Antrim, County Antrim Explained

Official Name:Antrim
Irish Name:Aontroim
Scots Name:Antrìm[1] Anthrim[2] Entrim[3]
Static Image Name:Massereene Bridge, Antrim - geograph.org.uk - 1310867.jpg
Static Image Caption:All Saints Parish Church and bridge over the Six Mile Water
Map Type:Northern Ireland
Coordinates:54.7173°N -6.2055°W
Population:25,606
Population Ref:(2021 census)
Irish Grid Reference:J1588
Unitary Northern Ireland:Antrim and Newtownabbey
Country:Northern Ireland
Post Town:ANTRIM
Postcode Area:BT
Postcode District:BT41
Dial Code:028
Constituency Westminster:South Antrim
Lieutenancy Northern Ireland:County Antrim
Constituency Ni Assembly:South Antrim
Belfast Distance:19miles
Type:Town

Antrim (Irish: Aontroim, meaning 'lone ridge')[4] is a town and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies on the banks of the Six Mile Water on the north-east shore of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 25,606 people in the 2021 census. It is the county town of County Antrim and was the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council until its 2015 merger with Newtownabbey Borough Council to form Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. The town lies 14miles north-west of Belfast.

History

Early history

According to tradition, a monastery was founded at Antrim in AD 495, thirty years after the death of Saint Patrick, to take forward his ministry, with a small settlement growing up around it. The round tower (see below), also known as "the Steeple", is all that remains.[5] The original name of Antrim was Irish: Aontreibh, Irish for 'lone house', referring to the monks' house. This later became or was reinterpreted, as Irish: Aontroim ('lone ridge').[6]

In the early Middle Ages, the area was part of the Gaelic territory of Dál Araide, which covered much of what is now County Antrim.[7] At the eastern edge of town is a ringfort called Rathmore (Irish: Ráth Mór, 'great fort'), which was the royal residence of the kings of Dál Araide.[8]

In the late 12th century, the area was conquered by Anglo-Normans led by John de Courcy, becoming part of the Earldom of Ulster. They built a motte-and-bailey castle at Antrim. Its mound (motte) still stands in Antrim Castle Gardens.[9]

The Anglo-Norman earldom collapsed in the early 14th century and Antrim became part of the Gaelic territory of Clannaboy. During the late Middle Ages, the O'Neill chiefs of Clannaboy were based at Edenduffcarrick castle (later called Shane's Castle), two miles west of Antrim.

Early Modern era

Following the Nine Years' War (1593–1603), Antrim came under English control. The area was then colonized by English and Scottish settlers as part of the Plantation of Ulster. Hugh Clotworthy, the father of the Anglo-Irish politician John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene, supervised the building of Antrim Castle, a fortified mansion beside the old Norman motte. Hugh was knighted in 1617 and appointed High Sheriff of County Antrim.[5] In 1642, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Clotworthy's fleet fought a naval engagement on Lough Neagh.

The Society of United Irishmen launched a rebellion in 1798, which began in Leinster and quickly spread to Ulster. The United Irishmen had been founded in 1791 by liberal Protestants in Belfast. Its goal was to unite Catholics and Protestants and to end British monarchical rule over Ireland and to found a sovereign, independent Irish republic. Although its membership was mainly Catholic, many of its leaders and members in northeast Ulster were Protestant Presbyterians. On 7 June 1798, about 4,000 United Irishmen led by Henry Joy McCracken attacked the town. The rebels were on the verge of taking the town until British reinforcements arrived. Thanks to a rebel band led by James Hope, most of the United Irishmen were able to withdraw safely. This is known as the Battle of Antrim.

Before the Act of Union, the parliamentary borough of Antrim returned two members to the Irish House of Commons by virtue of letters patent granted in 1666 by Charles II. It was disenfranchised in 1801.

Steeple House, a substantial 18th-century mansion which was home to the Clark family and then became the headquarters of Antrim Borough Council, was destroyed in a fire in July 2019.[10] [11]

The Troubles

See also: UDA South East Antrim Brigade. There were several incidents in and around Antrim during the Troubles including, in 1976, when six civilians (5 Protestants and one Catholic) were shot and killed during a UVF gun attack on the Ramble Inn pub near Antrim.[12]

Climate

As with the rest of Northern Ireland, Antrim experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is at Belfast International Airport,[13] under 4 miles to the south of the town centre.

In a typical year the warmest day should reach a temperature of 25.4C[14] and 2.1 days[15] should attain a temperature of 25.1C or above in total.

The coldest night of the year averages -6.6C[16] and 39 nights should register an air frost.[17] The absolute minimum temperature of -14.2C was reported during the record cold spell of December 2010.[18] In total during that month 10 nights fell to -10C or below, and the 21st recorded a daytime maximum of just -7.7C

Demography

2021 census

On census day (21 March 2021) there were 25,606 people living in Antrim.[19] Of these:

2011 census

On census day (27 March 2011) there were 23,375 people living in Antrim, accounting for 1.29% of the NI total,[28] representing an increase of 16.9% on the census 2001 population of 20,001.[29] Of these:

Landmarks

Transport

Antrim railway station was opened on 11 April 1848, and closed for goods traffic in 1965.[30]

Served by passenger trains on the Belfast-Derry railway line are run by Northern Ireland Railways.

Antrim's Aldergrove Airport known as Belfast International Airport is the largest airport in Northern Ireland, serving destinations in Britain, Europe and North America. However, Aldergrove does not have a proper Airport rail link connection.

Retail

The Junction, formerly Junction One (named after junction 1 of the nearby M22 Motorway), is a retail park in the area with restaurants and a hotel.[31] Supermarkets serving the town include an Asda store, Lidl outlet, Tesco Extra, and Iceland store. Castle Mall, formerly known as the Castle Centre, is located on High Street in the town.

Education

Junior schools serving the area include Antrim Primary School,[32] Ballycraigy Primary School,[33] Greystone Primary School,[34] St Comgall's Primary School,[35] and St Joseph's Primary School.[36]

The secondary schools are Antrim Grammar School[37] and Parkhall College.[38] In addition, St Benedict's College, Randalstown attracts students from Antrim.[39]

The Greenmount campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is near Antrim.[40]

Sport

The local Gaelic Athletic Association club is Naomh Comhghall CLG (St. Comgalls Antrim).[41] The association football club, Chimney Corner F.C., plays its home games in Allen Park on Castle Road. Other Antrim sports clubs include Antrim Hockey Club and Muckamore Cricket Club.

People

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ballycopelann Wun-mäll – Department of the Environment. doeni.gov.uk. 9 May 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110830193410/http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/ballycopelandwindmillus.pdf. 30 August 2011.
  2. http://www.dcalni.gov.uk/index/freedom_of_information/our_policies_and_procedures-2/policies_and_procedures_for_delivering_our_services.htm Languages/Cultural Diversity
  3. http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/ulster-scots-publications/the-ulster-scot/magazine/62/june-2011 The Ulster-Scot, July 2011
  4. http://www.ulsterplacenames.org/PDF%20Files/Postal%20Towns%20-%20Bailte%20Poist.pdf Postal Towns/Bailte Poist
  5. Book: Hanna, John. Old Antrim. 2002. Stenlake Publishing. Catrine, Ayrshire. 9781840331868. 3. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150825111016/http://stenlake.co.uk/books/view_book.php?ref=247. 25 August 2015.
  6. Web site: Antrim, Co Antrim . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project.
  7. Boyd, Hugh Alexander. Irish Dalriada. The Glynns: Journal of The Glens of Antrim Historical Society. Volume 76 (1978).
  8. Web site: Rathmore, Co Antrim . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project.
  9. Crothers, Norman, and Audrey Gahan. "Archaeological Excavations at Market Square, Antrim". Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 60, 2001, pp. 94–111.
  10. News: Watch: 18th century Antrim mansion gutted by deliberate blaze. Belfast Telegraph. 2 July 2019. 22 May 2021.
  11. News: Steeple House Antrim fire "sad day and great loss" as historic building destroyed. Belfast Live. 2 July 2019. 22 May 2021.
  12. Web site: Chronological List of Deaths – 1976 . cain.ulst.ac.uk . CAIN Archive – Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland . 29 December 2021 .
  13. Web site: . Station Locations . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121006020941/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/ni/images/locations.jpg . 6 October 2012 .
  14. Web site: Annual average warmest day . 22 September 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111107015852/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TXx&stationid=1640 . 7 November 2011.
  15. Web site: >25c days . 22 September 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111106190804/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=SU&stationid=1640 . 6 November 2011.
  16. Web site: >Annual average coldest night . 22 September 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111107015847/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TNn&stationid=1640 . 7 November 2011.
  17. Web site: >Average frost incidence . 22 September 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20111107015840/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=FD&stationid=1640 . 7 November 2011.
  18. Web site: >2010 minimum . 21 December 2010 . 22 September 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718102841/http://metofficenews.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/freezing-conditions-continue/ . 18 July 2011.
  19. Web site: Census 2021 estimates that classify People at Settlement 2015 level . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  20. Web site: Preview data for your table NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  21. Web site: Preview data for Sex (MS-A07) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  22. Web site: Religion or religion brought up in . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  23. Web site: National Identity (British) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  24. Web site: National Identity (Northern Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  25. Web site: National Identity (Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  26. Web site: Preview data for Knowledge of Ulster-Scots (MS-B08) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  27. Web site: Preview data for Knowledge of Irish (MS-B05) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  28. Web site: Census 2011 Population Statistics for Antrim Settlement . Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) . 10 August 2019.
  29. Web site: Census 2001 Usually Resident Population: KS01 (Settlements) – Table view . 1 . Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) . 10 August 2019.
  30. Web site: Review and Assessment of air quality in the Borough of Antrim. Antrim Borough Council. 40. 28 November 2022.
  31. Web site: Visitor Information . The Junction Retail and Leisure Park . 14 May 2022.
  32. Web site: In the classroom . Antrim Primary School . 14 May 2022.
  33. Web site: Ballycraigy Primary School. 4 June 2019.
  34. Web site: Greystone Primary School . Greystone Primary School . 14 May 2022.
  35. Web site: St. Comgall's Primary School. 26 November 2018.
  36. Web site: St. Joseph's Primary School. 26 November 2018.
  37. Web site: Antrim Grammar School . Antrim Grammar School . 14 May 2022.
  38. Web site: Parkhall Integrated College . Parkhall Integrated College . 14 May 2022.
  39. Web site: Home . St. Benedict's College . 19 February 2024.
  40. Web site: College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise . College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise . 14 May 2022.
  41. Web site: St. Comgalls Antrim – CLG Naomh Comhghall. St. Comgalls Antrim. 9 May 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180322114036/http://stcomgalls.gaa.ie/. 22 March 2018.
  42. News: Mark Allen opens up on "embarrassing" bankruptcy nightmare. 12 October 2022. Belfast Live. 28 November 2022.
  43. Web site: Declan Kearney. Sinn Féin . 28 November 2022.
  44. Web site: Thomas McCord. National Assembly of Quebec. 28 November 2022.
  45. University of Alaska. (n.d.) "The Eva McGown Room." UA Highlights: The People Behind Campus Names. Fairbanks, AK: University of Alaska. Reprinted from the Nanook News (student newspaper of University of Alaska Fairbanks), 14 May 1971. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
  46. Web site: Joseph Stephenson-Jellie. Wisden. 28 November 2022.
  47. News: Josh Rock hits nine-dart leg in Grand Slam of Darts thriller. 17 November 2022. Belfast Live. 28 November 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Antrim, County Antrim".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.