Donaghcloney

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Donaghcloney
St. Patrick's Donaghcloney - geograph.org.uk - 75425.jpg
St Patrick's church
County Down UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location within County Down
Population1,701 (2011 Census)
Irish grid reference J129537
•  Belfast 23 mi (37 km)
District
County
Country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Donaghcloney
Postcode district BT66
Dialling code 028
UK Parliament
NI Assembly
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Down
54°25′12″N6°15′37″W / 54.419979°N 6.260319°W / 54.419979; -6.260319

Donaghcloney or Donacloney (from Irish Domhnach Cluana, meaning 'church of the meadow') [1] [2] is a village, townland (of 300 acres) and civil parish in County Down, [1] [2] Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Lagan between Lurgan and Dromore. In the 2011 census it had a population of 1701. It is colloquially referred to as "The 'Cloney" by locals. [1]

Contents

History

Early history

The old graveyard where the parish church was originally established. Old graveyard, Donaghacloney - geograph.org.uk - 350608.jpg
The old graveyard where the parish church was originally established.

Donaghcloney was reputedly established by Saint Patrick whilst travelling from Saul to Armagh sometime in the 5th century CE. [3] A parish church was established overlooking the River Lagan, in what is today the village graveyard.

One of the first recorded mention of the village's name was in papal registers dated to 1422 as Domhnachcluana. [1] The spelling changed frequently throughout the Middle Ages, during which time a new bell was installed in the parish church. The parish church suffered damage during the 1641 Rebellion and the Cromwellian campaign in Ireland. [3] During the Williamite War in Ireland, Donaghcloney was the site of a clash between forces belonging to Frederick Schomberg and King James II. During this battle the parish church bell was thrown into the River Lagan. In the early 1800s it was recovered and installed in a church in nearby Waringstown. [3]

Linen Industry

Donaghcloney is a typical Ulster village and has been linked to the Irish linen industry since at least 1742. [4] By 1840 Donaghcloney boasted a large bleaching green which was turning out 8000 pieces of fabric annually. [5] In 1866, William Liddell founded his linen company, headquartered at a new factory in Donaghcloney. William Liddell & Co. became the largest Jacquard weaving company in Ireland. [6] At one point the company also owned a smaller mill at Banoge, on the outskirts of the village.

Donaghcloney grew during this time due to the employment created by Liddell's factory as well as his philanthropic efforts. The company provided housing for its workers and in 1877 established the Factory Society for the Sick to help its employees' families cover funeral costs. [7] It also built a church, a school, and a cricket pitch.

By the 1900s the company was the largest producer of Damask Linen in the world [4] and its products were being used in hotels and ocean liners across Europe. Notably, the linen used onboard RMS Titanic was produced in Donaghcloney. [7] [8] During the First and Second World War, Donaghcloney Linen Factory served the war effort through production of airplane coverings, parachute harnesses, bullets, and munitions. [7]

In 1973 William Liddell & Co. merged with its long-time rival, William Ewart and Sons (founded in Belfast in 1814), forming the Ewart Liddell Company. Donaghcloney Linen Factory continued production, and its products were used by Bloomingdale's, Harrods, Emirates, Qantas, the Savoy, and The Ritz. It also supplied napkins and cushion covers for Concorde planes and airport lounges. [7]

By 2000, the company's fortunes had changed and the Donaghcloney Linen Factory was outdated and in need of expensive modernisation. [7] In 2001, it was acquired by the Baird McNutt Group, who closed the Donaghcloney Factory the following year. [4] The factory lay derelict until the early 2010s, when it was demolished leaving only the chimney.

Amenities and services

The petrol station Pillar box, Donaghcloney - geograph.org.uk - 3132809.jpg
The petrol station

Donaghcloney has a Nisa shop and petrol station, a Post Office, a primary school, a children's play-park, a chippy, a Chinese takeaway, an off license, a pharmacist, a hairdresser, a butcher, and a café.

The Cricket Pavilion Donaghcloney Cricket Pavilion 2009 - geograph.org.uk - 1628699.jpg
The Cricket Pavilion

There are Methodist, Elim Pentecostal, Church of Ireland, and Presbyterian churches as well as a Gospel Hall, Orange Hall, and a Royal British Legion.

Sport

The village has a history of cricket playing over many generations with the Donaghcloney Mill Cricket Club, founded in 1888. [9] The club is based in a B2-listed Edwardian cricket pavilion, [10] located in the grounds of the former factory.

Donacloney Football Club, founded in 1890, have two men's teams both playing in the Mid-Ulster Football League. [11] The club's home pitch is in the village alongside the River Lagan.

Education

Donaghcloney Primary School is the only educational establishment in the village, catering for approximately 280 pupils. It was formed in 1979 to replace three smaller local schools, formerly located at Fortescue, [12] Blackskull, and Liddell. [13]

The nearest secondary schools are Banbridge High School, Banbridge Academy, Lurgan Junior High School, and Dromore High School.

The main road through the village Looking towards Donaghcloney from the junction of Drumlin Road and the Hall Road - geograph.org.uk - 1591131.jpg
The main road through the village

Transport

Donaghcloney is served by the Ulsterbus route 56, linking the village with Lurgan and Banbridge. It is situated on the B9 Road, connecting it with nearby Moira, as well as Dromore via the B2 and Lurgan and Banbridge via the A26.

The nearest railway stations are Moira and Lurgan, both around 6 miles away on the Belfast - Dublin mainline. Until 1956, the nearest station was Mullafernaghan on the Great Northern Railway's line from Lisburn to Newcastle via Banbridge.

Demographics

Donaghcloney is classified as a small village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

Census YearTotal PopulationAge (%)Sex (%)Religious background (%)Unemployed (%)Sources
Aged under 16Aged over 60MaleFemaleProtestantCatholicOtherNone
2001 (29 Apr)97221.821.948.651.493.54.00.52.02.5 [14]
2011 (27 Mar)170125.415.248.551.584.27.10.87.912 [15]
2021 (21 Mar)197723105050787>1152 [16]

People

Civil parish of Donaghcloney

The civil parish is situated in the historic barony of Iveagh Lower, Upper Half and contains the following settlements: [19]

Townlands

The civil parish contains the following townlands: [19]

Related Research Articles

Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and roughly 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Belfast. The town is linked to Belfast by both the M1 motorway and the Belfast–Dublin railway line. Lurgan had a population of about 28,634 at the 2021 UK census, and falls within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. For certain purposes, Lurgan is treated as part of the "Craigavon Urban Area", along with neighbouring Craigavon and Portadown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisburn</span> City near Belfast, Northern Ireland

Lisburn is a city in Northern Ireland. It is 8 mi (13 km) southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with the arrival of French Huguenots in the 18th century, the town developed as a global centre of the linen industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Hillsborough</span> Human settlement in Northern Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983 onwards

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banbridge (district)</span> District of Northern Ireland (1973–2015)

Banbridge was a local government district in Northern Ireland. The district was one of 26 council areas formed on 1 October 1973, following the implementation of the Local Government Act 1972. The headquarters of the council were in the town of Banbridge. In April 2015, most of the Banbridge district was included in the merged Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district. Some smaller areas in the east of the district became merged with the Newry, Mourne and Down District

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craigavon Borough Council</span> Human settlement in Northern Ireland

Craigavon Borough Council was a local council in counties Armagh, Down and Antrim, in Northern Ireland. It merged with Armagh City and District Council and Banbridge District Council in May 2015 under local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland to become Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dromore, County Down</span> Town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilford, County Down</span> Village in County Down, Northern Ireland

Gilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,933 people in the 2011 Census. Gilford is within the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rathfriland</span> Town in County Down, Northern Ireland

Rathfriland is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Newry town centre.

Lambeg is a small village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located between Belfast and Lisburn, it was once a small rural village, but is now within the Greater Belfast conurbation. Lambeg is also an electoral ward of Lisburn Council. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 60 people. The civil parish of Lambeg covers areas of County Down as well as County Antrim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waringstown</span> Human settlement in Northern Ireland

Waringstown is a large village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies southeast of Lurgan, within the parish of Donaghcloney, and the barony of Iveagh Lower, Lower Half. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,683 people. Over the years, the village has been bestowed numerous awards, including "Best Kept Small Town" for its floral displays and pleasant appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamblestown</span> Village in County Down, Northern Ireland

Gamblestown is a small village in County Down, Northern Ireland about 1.5 km from Donaghcloney, on the Lurgan to Dromore road. It is situated in the Parish of Magheralin and the townland of Clogher. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 159 people. It is situated to the southeast of the Craigavon Borough Council area.

Broomhedge is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, near Lisburn, approximately 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Belfast. It lies within the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area, and the Maghaberry electoral ward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Crozier (archbishop of Armagh)</span>

John Baptist Crozier was a Church of Ireland bishop. He served as Bishop of Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin (1897–1907), Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore (1907–1911), Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh (1911–1920).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banbridge</span> Town in County Down, Northern Ireland

Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iveagh Upper, Upper Half. The town began as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing. The town was home to the headquarters of the former Banbridge District Council. Following a reform of local government in Northern Ireland in 2015, Banbridge became part of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. It had a population of 17,400 in the 2021 Census.

Iveagh was a constituency of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

Rob Lyttle is a rugby union player from Donaghcloney, County Down, Northern Ireland. He plays wing for Banbridge RFC, having spent seven seasons with Ulster.

Lagan River is one of the seven district electoral areas (DEA) in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Northern Ireland. The district elects five members to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and contains the wards of Donaghcloney, Dromore, Gransha, Quilly and Waringstown. Lagan River forms part of the Upper Bann constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament and part of the Lagan Valley constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Donaghcloney, Co Down. Placenames NI.
  2. 1 2 Donaghcloney. Placenames Database of Ireland.
  3. 1 2 3 "Geograph:: The Bell Garden (2) Information Sign,... © P Flannagan". www.geograph.ie. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Home | Buildings| nidirect". apps.communities-ni.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Donaghcloney, Down - genealogy heraldry and history". ukga.org. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  6. ↑ "About us". 16 September 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Celebrating 150 Years: A Timeline of the Liddell Brand". 5 August 2020. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "Heritage". 16 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "About | Donaghcloney Cricket & Recreation Club, Village Cricket in Northern Ireland" . Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Home | Buildings| nidirect". apps.communities-ni.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Mid Ulster Football League". www.midulsterfootballleague.co.uk. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Schools". freepages.rootsweb.com. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  13. ↑ "Donaghcloney, Liddell Memorial School, St Patrick - Gloine - Stained glass in the Church of Ireland". www.gloine.ie. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  14. ↑ "Key Statistics for Settlements Tables" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  15. ↑ "2011 Census - Key Statistics - Settlement 2015 - Reference Table - July 2015" (PDF). Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  16. ↑ "Lagan River E Census Data".
  17. ↑ "Killing Fields". New Statesman. Stephen Howe. 14 February 2000. Retrieved 2 February 2011
  18. ↑ McKittrick, David (1999). Lost Lives: The Stories of the Men, Women, and Children who Died as a Result of the Northern Ireland Troubles. Mainstream. p. 724. ISBN   978-1-84018-227-9.
  19. 1 2 "Donaghcloney". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
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