Ballygowan
| |
---|---|
Location within County Down | |
Area | 0.38 sq mi (0.98 km2) |
Population | 3,138 (2021 Census) |
• Density | 8,258/sq mi (3,188/km2) |
Irish grid reference | J4308063725 |
• Belfast | 8.7 mi (14.0 km) |
District | |
County | |
Country | Northern Ireland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | NEWTOWNARDS |
Postcode district | BT23 |
Dialling code | 028 |
Police | Northern Ireland |
Fire | Northern Ireland |
Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
UK Parliament | |
NI Assembly | |
Website | http://www.ballygowan.info |
Ballygowan (from Irish Baile Mhic Gabhann, meaning ' McGowan 's townland') [1] is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the Ards and North Down Borough. The town of Comber is a short distance to the north-east, the town of Saintfield to the south, and the city of Belfast further to the north-west. It is within the civil parishes of Killinchy and Comber and is split between the historic baronies of Castlereagh Lower and Castlereagh Upper. [2] It had a population of 3,138 people in the 2021 Census. [3]
Before the early 17th century Plantation of Ulster, when many Lowland Scots moved across the Irish Sea to settle in northern Ireland on lands granted by King James I to James Hamilton and Hugh Montgomery, the area of Ballygowan was sparsely inhabited by Irish Gaels. It was within the territory of Clannaboy, and in 1744 the McGowans of the Ards were associated with the Clannaboy O'Neills. [1]
In the late 18th century the village comprised a bridge (over the River Blackwater at the intersection of the Comber/Saintfield and Killyleagh/Belfast roads), a dozen or so small houses and an inn. The surrounding townlands were populated by a great number of small tenant farmers and weavers. The main landlords were Lord Dufferin and Lord Londonderry.
From the mid-19th century through the early 20th century the population of the rural area surrounding Ballygowan declined considerably as many people emigrated to North America or found work in Comber, Saintfield and particularly in Belfast. However, it was during this period, and subsequent to the introduction of the Belfast & County Down Railway in 1850, that the village began to grow. Ballygowan railway station opened on 10 September 1858, but finally closed on 15 January 1950. [4] After the railway closed in 1950 the village became an attractive "dormitory" town and the ensuing 50 years have seen rapid growth. [5]
On Monday, 15 September 2014, the remains of The Baron Bannside (better known as The Rev. Ian Paisley) were buried in the graveyard attached to Ballygowan Free Presbyterian Church. Lord Bannside was a former First Minister of Northern Ireland and a former Leader of the DUP.
In the 2001 Census Ballygowan had a population of 2671 people.
On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Ballygowan Ward was 2,957 (1,077 households). [3]
Ballygowan has one primary school locally, seen at the top of the table below. Other schools are nearby.
School Name | Location | Distance outside |
---|---|---|
Alexander Dickson PS | Ballygowan | 0 mi (0 km) |
Carrickmannon PS | Ballygowan | 1 mi (1.6 km) |
Moneyrea PS | Moneyreagh | 3 mi (4.8 km) |
Millennium Integrated PS | Saintfield | 3.7 mi (6 km) |
Ballygowan does not have any secondary schools locally, but those nearby (<10 mi (16 km) away) are seen in the table below;
School Name | Location | Distance outside | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Saintfield High School | Saintfield | 3 mi (4.8km) | Accessible via public bus route 5b on weekday mornings |
Lagan College | Castlereagh | 6 mi (9.7 km) | N/A |
Grosvenor Grammar School | Castlereagh | 7 mi (11.3 km) | Accessible via public bus route 12/512 |
All 3 schools offer a direct route ran by Translink, to and from each school.
Ballygowan has a bus depot connecting Ballygowan to Belfast, Comber, Newtownards and Darragh Cross.
Route | Primary Destination | Other Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
12/512 | Belfast City Centre | Darragh Cross, Moneyreagh, Crossnacreevy, Roselawn, Castlereagh, Lanyon Place | |
5b | Newtownards | Comber |
These routes are run by Translink Ulsterbus. The Belfast route uses improved Urby buses run along this route, which include leather seats, free WiFi and USB Charging Ports.
The Ballygowan railway station was opened by the Belfast and County Down Railway on 10 September 1858. [4] The station was on the once extensive network that connected Belfast Queen's Quay railway station to Downpatrick and Newcastle, County Down.
The station closed on 15 January 1950 along with the rest of the Belfast and County Down Railway line, by which time it had been taken over by the Ulster Transport Authority.
County Londonderry, also known as County Derry, is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. Before the partition of Ireland, it was one of the counties of the Kingdom of Ireland from 1613 onward and then of the United Kingdom after the Acts of Union 1800. Adjoining the north-west shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,118 km2 (818 sq mi) and today has a population of about 252,231.
Newtownards is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. It is in the civil parish of Newtownards and the historic baronies of Ards Lower and Castlereagh Lower. Newtownards is in the Ards and North Down Borough. The population was 29,677 in the 2021 Census.
County Down is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of 961 sq mi (2,490 km2) and has a population of 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the north, the Irish Sea to the east, County Armagh to the west, and County Louth across Carlingford Lough to the southwest.
Comber is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles (8 km) south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It is situated in the townland of Town Parks, the civil parish of Comber and the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower. Comber is part of the Ards and North Down Borough. It is also known for Comber Whiskey which was last distilled in 1953. A notable native was Thomas Andrews, the designer of the RMS Titanic and was among the many who went down with her. Comber had a population of 9,071 people in the 2011 Census.
Royal Hillsborough, more commonly known simply as Hillsborough, is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland, 19 km (12 mi) from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn and Castlereagh District Council area. The village is noted for its Georgian architecture. It is home to Hillsborough Castle, the British royal family's official residence in Northern Ireland, and residence of the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
Carryduff is a small town and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 7,173 people in the 2021 census. Most of the settlement lies within the townland of Carryduff, although part of it extends into the neighbouring townlands of Killynure and Mealough.
Crossgar is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about 15 miles (24 km) south of Belfast – between Saintfield and Downpatrick. Crossgar had a population 1,997 people in the 2021 UK Census.
Saintfield is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about halfway between Belfast and Downpatrick on the A7 road. It had a population of 3,588 in the 2021 Census, made up mostly of commuters working in both south and central Belfast, which is about 18 km away. The population of the surrounding countryside is mostly involved in farming.
Newtownabbey is a large settlement north of Belfast city centre in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course, but it still forms part of the Belfast metropolitan area. It surrounds Carnmoney Hill, and was formed from the merging of several small villages including Whiteabbey, Glengormley and Carnmoney. At the 2021 census, Metropolitan Newtownabbey Settlement had a population of 67,599, making it the third largest settlement in Northern Ireland and seventh on the Island of Ireland. It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Dromore is a small market town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies within the local government district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. It is 19 miles (31 km) southwest of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast–Dublin road. The 2011 census recorded a population of 6,395.
Dundonald is a large settlement and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. It lies east of Belfast and is often considered a suburb of the city. It is home to the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald International Ice Bowl, Dundonald Omnipark, has a Park and Ride facility for the Glider, access to the Comber Greenway and several housing developments. John de Courcey established a keep including a motte-and-bailey in the 12th century. This is known as Moat Park and can be accessed from Church Green, Comber Road and the Upper Newtownards Road.
Kinallen is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is four miles from Dromore and two miles from Dromara.
Drumbeg is a small village, townland and civil parish on the south bank of the River Lagan in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village is covered by the Lisburn City Council area and forms part of the suburban fringe of Belfast.
Moneyreagh or Moneyrea is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is just off the main road between Belfast and Ballygowan. It is situated in the civil parish of Comber and the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower. It had a population of 1,594 people in the 2021 Census.
Randalstown is a townland and small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, between Antrim and Toome. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate. The town is bypassed by the M22 motorway with junctions at both the eastern and western ends of the town. It had a population of 5,151 people in the 2021 census.
Ballygowan railway station was a rural station in Ballygowan, County Down between Comber and Saintfield on the Belfast and County Down Railway which ran from Belfast Queens Quay station to Newcastle railway station in Northern Ireland. The station had only one platform on the south side. There was a level crossing at the Comber end. The goods store on the Saintfield end was added in 1898. The station has since been demolished and rebuilt into a shop and a private residence but the goods shed still stands, now used by the company Station Autos. Part of the former train yard on the west side is now used as a bus depot by Translink Ulsterbus.
Castlereagh Lower is a historic barony in County Down, Northern Ireland. It was created by 1841 with the division of Castlereagh into two. The barony roughly matches the former Gaelic territory of Uí Blathmaic, anglicized Blathewic. It is bordered by three other baronies: Ards Lower to the east; Dufferin to the south; and Castlereagh Upper to the west and south-west. Castlereagh Lower is also bounded by Belfast Lough to the north and Strangford Lough to the south-east.
Castlereagh Upper is a historic barony in County Down, Northern Ireland. It was created by 1841 with the division of Castlereagh into two. It is bordered by eight other baronies: Castlereagh Lower and Dufferin to the east; Lecale Lower and Kinelarty to the south; Iveagh Lower, Lower Half, Iveagh Lower, Upper Half, and Massereene Upper to the west; and Belfast Upper to the north.
Magherascouse is a rural townland near Ballygowan in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has an area of 1286.45 acres (5.206 km2). It is situated in the civil parish of Comber, the Poor Law Union of Newtownards and the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the town of Comber. It lies within the Electoral Division of Ballygowan which is part of the Ards and North Down Borough Council.
Ravara is a rural townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It has an area of 1242.98 acres (5.03 km2). It is situated in the civil parish of Killinchy and the historic barony of Castlereagh Lower, located just south of Ballygowan. It lies within the Ards and North Down Borough Council.