Newtownabbey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newtownabbey
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 Overlooking the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey from Cavehill |
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| Population | 65,646 (2011 Census) |
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| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTOWNABBEY |
| Postcode district | BT36, BT37 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament |
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| NI Assembly |
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Newtownabbey (Irish: Baile na Mainistreach) is a large settlement in North Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course. It surrounds Carnmoney Hill, and was formed from the merging of several small villages including Whiteabbey, Glengormley and Carnmoney. At the 2011 Census, Metropolitan Newtownabbey Settlement had a population of 65,646, making it the third largest settlement in Northern Ireland. It is part of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Contents
History
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– ).
By the spring of 2015 Newtownabbey Borough Council will be officially merged with adjacent Antrim Council to form the new Antrim & Newtownabbey District Council under Local Government restructuring plans devised by the Northern Ireland Executive. This name is still to be confirmed.
The Troubles
For more information see The Troubles in Newtownabbey, which includes a list of incidents in Newtownabbey during The Troubles resulting in two or more deaths.
Geography
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
- White House
* citation for derivations
The following housing estates have Irish-derived names, although they are not named after townlands:
- 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, Glengorley, 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. The current electoral ward and areas are:
- Airport (1 DUP, 1 SDLP, 1 Sinn Féin, 2 UUP)
(Aldergrove, Clady, Crumlin, Mallusk, and Templepatrick)
- Antrim (1 Alliance, 2 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 SDLP)
(Antrim Centre, Fountain Hill, Greystone, Springfarm, Steeple, and Stiles)
- Ballyclare (3 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 TUV)
(Ballyclare East, Ballyclare West, Ballynure, Ballyrobert, and Doagh)
- Dunsilly (2 DUP, 1 UUP, 1 SDLP 1 Sinn Féin)
(Cranfield, Parkgate, Randalstown, Shilvodan, and Toome)
- Glengormley Urban (1 Alliance, 3 DUP, 2 UUP, 1 Sinn Féin)
(Ballyhenry, Burnthill, Carnmoney, Collinbridge, Glebe, Glengormley, and Hightown)
- 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. 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
- 62.21% were from a Protestant or other Christian backgrounds, and 27.69% were from a Catholic background
- 6.40% had some knowledge of the Irish language and 6.98% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.
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.
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.
Twin towns
Newtownabbey is twinned with:
Newtownabbey has one sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:
Gilbert, Arizona, United States
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. Rathcoole F.C. plays in the Ballymena & Provincial Football League. As of 2020, Belfast Deaf United Football Club played in the Down Area Winter Football League.
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.
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).
Outdoor Bowling Clubs in Newtownabbey include Mossley Bowling Club, Glengormley Bowling Club, Nortel Bowling Club and Ulster Transport Bowling Club.
Education
- Higher-level education
- University of Ulster at Jordanstown (UUJ)
- Northern Regional College (NRC)
- Secondary-level education
- Belfast High School
- Edmund Rice College
- Glengormley High School
- Primary-level education
- Jordanstown Schools for the Deaf and Blind
- Whitehouse Primary School
- Ashgrove Primary School
- Carnmoney Primary School
Notable people
- Stephen Boyd (4 July 1931 - 2 June 1977), Golden Globe-winning actor, was born in Glengormley.
- 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.
- Ronan Bennett (born 14 January 1956), novelist and screenwriter, grew up in Newtownabbey.
- James Fenton (5 June 1931 – 3 February 2021), Ulster Scots poet.
- Dean McCullough (born July 1992), British radio personality.
- Leah McFall (born 1 July 1986), singer-songwriter, was born in Newtownabbey.
See also
In Spanish: Newtownabbey para niños
