Comber
Encyclopedia
Comber is a small town
in County Down
, Northern Ireland
. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards
, at the northern end of Strangford Lough
. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census
. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards. It is also known for Comber Whiskey
which was last distilled in 1953.
, while a Cistercian abbey was founded around 1200 on the site of the present Church of Ireland
church, a site likely chosen to take advantage of the good access to Strangford Lough
. After Henry VIII
dissolved the monasteries in 1541, the abbey fell into ruins and its stone has since been used in other buildings.
During the influx of Scots
in the early 1600s (see Plantation of Ulster
), a settlement grew up at Comber, although it was focused about a mile further south than at present, in the townland of Cattogs, and there is evidence that the settlement was a port used by traders and fishermen. By the 1700s, however, the focus of the town had moved to the area of the present main Square and Comber became established as an industrial centre with several mills.
The Andrews family made Comber a centre of both linen production and grain processing by the second half of the 1700s. Whiskey distilling was a prominent industry by the mid 1800s, the most prominent of the distillers being John Miller, uncle of William James (Lord) Pirrie and Eliza (wife of Thomas Andrews Snr.). One member of the Andrews family, Thomas
, rose to fame as designer of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, although he tragically lost his life when the ship sank in 1912. By 1841 the town had 1,400 inhabitants. The 20th century saw Comber lose much of its industry but re-establish itself as a commuter town for the Belfast urban area, swelling in population from 4,000 in 1961 to 8,933 according to the 2001 Census.
In Comber's Square, you cannot fail to see the statue of Major General Rollo Gillespie
. Gillespie was a local war hero from the 19th century, famous for his heroic exploits in India
. It was constructed under the oversight of John Fraser, the first County Surveyor of Down, and was unveiled on 24th June 1845 (St. John's Day). Fifty lodges of the Masonic Order
were present, in what is believed to be the biggest Masonic gathering in Irish history. It was calculated that 25,000 to 30,000 people crowded into the town to witness the ceremony. The column is 55 feet high. At the foot of the column are many Masonic symbols and his famous last words "One shot more for the honour of Down".
The Enler River in Comber has also flooded many times in past years. As a result the Comber flood wall was built along the river through the town which has held the water back since.
s, whose names mostly come from the Irish language
. Over time, more rural townlands have been built upon and they have given their names to many roads and housing estates. The following is a list of townlands within Comber’s urban area, alongside their likely etymologies
:
, opened on 6 May 1850, but finally closed on 24 April 1950.
Comber has recently opened another section of the bypass in 2003 from newtownards which goes right around the town and links up with the existing section at st. marys primary school where agin it follows the old dis used railway line.It has eased congestion in the town at rush hour.
, Don Halliday. There are 15 teachers at the school. Notable alumni include Northern Ireland footballer Stephen Craigan
.
The other local primary school is Andrews Memorial Primary School, which is of a similar size and as part of the school buildings includes the Andrews Memorial Hall, which was built by the citizens of Comber in memory of Thomas Andrews
, the shipbuilder of the RMS Titanic.
The third primary school is St. Mary's Primary School, which is much smaller in size.
Many pupils
from these schools go to Nendrum College, Comber, next door to Comber Primary, and Regent House Grammar School
, Newtownards
.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
(TT) motorcar races took place on a (closed) road circuit encompassing Newtownards
, Comber and Dundonald
in County Down, run in a clockwise direction. The pits were still visible up until the 1960s. Industrialist and pioneer of the modern agricultural tractor, Harry Ferguson
, was instrumental in setting up the race, which was known as the Ards TT.
At the time it was Northern Ireland’s premier sporting event, regularly attracting crowds in excess of a quarter of a million people. Although it was a speed event, the entries were handicapped in order to allow cars of very different sizes and capabilities to race against each other on supposedly even terms over 30 laps (35 laps from 1933) of the 13.7 mile circuit. On September 5, 1936, in wet conditions, local driver Jack Chambers lost control of his Riley and crashed into the crowd, killing eight spectators. This tragedy brought an end to nine years of racing over the Ards road circuit.
team Comber Rec., managed by Mervyn Boyce, overcame favourites Brantwood
to lift the Steel and Sons Cup for the first time.
, which has played its home matches at the Green since 1857. It has won the NCU Challenge Cup
a record 30 times, the NCU Senior League
outright on 17 occasions and the Irish Senior Cup
3 times since its inception in 1984.
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 Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards 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...
, at the northern end of Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough, sometimes Strangford Loch, is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. The name Strangford is derived ; describing the fast-flowing narrows at its mouth...
. It had a population of 8,933 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....
. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards. It is also known for Comber Whiskey
Comber Whiskey
Comber Whiskey was an Irish whiskey distilled in Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland. The whiskey was last distilled in 1956. However, some reserves were discovered and bottled in the 1980s as "Old Comber" and some of these bottles occasionally come up for sale.Comber Distilleries was established...
which was last distilled in 1953.
History
The confluence of two rivers, which gave the town its name, is that of the Glen River and the Enler River which meet here. There is believed to have been a church here since the time of St PatrickSaint Patrick
Saint 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....
, while a Cistercian abbey was founded around 1200 on the site of the present 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...
church, a site likely chosen to take advantage of the good access to Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough, sometimes Strangford Loch, is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. The name Strangford is derived ; describing the fast-flowing narrows at its mouth...
. After Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
dissolved the monasteries in 1541, the abbey fell into ruins and its stone has since been used in other buildings.
During the influx of Scots
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the early 1600s (see Plantation of Ulster
Plantation of Ulster
The Plantation of Ulster was the organised colonisation of Ulster—a province of Ireland—by people from Great Britain. Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while official plantation controlled by King James I of England and VI of Scotland began in 1609...
), a settlement grew up at Comber, although it was focused about a mile further south than at present, in the townland of Cattogs, and there is evidence that the settlement was a port used by traders and fishermen. By the 1700s, however, the focus of the town had moved to the area of the present main Square and Comber became established as an industrial centre with several mills.
The Andrews family made Comber a centre of both linen production and grain processing by the second half of the 1700s. Whiskey distilling was a prominent industry by the mid 1800s, the most prominent of the distillers being John Miller, uncle of William James (Lord) Pirrie and Eliza (wife of Thomas Andrews Snr.). One member of the Andrews family, Thomas
Thomas Andrews (shipbuilder)
Thomas Andrews, Jr. was an Irish businessman and shipbuilder; managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Andrews was the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the ocean liner...
, rose to fame as designer of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, although he tragically lost his life when the ship sank in 1912. By 1841 the town had 1,400 inhabitants. The 20th century saw Comber lose much of its industry but re-establish itself as a commuter town for the Belfast urban area, swelling in population from 4,000 in 1961 to 8,933 according to the 2001 Census.
Rollo Gillespie
-Early life:Robert Rollo Gillespie grew up in County Down, in what was then the Kingdom of Ireland, after turning down the opportunity of going to Cambridge university he joined the 3rd Irish Horse as a Cornet. In 1786 he was involved in a duel in which he killed the opposing duellist. Fleeing to...
. Gillespie was a local war hero from the 19th century, famous for his heroic exploits in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was constructed under the oversight of John Fraser, the first County Surveyor of Down, and was unveiled on 24th June 1845 (St. John's Day). Fifty lodges of the Masonic Order
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
were present, in what is believed to be the biggest Masonic gathering in Irish history. It was calculated that 25,000 to 30,000 people crowded into the town to witness the ceremony. The column is 55 feet high. At the foot of the column are many Masonic symbols and his famous last words "One shot more for the honour of Down".
The Enler River in Comber has also flooded many times in past years. As a result the Comber flood wall was built along the river through the town which has held the water back since.
Townlands
Like the rest of Ireland, the Comber area has long been divided into townlandTownland
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...
s, whose names mostly come from the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , 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...
. Over time, more rural townlands have been built upon and they have given their names to many roads and housing estates. The following is a list of townlands within Comber’s urban area, alongside their likely etymologies
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
:
- Ballyaltikilligan (from Baile Ailt Uí Ghiollagáin meaning "townland of O'Gilligan's glen" or Baile Ailt Cille Aodháin meaning "townland of the glen of Aodan's church")
- Ballyhenry Minor (from Baile Héinrí or Baile Éinrí meaning "Henry's townland")
- Ballymagaughey (from Baile Mhig Eacháin meaning "MacGaughey's townland")
- Carnasure or Carnesure (from Ceathrú na Siúr meaning "quarterland of the sisters")
- Glassmoss
Transport
Comber railway station on the Belfast and County Down RailwayBelfast and County Down Railway
The 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...
, opened on 6 May 1850, but finally closed on 24 April 1950.
Comber has recently opened another section of the bypass in 2003 from newtownards which goes right around the town and links up with the existing section at st. marys primary school where agin it follows the old dis used railway line.It has eased congestion in the town at rush hour.
Education
One of the three local primary schools is Comber Primary School which operates under the headmasterHead teacher
A head teacher or school principal is the most senior teacher, leader and manager of a school....
, Don Halliday. There are 15 teachers at the school. Notable alumni include Northern Ireland footballer Stephen Craigan
Stephen Craigan
Stephen James Craigan is a professional footballer, currently playing for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League. He plays in central defence, and has enjoyed two spells at Motherwell, where he is currently the club captain...
.
The other local primary school is Andrews Memorial Primary School, which is of a similar size and as part of the school buildings includes the Andrews Memorial Hall, which was built by the citizens of Comber in memory of Thomas Andrews
Thomas Andrews (shipbuilder)
Thomas Andrews, Jr. was an Irish businessman and shipbuilder; managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Andrews was the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the ocean liner...
, the shipbuilder of the RMS Titanic.
The third primary school is St. Mary's Primary School, which is much smaller in size.
Many pupils
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
from these schools go to Nendrum College, Comber, next door to Comber Primary, and Regent House Grammar School
Regent House Grammar School
Regent House Grammar School is a co-ed voluntary grammar school situated in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It comprises two parts: the preparatory department, known as "the Prep" and the main school itself...
, Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards 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...
.
Demographics
Comber is classified as a small town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 4,500 and 10,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 8,933 people living in Comber. Of these:- 19.7% were aged under 16 years and 18.0% were aged 60 and over
- 48.3% of the population were male and 51.7% were female
- 3.7% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 91.6% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 2.8% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
People
- Comber is most famous for being the birthplace of Thomas AndrewsThomas Andrews (shipbuilder)Thomas Andrews, Jr. was an Irish businessman and shipbuilder; managing director and head of the draughting department for the shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff in Belfast, Ireland. Andrews was the shipbuilder in charge of the plans for the ocean liner...
(born in 1873), the RMS Titanic's shipbuilder, who died in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. - Thomas Andrews had a famous brother John Miller Andrews, who became Northern Ireland’s second Prime MinisterPrime ministerA prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
between 1940 and 1945. He was born in 1871 and became a flaxFlaxFlax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
-spinner and a wealthy landowner in Comber. He died in 1956. - Sir Robert Rollo GillespieRollo Gillespie-Early life:Robert Rollo Gillespie grew up in County Down, in what was then the Kingdom of Ireland, after turning down the opportunity of going to Cambridge university he joined the 3rd Irish Horse as a Cornet. In 1786 he was involved in a duel in which he killed the opposing duellist. Fleeing to...
(1766–1814) was born in a large house on the south side of Comber's main square. The square holds a large statue of Gillespie, unveiled on the 24th June 1845 (St. John's Day). Gillespie reached the rank of Major-General and joined an Irish cavalry regiment before campaigning against the French in the West Indies. He later fought in IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
were he was instrumental in stopping the Vellore MutinyVellore MutinyThe Vellore Mutiny on 10 July 1806 was the first instance of a large-scale and violent mutiny by Indian sepoys against the British East India Company, predating the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by half a century...
and in SumatraSumatraSumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
where he fought against the Sultan. He was killed in action storming a Gurkha fort in NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. - Racing driver Jonny Kane (born 14 May 1973), was born in Comber. He was crowned British Formula ThreeFormula ThreeFormula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
champion in 1997 and went on to become 'rookie of the year' in the 1999 IndyLights series in the USAUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
- Edmund De WindEdmund De WindEdmund De Wind, VC was a British Army officer during the First World War, and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award of the British Commonwealth for gallantry "in the face of the enemy"....
, was born in Comber and was a 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...
(also considered IrishIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) recipient of the 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....
in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was a member of The Royal Irish Rifles, killed during the First Battle of the Somme on 21 March 1918, after repelling attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed. There is a housing estate in Comber named after him built in the 1950s. Edmund was officially remembered in Comber on Friday 14 September 2007 through the unveiling of an Ulster History Circle "Blue Plaque" in his honour. He was educated at Campbell CollegeCampbell CollegeCampbell College is a Voluntary Grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The College educates boys from ages 11–18. It is one of the eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and is a member of the Independent Schools Council.The school occupies...
, BelfastBelfastBelfast 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...
.
Motor racing
From 1928 to 1936, the RAC Tourist TrophyRAC Tourist Trophy
The International Tourist Trophy is an award given by the Royal Automobile Club and awarded semi-annually to the winners of a selected motor racing event each year in the United Kingdom. It was first awarded in 1905 and continues to be awarded to this day, making it the longest lasting trophy in...
(TT) motorcar races took place on a (closed) road circuit encompassing Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards 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...
, Comber and Dundonald
Dundonald
Dundonald is a large settlement in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies east of Belfast and is often deemed to be a suburb of the city. It includes the large housing estate of Ballybeen, and many new housing estates have emerged in the past ten years....
in County Down, run in a clockwise direction. The pits were still visible up until the 1960s. Industrialist and pioneer of the modern agricultural tractor, Harry Ferguson
Harry Ferguson
Henry George "Harry" Ferguson was an Irish engineer and inventor who is noted for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor, for becoming the first Irishman to build and fly his own aeroplane, and for developing the first four-wheel drive Formula One car, the Ferguson P99...
, was instrumental in setting up the race, which was known as the Ards TT.
At the time it was Northern Ireland’s premier sporting event, regularly attracting crowds in excess of a quarter of a million people. Although it was a speed event, the entries were handicapped in order to allow cars of very different sizes and capabilities to race against each other on supposedly even terms over 30 laps (35 laps from 1933) of the 13.7 mile circuit. On September 5, 1936, in wet conditions, local driver Jack Chambers lost control of his Riley and crashed into the crowd, killing eight spectators. This tragedy brought an end to nine years of racing over the Ards road circuit.
Football
One of Comber's finest sporting moments came on Christmas morning 1991 when local amateur footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team Comber Rec., managed by Mervyn Boyce, overcame favourites Brantwood
Brantwood F.C.
Brantwood is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in the Ballymena & Provincial Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1901, hails from Belfast and plays its home matches at Skegoneill Avenue. Club colours are royal blue...
to lift the Steel and Sons Cup for the first time.
Cricket
Comber is also the home of one of Ireland's oldest and most successful cricket clubs, North DownNorth Down Cricket Club
North Down Cricket Club is an Irish cricket club based in Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland, playing in the NCU Premier League. It was founded in 1857...
, which has played its home matches at the Green since 1857. It has won the NCU Challenge Cup
NCU Challenge Cup
The NCU Challenge Cup, also called the NCU Senior Challenge Cup and the NCU Senior Cup, is the most important provincial cricket knock-out cup of the NCU jurisdiction in Ireland...
a record 30 times, the NCU Senior League
NCU Senior League
The Northern Cricket Union Senior League is the provincial cricket league within the NCU jurisdiction in Ireland, which covers counties Antrim, Armagh, Down and south Tyrone of Northern Ireland. The league was formed in 1897 and is currently divided into four sections, namely the Premier League,...
outright on 17 occasions and the Irish Senior Cup
Irish Senior Cup
Irish Senior Cup may refer to*Irish Senior Cup - knockout competition for senior men's cricket clubs in Ireland*Irish Senior Cup - knockout competition for senior men's hockey clubs in Ireland...
3 times since its inception in 1984.
See also
- List of towns in Northern Ireland
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- Nendrum MonasteryNendrum MonasteryNendrum Monastery was a Christian monastery on Mahee Island in Strangford Lough, County Down, Northern Ireland. Medieval records say it was founded in the 5th century, but this is uncertain. The monastery came to an end at some time between 974 and 1178, but its church served a parish until the...