Newtownabbey

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Newtownabbey
  • Irish: Baile na Mainistreach
Rathcoole - Newtownabbey.jpg
Overlooking the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey from Cavehill
Newtownabbey is located in Northern Ireland
Newtownabbey
Location within Northern Ireland
Population65,646 (2011 Census)
District
County
  • County Antrim
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNEWTOWNABBEY
Postcode districtBT36, BT37
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Antrim
54°40′24″N 05°54′49″W / 54.67333°N 5.91361°W / 54.67333; -5.91361Coordinates: 54°40′24″N 05°54′49″W / 54.67333°N 5.91361°W / 54.67333; -5.91361

Newtownabbey (from Irish: Baile na Mainistreach [ˈbˠalʲə n̪ˠə ˈmˠanʲəʃtʲɾʲəx]) is a large settlement north of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Sometimes considered to be a suburb of Belfast, it is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course. At the 2011 Census, Metropolitan Newtownabbey Settlement had a population of 65,646, making it the third largest settlement in Northern Ireland.[1] It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

History[]

Establishment[]

Newtownabbey was formed by the merging of seven villages: Carnmoney, Glengormley, Jordanstown, Monkstown, Whiteabbey, Whitehouse and Whitewell. It was formally brought into being on 1 April 1958. Before its inception, the expanse fell under the jurisdiction of the Belfast Rural District Council.

The timeline of the local government authority is: Newtownabbey Urban District Council (1958–1973), Newtownabbey District Council (1973–1977), Newtownabbey Borough Council (1977–2015) and Antrim & Newtownabbey District Council (2015 onwards).

The Troubles[]

Main article: The Troubles in Newtownabbey

During The Troubles, there were a number of incidents in Newtownabbey, including several gun attacks involving the UFF and UVF.[2][3]

Geography[]

The Glengormley area of Newtownabbey from Carnmoney Hill

Townlands[]

Below is a list of townlands that are within Newtownabbey's urban area, alongside their likely etymologies.

  • Ballybought (from Irish: Baile Bocht, meaning 'poor town')*
  • Ballyduff (historically Ballymacelduffe; from Baile Mhic Giolla Dhuibh meaning "MacElduff's townland")*
  • Ballygolan (historically Ballingowlan; from Baile an Ghabhláin or Baile Gobhláin meaning "townland of the fork")*
  • Ballyhenry (from Baile Éinrí meaning "Henry's townland")*
  • Ballyvesey (from Baile Feasoighe meaning "Vesey's townland")*
  • Ballywonard (from Baile Mhuine Ard meaning "townland of the high thicket")*
  • Carnmoney (from Carn Monaidh meaning "cairn of the bog")*
  • Collinward (from Coll an Bháird meaning "the bard's hazel")*
  • Cloughfern (historically Ballycurraghfarny; from Cruach Fearna meaning "stack of the alder" or Currach Fearnaí meaning "marsh of the place of alders")*
  • Drumnadrough (from Druimainn Dorcha meaning "dark ridge" or Druim na gCruach meaning "ridge of the stacks"), where Merville Garden Village is located
  • Dunanney (from Dún Aine meaning "Aine's stronghold")*
  • Glengormley (from Gleann Ghormlaithe meaning "blue-grey valley")*
  • Jordanstown (historically Ballyjordan and Ballyjurdan)
  • Mallusk or Molusk (historically Moyvluske and Moyvliske; from Maigh Bhloisce meaning "Bloisce's plain")*
  • Monkstown (historically Ballynamanagh; from Baile na Manach meaning "townland of the monks")
  • Whiteabbey (from An Mhainistir Fhionn meaning "White Abbey")
  • White House (from An Teach Geal meaning "the bright/white house")

* citation for derivations[4]

The following housing estates have Irish-derived names, although they are not named after townlands:[5][not specific enough to verify]

  • Mossley (O.E. mos meaning "peat-bog" + O.E. leah meaning "clearing", gaelicized as Maslaí)
  • Rathcoole (likely from Ráth Cúile meaning "nook of the ringfort")

Electoral areas and wards[]

Until 2014 Newtownabbey operated under its own council comprising Ballyclare, Glengormley, Jordanstown, Carnmoney, Mallusk and Rathcoole. However, from 2014 it has operated as a larger Council after merging with Antrim to create Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Since 2014, the electoral ward and areas are:

  • Airport (1 DUP, 1 SDLP, 1 Sinn Féin, 2 UUP); comprising the Aldergrove, Clady, Crumlin, Mallusk, and Templepatrick areas.
  • Antrim (1 Alliance, 2 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 SDLP); comprising the Antrim Centre, Fountain Hill, Greystone, Springfarm, Steeple, and Stiles areas.
  • Ballyclare (3 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 TUV); including the Ballyclare East, Ballyclare West, Ballynure, Ballyrobert, and Doagh areas.
  • Dunsilly (2 DUP, 1 UUP, 1 SDLP 1 Sinn Féin); Cranfield, Parkgate, Randalstown, Shilvodan, and Toome areas.
  • Glengormley Urban (1 Alliance, 3 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 Sinn Féin); Ballyhenry, Burnthill, Carnmoney, Collinbridge, Glebe, Glengormley, and Hightown areas.
  • Macedon (1 Alliance, 4 DUP, 1 UUP); Abbey, Carnmoney Hill, O'Neill, Rathcoole, Valley, and Whitehouse
  • Three Mile Water (1 Alliance, 3 DUP, 2 UUP); Ballyduff, Fairview, Jordanstown, Monkstown, Mossley, and Rostulla

Demography[]

On census day (27 March 2011) there were 65,646 people living in Newtownabbey.[1] Of these:

  • 20.26% were aged under 16 years and 15.51% were aged 60 and over
  • 48.02% of the population were male and 51.98% were female
  • 27.69% were from a Catholic background and 62.21% were from a Protestant or other Christian backgrounds
  • 6.40% had some knowledge of the Irish language and 6.98% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.

Education[]

Higher-level education
  • University of Ulster at Jordanstown (UUJ)
  • Northern Regional College (NRC)
Secondary-level education
Primary-level education

Sport[]

There are several association football clubs in Newtownabbey, including several amateur clubs which field teams in the Northern Amateur Football League: 18th Newtownabbey Old Boys F.C., Mossley F.C., Nortel F.C., Rathfern Rangers F.C., and Ulster University at Jordanstown F.C..[citation needed] Rathcoole F.C. plays in the Ballymena & Provincial Football League.[citation needed] As of 2020, Belfast Deaf United Football Club played in the Down Area Winter Football League.[6]

Local Gaelic games clubs include St Enda's GAC (based near Glengormley) and Greencastle Wolfe Tones GAC (based at Greencastle). Both participate in competitions organised by the Antrim County Board.[citation needed]

Hockey teams based in Newtownabbey include East Antrim Hockey Club, Mossley Hockey Club, and Owls Hockey Club. There are also a number of rugby clubs, an amateur boxing club (Glengormley Amateur Boxing Club), and several cricket teams. These include the Academy and Cliftonville Cricket Clubs (the latter participating in the NCU Senior League).[citation needed]

Transport[]

Rail[]

Northern Ireland Railways runs trains serving three railway stations: Mossley West railway station on the Belfast–Derry railway line and Jordanstown railway station and Whiteabbey railway station on the Belfast–Larne railway line.

Connecting trains run on the Belfast-Derry railway line from Mossley West, "Northbound" to: Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine (for the branch to University (Coleraine), Dhu Varren and Portrush), Castlerock, Bellarena, Londonderry. And "Southbound" to Yorkgate, Belfast Central (change for Belfast-Bangor railway line and the Enterprise), Botanic, City Hospital, Belfast Great Victoria Street and onwards.

Whilst the Belfast-Larne railway line serving Whiteabbey and Jordanstown and connects with other stations including the principal stations of Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Larne Town and Larne Harbour, heading "Northbound". And heading "Southbound" the same stations as listed above apply.

Road[]

Newtownabbey is linked to the M2 motorway (which passes through it) and the M5 motorway (which begins at its southeastern edge).

Bus services are provided by Translink’s Belfast bus service, Metro.[citation needed]

Notable people[]

See also: Category:People from Newtownabbey
  • Stephen Boyd (4 July 1931 - 2 June 1977), Golden Globe-winning actor, was born in Glengormley.[7]
  • Bobby Sands (9 March 1954 - 5 May 1981), Provisional Irish Republican Army member and hunger striker.
  • James Brown (born 1968), Elvis impersonator, lives in Newtownabbey.[8]
  • Ronan Bennett (born 1956), novelist and screenwriter, grew up in Newtownabbey.[9]
  • James Fenton (1931 – 2021), Ulster Scots poet.[citation needed]
  • Leah McFall (born 1 July 1986), singer-songwriter, was born in Newtownabbey.[10]

Twin towns[]

Newtownabbey is twinned with:

  • Poland Rybnik, Poland (since 18 October 2003)[11]
  • Germany Dorsten, Germany[12]

Newtownabbey has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:

  • United States Gilbert, Arizona , United States

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Census 2011 Population Statistics for Metropolitan Newtownabbey Settlement". Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1974". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 2 September 2006.
  3. ^ "Sutton Index of Deaths, 1994". Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN). Retrieved 2 September 2006.
  4. ^ "Northern Ireland Placenames Project". Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
  5. ^ "logainm.ie".
  6. ^ "Football". dsni.co.uk. Disability Sport Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Belfast Deaf United [..] play in the Premier Section of the Down Area Winter League
  7. ^ "Stephen Boyd: The Busker Who Became a Screen Idol". bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 8 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Me and my health: Jim 'The King' Brown - The hip-swivelling I do on stage as Elvis gives me sore joints". Belfast Telegraph. 23 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Six things you didn't know about Ronan Bennett, the NI writer behind Netflix's Top Boy". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Belfast Telegraph. 30 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Newtownabbey Girl to Sing on BBC 1 Show The Voice". belfastdaily.co.uk. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Rybnik Official Website – Twin Towns". 2008 Urząd Miasta Rybnika. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  12. ^ "List of Twin Towns in the Ruhr District" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.

External links[]

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