour
Bangor has become a popular area, for Traceurs (practitioners of parkour) to practise and train
ParkourParkour is a method of movement focused on moving around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Originally developed in France, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping...
. The National Task Force (NTF) has set up parkour/freerunning classes available for any child wishing to begin learning, at Rathgael Gymnastics & Trampolining Club (RGTC)
Music
Bangor's music scene has been vibrant and varied, for many years. Live music is an important part of the town's social scene, with many venues, and a wide range of musical styles available. This has created a stimulating environment for local musicians, such as
Foy VanceFoy Vance is a musician from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. His first single "Gabriel and the Vagabond" was released on 18 December 2006 on Wurdamouth Records. The single's B-side was "Indiscriminate Act of Kindness"...
and
Snow PatrolSnow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
. Many of
Northern IrelandNorthern 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 most exciting new bands are based in Bangor, such as
Two Door Cinema Club Two Door Cinema Club are an indie rock band from Bangor and Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed in 2007, the band is composed of band members: Sam Halliday , Alex Trimble and Kevin Baird...
, Kowalski, Farriers, and The Cael Collective. Notable Bangor-based singer/songwriters include Stephen Macartney, Gentry Morris, Dolbro Dan and Mike Donaghy.
Public figures from Bangor
- Colin Blakely
Colin George Blakely was a Northern Irish character actor. He was considered an actor of great range.-Early life:...
, actor of stage, film and TV
- David Trimble
William David Trimble, Baron Trimble, PC , is a politician from Northern Ireland. He served as Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party , was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland , and was a Member of the British Parliament . He is currently a life peer for the Conservative Party...
, Nobel LaureateThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
, former Ulster Unionist PartyThe Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
leader and former First Minister of Northern Ireland
- Lembit Öpik
Lembit Öpik is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Montgomeryshire in Wales from 1997 until he lost his seat in the 2010 General Election...
, former Liberal DemocratThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
MPA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Shadow Welsh and Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary
- The former Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing driver Eddie IrvineEdmund "Eddie" Irvine, Jr. is a former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He grew up in Conlig, County Down, and was influenced by his parents, who were also involved in motor racing...
(actually from ConligConlig is a village and townland about halfway between Bangor and Newtownards in County Down, Northern Ireland.-Mining:The area includes extant ancient copper mines. Weapons forged with the copper from this mine have been found across Europe, and was traded for tin from Cornwall during the Bronze...
- a small village just outside Bangor)
- Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
bassist Bobby KildeaBobby Kildea is a musician from Northern Ireland. He currently plays bass and guitar in the Scottish indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, after joining in 2001 to replace departing bassist Stuart David, and had previously been in V-Twin...
- Alastair McKenzie keyboard player for Suzi Quatro
Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her...
- Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
presenter and former Miss Northern IrelandMiss Northern Ireland is a beauty pageant, the winner of which goes on to compete in the Miss World pageant.Before 1999, the winner of Miss Anton Northern Ireland would have to compete in the Miss United Kingdom competition and win it in order to be applicable to compete in the Miss World competition...
, Zöe SalmonZöe Salmon is a television presenter who hosted the children's television show Blue Peter from 23 December 2004 to 25 June 2008. She also appeared on Dancing on Ice in early 2009.-Life and career:...
- Authors Colin Bateman
Colin Bateman is a novelist, screenwriter and former journalist from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.Born in 1962, Bateman attended Bangor Grammar School leaving at 16 to join the County Down Spectator as a "cub" reporter, then columnist and deputy editor...
and Ronan CoghlanRonan Coghlan is an Irish writer living in Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland.Coghlan was born Dublin in 1948. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin ....
and Patrick TaylorPatrick or Pat Taylor may refer to:* Patrick Taylor , an Irish-Canadian author and doctor* Patrick F. Taylor, founder of Taylor Energy* Patrick Gordon Taylor, author and aviator...
- Author and award-winning Sunday Times journalist Peter Millar
- Four of the members of the band Snow Patrol
Snow Patrol are an alternative rock band from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed at the University of Dundee in 1994 as an indie rock band, the band is now based in Glasgow...
are from Bangor: Gary LightbodyGary Lightbody is an Northern Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the alternative rock band Snow Patrol.- Early life :...
, Jonny QuinnJonathan Graham "Jonny" Quinn is a Northern Irish drummer, born in Bangor. He is best known as the drummer for alternative rock band Snow Patrol, and was previously a member of bands like The Mighty Fall, The New Brontes and Disraeli Gears. As drummer for Snow Patrol, he has played on all releases...
, Iain ArcherIain Denis Archer is a singer–songwriter from Bangor, Northern Ireland, who was once a secondary lyricist for the indie band Snow Patrol. Archer comes from a musical background and released several solo albums in the mid 90s on the small Scottish independent label Sticky Music...
, and Mark McClellandMark Peter McClelland is a musician from Northern Ireland, known best as the former bass guitarist with the band Snow Patrol. McClelland is a recipient of the Ivor Novello Award for his work on the album, Final Straw...
, although McClelland and Archer have since left the band
- Professional golfer and now broadcaster, David Feherty
David Feherty is a former professional golfer on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He now works as a writer and broadcaster with CBS Sports and Golf Channel.Feherty was born in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland...
attended Bangor Grammar School. His father owns a local travel agency
- Former Northern Ireland international footballer Billy Hamilton
William Robert Hamilton is a former Northern Ireland international footballer who played as a forward.At club level, Billy played for Linfield, QPR, Burnley, Oxford United, Limerick, Sligo Rovers, Coleraine and Distillery...
. He once owned an engraving shop in Bangor's Bingham Mall which is now owned by former Northern Ireland footballer Alan McDonald
- Mark McCall
Mark McCall is an Irish former rugby union player and former coach of Ulster. He played 13 times for the Ireland national rugby union team, making his debut against New Zealand on 30 May 1992 as a substitute...
, the Ulster rugby coach is a former pupil of Bangor Grammar SchoolBangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
- Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
players Bryn CunninghamBryn Cunningham is a retired Irish rugby union footballer.He is a former pupil of Bangor Grammar School in County Down and TCD, and currently plays as a full back for Ulster Rugby. In September 2010 he retired from rugby with imidiate effect.-External links:**...
and Kieron DawsonKieron Dawson is an Irish rugby union footballer who is flanker for Ulster and Ireland....
attended Bangor Grammar School
- Irish Rugby and British Lion
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
player Dick MillikenRichard Alexander Milliken is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1974 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Bangor.-References:...
attended Bangor Grammar School
- Keith Gillespie
Keith Robert Gillespie is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays in midfield for Longford Town....
, N IrelandThe Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
footballer, attended Rathmore Primary and Bangor Grammar School
- Olympic hockey gold medallist with the Great British team, Stephen Martin attended Bangor Grammar School
- Singer/songwriter Foy Vance
Foy Vance is a musician from Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. His first single "Gabriel and the Vagabond" was released on 18 December 2006 on Wurdamouth Records. The single's B-side was "Indiscriminate Act of Kindness"...
- BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
presenter, Dr. Mark HamiltonMark Hamilton is a physician and broadcaster. He is presenter of How Long Will You Live? on RTÉ One and former presenter of The Sunday Surgery on BBC Radio 1.-Education and medical training:...
- Professional footballer Josh Magennis
Joshua Brendan David "Josh" Magennis is a Northern Irish footballer who currently plays as a striker for Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen. Having spent the majority of his youth career as a goalkeeper, he switched to striker in 2008 before turning professional in 2009...
- Mervyn Cree, professional footballer for UCD AFC
- Alestorm
Alestorm is a folk metal band from Perth, Scotland. Their music is characterized by a pirate theme, and as a result have been dubbed a "Pirate metal" band at a popular heavy metal related website....
bass player Gareth Murdock
- News reporter Chris Buckler
- "I'd Do Anything" finalist Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry is an Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008 and is currently portraying Fleck in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies.-Background:Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our...
- Former Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
star, actor Adam BestAdam Best is an Northern Irish actor who trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for 3 years. He attended Donaghadee Primary School and Bangor Grammar School and gained experience with the Ulster Youth Theatre and Drama School.He is probably most famous for his role as Matt Parker on...
attended Bangor Grammar SchoolBangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
- Ex-Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and Middlesbrough FC footballer, Alan KernaghanAlan Kernaghan is an Irish former footballer. Since retiring he has become a coach and manager. Since January 2007 he has been a youth coach at Rangers....
grew up in Bangor and attended the town's Towerview Primary SchoolTowerview Primary School is a primary school in Bangor, County Down.Towerview Primary opened in 1973 in the East of the town of Bangor. It is so called, as it is possible to view helens tower from the area....
- News reporter Neil Brittain
Neil Brittain is a Northern Irish television presenter and journalist. He is currently a sports presenter and reporter for UTV Live.-Early career:...
- Broadcaster and Photojournalist Keith Nicol attended Bangor Grammar School
Bangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
- Former Olympic yachtsman Bill O'Hara attended Bangor Grammar School
Bangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
- Comedian Eddie Izzard
Edward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
grew up in Bangor until age five, and attended Ballyholme Primary School
- All Three members of Two Door Cinema Club
Two Door Cinema Club are an indie rock band from Bangor and Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland. Formed in 2007, the band is composed of band members: Sam Halliday , Alex Trimble and Kevin Baird...
are from Bangor, and attended Bangor Grammar School
- Mark Simpson
Mark Simpson is a journalist who has been the BBC's Ireland Correspondent since summer 2008.-Career:Simpson originally began his journalistic career for a series of Northern Irish newspapers — The News Letter, The Irish News, and The Belfast Telegraph — after graduating in 1988 from Queens...
, BBC Ireland Correspondent, from Helen's Bay, Bangor
Secondary/Grammar School
- Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College
Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College is a mixed secondary school located in Bangor, Northern Ireland...
- Bangor Grammar School
Bangor Grammar School , is an all-boys, voluntary grammar school situated in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1856 by the Conservative politician and Bangor man, Col The Hon. Robert Ward PC MP who lived at Castle Ward...
- Glenlola Collegiate School
Glenlola Collegiate School is an all-girls grammar school in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The school was founded as a school for girls in approximately 1880. It has achieved some of the best exam and extracurricular results in the region....
- St. Columbanus
Primary School
- Kilmaine Primary School
- Grange Park Primary School
- Bangor Central Primary School
- Connor House
- Cygnet House
- Kilcooley Primary School
- Ballymagee Primary School
- Rathmore Primary School
- St Malachy's Primary School
- St Comgall's Primary School
- Bloomfield Primary School
- Towerview Primary School
Towerview Primary School is a primary school in Bangor, County Down.Towerview Primary opened in 1973 in the East of the town of Bangor. It is so called, as it is possible to view helens tower from the area....
- Ballymagee Primary School
- Clandeboye Primary School
- Ballyholme Primary School
Ballyholme Primary School is a school in the town of Bangor, County Down, a coastal on the East Coast of Northern Ireland. It was founded on 31 August 1953. For many years there had been an argument on whether a new school should be built or not in the small area of Ballyholme, which has...
Town twinning
Bregenz-Culture:The annual summer music festival Bregenzer Festspiele is a world-famous festival which takes place on and around a stage on Lake Constance, where a different opera is performed every second year.-Sport:* A1 Bregenz HB is a handball team....
, Austria
Virginia BeachVirginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
,
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
PrümPrüm is a town in the Westeifel , Germany. Formerly a district capital, today it is the administrative seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Prüm.-Geography:...
, Germany
See also
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of RNLI stations
- Market Houses in Northern Ireland
Market 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...
- Kilcooley estate
Kilcooley estate is a housing estate owned by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive on the outskirts of Bangor, Northern Ireland. There is a high level of Protestant People within the area and it has strong links with loyalism.- History :...
- Bowman, T: (Written and compiled by) 2009 Bangor in the Sixties Ballyhay Books, ISBN 978 1 900935 821
External links