Ballymena Explained

Official Name:Ballymena
Irish Name:an Baile Meánach
Static Image Name:Ballymena town hall.jpg
Static Image Caption:Ballymena Town Hall, with the new Braid Arts Centre behind
Population:31,205
Population Ref:(2021 census)
Map Type:Northern Ireland
Coordinates:54.86°N -6.28°W
Belfast Distance:28miles SE
Irish Grid Reference:D1003
Unitary Northern Ireland:Mid and East Antrim
Country:Northern Ireland
Post Town:BALLYMENA
Postcode Area:BT
Postcode District:BT42–BT44
Dial Code:028 25
Constituency Westminster:North Antrim
Constituency Ni Assembly:North Antrim
Lieutenancy Northern Ireland:County Antrim

Ballymena (; from Irish: an Baile Meánach in Irish pronounced as /ənˠ ˌbˠalʲə ˈmʲaːn̪ˠəx/, meaning 'the middle townland')[1] is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 31,205 people at the 2021 census, making it the seventh largest town in Northern Ireland by population.[2] It is part of the Borough of Mid and East Antrim.

The town was built on the Braid River, on land given to the Adair family by King Charles I in 1626, with a right to hold two annual fairs and a Saturday market in perpetuity. Surrounding villages are Cullybackey, Ahoghill, Broughshane, and Kells-Connor.

History

Early history

The recorded history of the Ballymena area dates to the Early Christian period, from the fifth to the seventh centuries. Ringforts are found in the townland of Ballykeel, and a site known as Camphill Fort in the townland of Ballee may also have been of this type. There are a number of souterrains within a NaNmiles radius of the centre of Ballymena. 2miles north in the townland of Kirkinriola, the medieval parish church and graveyard show signs of Early Christian settlement, including a souterrain. Also in 1868, a gravedigger found a large stone slab on which was carved a cross with the inscription ord do degen. This refers to Bishop Degen, who lived in Ireland during the seventh century. This stone is now in the porch of St Patrick's Church of Ireland, at the end of Castle Street. At the end of the fifth century, a church was founded in Connor, 5miles south of Ballymena. This was followed by a monastery at Templemoyle, Kells. In 831, Vikings invaded the area and burned the church.

In the late 12th century, the Anglo-Normans invaded Ireland and conquered much of what is now eastern Ulster, creating the Earldom of Ulster. They built a motte-and-bailey fort in what is now the Harryville area of Ballymena. It is one of the best-surviving examples of this type of fortification in Northern Ireland.

In 1315, Edward Bruce (brother of Scottish king Robert the Bruce) invaded the Earldom of Ulster, opening up another front in the war against the English. On 10 September 1315, at the Battle of Connor, near Ballymena, Edward's army defeated the army of Richard de Burgh, the Anglo-Norman Earl of Ulster.

Early modern era

On 10 May 1607, during the Plantation of Ulster, King James I of England granted the native Irish chief, Ruairí Óg MacQuillan, the Ballymena Estate. The estate passed through several owners, eventually passing into the possession of William Adair, a Scottish laird from Kinhilt in southwestern Scotland. The estate was temporarily renamed "Kinhilstown" after Adair's lands in Scotland. The original castle of Ballymena was built in the early 17th century, situated to take advantage of an ancient ford on the River Braid. In 1626 Charles I confirmed the grant of the Ballymena Estate to William Adair, giving him the right to hold a market at Ballymena every Saturday. He hired local Irish as workers on the estate; they served as tenant farmers for much of the next two centuries and more. Galgorm nearby was granted to Sir Faithful Fortescue. In 1618 he built the Castle, which still exists.

During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the local Ballymena garrison were defeated by Irish rebels in the battle of Bundooragh.

Ballymena's first market hall was built in 1684.[3]

In 1690, during the Williamite-Jacobite War, Williamite general the Duke of Württemberg used Galgorm Castle as his headquarters. Sir Robert Adair raised a Regiment of Foot for King William III and fought at the Battle of the Boyne.

By 1704, the population of Ballymena had reached 800. In 1707, the first Protestant (Church of Ireland) parish church was built. In 1740, the original Ballymena Castle burned down. The Gracehill Moravian settlement was founded in 1765.

During the 1798 rebellion, Ballymena was occupied from 7 to 9 June by a force of around 10,000 United Irishmen. They stormed the market hall, killing three of its defenders.[3]

The first modern Roman Catholic Church in Ballymena was consecrated in 1827. By 1834 the population of Ballymena was about 4,000. In 1848 the Belfast and Ballymena Railway was established. In 1865 Robert Alexander Shafto Adair (late Baron Waveney) started building Ballymena Castle, a magnificent family residence, in the Demesne. The castle was not completed until 1887.

In 1870 The People's Park was established.

20th century

In 1900, Ballymena assumed urban district status.[3] Under the provisions of the Land Purchase (Ireland) Act 1903, the Adairs disposed of most of their Ballymena estate to the occupying tenants in 1904. The old market hall building, which also contained the post office and estate office, burned down in 1919. The new Ballymena Town Hall was officially opened by the Duke of Abercorn on 20 November 1928.[4]

The Urban District Council petitioned for borough status and the Charter was granted in December 1937. The first meeting of councillors as a Borough Council was held on 23 May 1939. The population of Ballymena reached 13,000. Ballymena Castle was demolished in the 1950s. In 1973, the Urban and Rural District Councils were merged to create Ballymena Borough Council. Following local government reorganisation in 2015, the Borough Council was merged with the Boroughs of Carrickfergus Borough Council and Larne Borough Council.[5]

During the Second World War, Ballymena was home to a large number of evacuees from Gibraltar. They were housed with local families.[6]

In the 1950s St Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena was the Regimental Training Depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th). Many young men who had been conscripted on the United Kingdom mainland, along with others who had volunteered for service in the British Army, embarked upon their period of basic training in the Regimental Depot, prior to being posted to the regular regimental battalions. Many of these young men were to serve in Korea, Cyprus and with the British Army of the Rhine. In 1968 due to a series of government austerity measures, the remaining three Irish regiments, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (27th) Royal Ulster Rifles (83rd & 86th) and the Royal Irish Fusiliers (89th) merged to become the Royal Irish Rangers. Early in the 1990s the Royal Irish Regiment, whose Regimental Headquarters was at St Patrick's Barracks, was granted the Freedom of the Borough.

Like other towns in Northern Ireland, Ballymena was affected by the Troubles, a lengthy period of religious and partisan tensions and armed confrontations from the 1960s until 1998. A total of eleven people were killed in or near the town by the IRA and various loyalist groups.

During the later half of the 20th century, Ballymena, like many other once prosperous industrial centres in Northern Ireland, experienced economic change and industrial restructuring; many of its former factories closed. Since the 2010s Ballymena has seen a decline in its retail and manufacturing sectors. Both Michelin and JTI have left the area. Local firm Wrightbus is also struggling, citing a downturn in orders. It is hoped that the creation of a manufacturing hub at the former Michelin site will attract businesses to the area.

21st century

In March 2000, the actor Liam Neeson, a native of Ballymena, was offered the freedom of the borough by the council, which approved the action by a 12–9 vote. Neeson declined the award, citing tensions, and affirmed he was proud of his connection to the town.[7] Ian Paisley was eventually made a freeman of Ballymena in December 2004 instead.[8]

Ballymena is described by some observers as being at the heart of Northern Ireland's equivalent of the Bible Belt.[9] [10] It has a large Protestant majority. In the early 1990s the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)-dominated town council banned a performance by the ELO Part II in the township, saying they would attract "the four Ds Drink, Drugs, Devil and Debauchery".[11] The Council banned the screening of Brokeback Mountain (2005), starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, as it featured a homosexual relationship. An impersonator of comic Roy 'Chubby' Brown was also banned.[12]

The majority of the town's Catholic population is situated around the Broughshane and Cushendall Road areas. Recently there has been tension in the Dunclug area of the town which now has a Catholic majority. These tensions have been associated with internment bonfires and the flying of republican flags; the town has tried to reduce tensions.[13]

In 2011 it was revealed that Ballymena has the third-highest level of legal gun ownership in Northern Ireland.[14]

Ballymena competed for city status as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours.[15] However, the bid was unsuccessful.

Economy

Ballymena was traditionally a market town. The 1980s were a time of job losses in Ballymena as industry suffered and this reoccurred in the 2010s.

Notable employers were Michelin in Broughshane, JTI Gallaher in Galgorm, and Wrightbus.

In November 2012, the Patton Group, a major builder entered administration with the loss of 320 jobs.[16]

In October 2014, it was announced that JTI Gallagher's would be closing with a loss of 877 jobs.[17]

In November 2015, Michelin decided to close their Ballymena factory after 50 years, resulting in the loss of up to 850 jobs.[18]

Demographics

2021 census

On census day (21 March 2021) there were 31,205 people living in Ballymena.[2] Of these:

2011 census

On census day (27 March 2011) there were 29,551 people living in Ballymena, accounting for 1.63% of the NI total, representing an increase of 2.9% on the 2001 census population of 28,717. Of these:

Education

There are a number of educational establishments in the town. These include:

Transport

Ballymena railway station opened on 4 December 1855. A station was opened at Harryville on 24 August 1878, but closed on 3 June 1940.

The Ballymena, Cushendall and Red Bay Railway operated narrow gauge railway services from Ballymena to Parkmore from 1875 to 1940.[27]

The Ballymena and Larne Railway was another narrow gauge railway. The line opened in 1878, but closed to passengers in 1933 and to goods traffic in 1940. Between 1878 and 1880 the line terminated at Harryville, but was then extended to the town's main railway station.

Sport

Association football clubs in the area include Ballymena United F.C., Coaching For Christ, Southside Rangers F.C. and Wakehurst F.C.[28]

Ballymena RFC is a local rugby union club.[29]

All Saints GAC is the only Gaelic Athletic Association club in the town.

Other Ballymena sports clubs include Ballymena Cricket Club, Ballymena Lawn Tennis Club and Ballymena Bowling Club.[30]

Townlands

Townlands are traditional land divisions used in Ireland. Ballymena covers all or part of the following townlands:

Notable people

Arts and media

Politics

Academia and science

Religion

Military

Business

Sport

International relations

Twin towns

See also

Other sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: An Baile Meánach/Ballymena. Logainm.ie. 9 February 2016. 24 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111337/http://www.logainm.ie/135723.aspx. live.
  2. Web site: Settlement 2015 . NISRA . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152737/https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000099 . live .
  3. Web site: Ballymena: A brief history of the town. 15 July 2007 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070713231430/http://www.ballymena.gov.uk/historyandheritage.asp . 13 July 2007 .
  4. Web site: County Antrim, Ballymena, Town Hall. Dictionary of Irish Architects. 27 April 2021. 27 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210427222605/https://www.dia.ie/works/view/61908/building/CO.+ANTRIM,+BALLYMENA,+TOWN+HALL. live.
  5. Web site: Local government reform . Nidirect.gov.uk . 27 October 2015 . 9 February 2016 . 9 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160209035145/http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/local-government-reform . live .
  6. Web site: Ballymena finds its twin in Gibraltar. 13 June 2007 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927195315/http://www.gibraltarnewsonline.com/2005/08/07/ballymena-finds-its-twin-in-gibraltar/. 27 September 2007 .
  7. News: 'Did you ever do the dead man's shuffle?'. Xan Brooks. The Guardian. London. 11 February 2005. 28 July 2005. 18 September 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050918052734/http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1410198,00.html. live.
  8. Web site: EIPS – Dr Paisley Given The Freedom of Ballymena . Ianpaisley.org . 9 February 2016 . 18 April 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100418143500/http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?printerFriendly=true&ArtKey=ballymena . live .
  9. News: A plague in God's own town . 2023-08-11 . The Irish Times. 11 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811003557/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/a-plague-in-god-s-own-town-1.221549 . live .
  10. News: Drugs secret lurks in Ulster's Bible belt. Rosie Cowan. The Guardian. London. 17 February 2001. 11 December 2016. 22 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230922151625/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/feb/17/drugsandalcohol.rosiecowan. live.
  11. News: Where drugs cross the religious divide. Irish Independent. 20 February 2000. 13 November 2010. 20 January 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110120073657/http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/where-drugs-cross-the-religious-divide-513095.html. live.
  12. Web site: Chubby Live . 13 November 2010 .
  13. News: News . Ballymena Times . 9 February 2016 . 6 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306032511/http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news?articleid=3089405 . live .
  14. News: 7,929 legal guns in Ballymena . Ballymena Times . 26 July 2011 . 9 February 2016 . 18 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120518021628/http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/local/7_929_legal_guns_in_ballymena_1_2900480 . live .
  15. News: Bangor, Ballymena and Coleraine bid to become a city as part of Queen's Jubilee. belfasttelegraph. 2021-12-28. 0307-1235. 28 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211228193855/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/three-ni-towns-bid-to-become-a-city-as-part-of-queens-jubilee-41176762.html. live.
  16. News: Ballymena firm Patton goes into administration . BBC News . 9 February 2016 . 6 November 2012 . 2 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160102215144/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20212886 . live .
  17. News: Julian O'Neill . JTI Gallaher: Ballymena factory staff given time off to absorb closure news . BBC News . 9 February 2016 . 8 October 2014 . 12 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161212220821/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29531210 . live .
  18. News: Michelin Ballymena tyre factory to close in 2018. Julian O'Neill. 3 November 2015. 9 February 2018. BBC News. 15 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180415100933/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34710060. live.
  19. Web site: Preview data for Sex (MS-A07) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  20. Web site: Religion or religion brought up in . NISRA . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152738/https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=RELIGION_BELONG_TO_OR_BROUGHT_UP_IN_DVO&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000099 . live .
  21. Web site: National Identity (British) . NISRA . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152741/https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_BRITISH&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000099 . live .
  22. Web site: National Identity (Northern Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152732/https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_NORTHERN_IRISH_AGG3&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000099 . live .
  23. Web site: National Identity (Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023 . 18 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230818152735/https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=SETTLEMENT15&v=NAT_ID_IRISH_AGG3&~SETTLEMENT15=N11000099 . live .
  24. Web site: Preview data for National identity (person based) – basic detail (classification 1) (MS-B15) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  25. Web site: Preview data for Knowledge of Ulster-Scots (MS-B08) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  26. Web site: Preview data for Knowledge of Irish (MS-B05) NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2024-03-27 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  27. Book: Baker, Michael HC . Irish Narrow Gauge Railways. A View from the Past. Ian Allan Publishing. 1999 . 0-7110-2680-7 .
  28. Web site: Ballymena. Team Stats. 8 November 2022. 8 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221108160838/https://www.teamstats.net/teams/football/ballymena. live.
  29. News: Ballymena RFC Wins Participation Award. 8 November 2022. 8 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221108160503/https://ulster.rugby/content/ballymena-rfc-wins-participation-award. live.
  30. Web site: Ballymena Bowls . Bryansbowls.me.uk . 9 April 2000 . 25 March 2013 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120226203526/http://www.bryansbowls.me.uk/ballymenabowls.htm . 26 February 2012 .
  31. Web site: Ballee . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125842/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24173 . live .
  32. Web site: Ballycreggy . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125831/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24217 . live .
  33. Web site: Ballykeel . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125831/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24483 . live .
  34. Web site: Ballyloughan . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125841/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24703 . live .
  35. Web site: Brocklamont . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125831/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24757 . live .
  36. Web site: Carniny . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125833/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:24768 . live .
  37. Web site: Dunclug . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125831/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:20684 . live .
  38. Web site: Galgorm . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111125839/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:23308 . live .
  39. Web site: Town Parks of Ballymena . Northern Ireland Place-Names Project . 12 January 2023 . 11 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230111134836/https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9b31e0501b744154b4584b1dce1f859b/page/Place-Name-Info/?data_id=dataSource_1-PlaceNames_Gazeteer_No_Global_IDs_3734:23433 . live .
  40. News: Twinning signs placed in three prominent spots around Gibraltar. EuroWeekly News. John. Smith. 13 May 2021. 22 May 2023. 22 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230522214000/https://euroweeklynews.com/2021/05/13/twinning-signs-placed-in-three-prominent-spots-around-gibraltar/. live.
  41. Web site: Mayo's county town was awarded European flag in 1967 . Connaught Telegraph . 11 August 2023 . 7 May 2023 . 11 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811014132/https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2023/05/07/mayos-county-town-was-awarded-european-flag-in-1967/ . live .
  42. Web site: Liam Neeson and Michael Collins went toe-to-toe in TF . Connaught Telegraph . 25 May 2018 . 11 August 2023 . 11 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230811014131/https://www.con-telegraph.ie/2018/05/25/liam-neeson-and-michael-collins-went-toe-to-toe-in-tf/ . live .