PORTGLENONE

'Portglenone' (Irish: ''Port Chluain Eoghain'', meaning landing place of Glenone) is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, 8.5 miles (14km) west of Ballymena, at latitude 54:51:40N and longitude 6:30:46W. It had a population of 1,219 people in the 2001 Census. It lies within the Ballymena Borough Council area. Portglenone is closely associated with the smaller Glenone village (in Magherafelt District Council area) from which it is physically separated by the River Bann.

Contents

History

Places of interest

2001 Census

External links

See also

References

History

In 1197, a castle was built there for Norman invader John de Courcy.

Places of interest

★ Portglenone Forest Park, just outside the village, is classified as an ‘Ancient Woodland’, and has well marked nature trails, with the River Bann flowing through the forest. There is also a memorial to the united states servicemen stationed there durning world war two. The foundations of their Nissan huts can still be seen throughout the wood. ^[2]

★ Portglenone Abbey Church, Our Lady Of Bethlehem Cistercian Monastery, occupies a Georgian mansion (Portglenone House) in the village. In the 1960s, a new monastery was built, designed by Padraig O'Muireadhaigh, which has won several architectural awards.

★ The ''Gig 'n the Bann'' is a local cross-community Music and Dance Festival which has been held very year since 2001. It takes it's name from the River Bann which flows through the village.

★ The mystical road to Tamlaght

★ The Ledge. The best fishing spot on the river.

★ The ghost of Jonny Cartwood. Often can be seen on Saturday night carrying some plywood in a old trolly with a mischevious grin on his chevy chase ^[3]

2001 Census

Portglenone is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 1,000 and 2,250). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,219 people living in Portglenone. Of these:

★ 26.3% were aged under 16 years and 19.7% were aged 60 and over

★ 47.9% of the population were male and 52.1% were female

★ 47.1% were from a Catholic background and 52.6% were from a Protestant background

★ 2.6% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service

External links

★ 1st Portglenone Presbyterian Church Local Presbyterian Church

★ Gig 'n the Bann - Annual annual cross-community festival

★ Roger Casements Gaelic Athletic Club - Gaelic Athletic Association Club

See also

★ List of villages in Northern Ireland

★ List of towns in Northern Ireland

References