Antrim, County Antrim

According to tradition, a monastery was founded at Antrim in AD 495, thirty years after the death of Saint Patrick, to take forward his ministry, with a small settlement growing up around it. The round tower (see below), also known as "the Steeple", is all that remains.[6] In the Middle Ages, the area was part of the Gaelic territory of Dál Araide which covered much of what is now County Antrim.[7] At the eastern edge of town is a ringfort called Rathmore (Ráth Mór, "the great fort"), which was the royal residence of the kings of Dál Araide.[8]

By 1596, an English settlement had grown up around a ford across the Sixmilewater River. The All Saints Parish Church[9] has a datestone of 1596 with the words 'Gall-Antrum' carved on it – this could be translated as 'The Antrum of the English/foreigner'.[10] Hugh Clotworthy, father of the Anglo-Irish politician John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene, supervised the building of secure military quarters beside the old Norman motte. This later became the site of Antrim Castle. Hugh was knighted in 1617 and appointed High Sheriff of County Antrim.[6]

A battle was fought near Antrim between the English and Irish in the reign of Edward III; and in 1642 a naval engagement took place on Lough Neagh, for Viscount Massereene and Ferrard (who founded Antrim Castle in 1662) had a right to maintain a fighting fleet on the lough.[11]

The Society of United Irishmen launched a rebellion in 1798, which began in Leinster and quickly spread to Ulster. The United Irishmen had been founded in 1791 by liberal Protestants in Belfast. Its goal was to unite Catholics and Protestants and to end British monarchical rule over Ireland and to found a sovereign, independent Irish republic. Although its membership was mainly Catholic, many of its leaders and members in northeast Ulster were Protestant Presbyterians. On 7 June 1798, about 4000 United Irishmen led by Henry Joy McCracken attacked the town. The rebels were on the verge of taking the town until British reinforcements arrived. Thanks to a rebel band led by James Hope, most of the United Irishmen were able to withdraw safely. This is known as the Battle of Antrim.

Before the Act of Union, Antrim returned two members to the Irish Parliament by virtue of letters patent granted in 1666 by Charles II.[11]

Divisions and suburbs of Antrim include Ballycraigy, Carnbeg, Caulside, Dublin Road, Greenvale, Greystone, Islandbawn, Meadowlands, Muckamore, Newpark, Niblock, Parkhall, Rathenraw, Riverside, Belmont Heights, Springfarm, Millhouse, Steeple, Stiles, The Folly, Townparks, Massereene.

As with the rest of Ireland, Antrim experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is at Aldergrove,[12] under 4 miles to the south of the town centre.

In a typical year the warmest day should reach a temperature of 25.4 °C (77.7 °F)[13] and 2.1 days[14] should attain a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or above in total.

The coldest night of the year averages −6.6 °C (20.1 °F)[15] and 39 nights should register an air frost.[16] The absolute minimum temperature of −14.2 °C (6.4 °F) was reported during the record cold spell of December 2010.[17] In total during that month 10 nights fell to −10.0 °C (14.0 °F) or below, and the 21st recorded a daytime maximum of just −7.7 °C (18.1 °F)

On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 23,375 people living in Antrim, accounting for 1.29% of the NI total,[5] representing an increase of 16.9% on the Census 2001 population of 20,001.[19] Of these:

• 21.47% were aged under 16 years and 13.33% were aged 65 and over;
• 48.72% of the usually resident population were male and 51.28% were female;
• 54.80% belong to or were brought up'Protestant and Other (non Catholic Christian) (including Christian related)'and 34.12% belong to or were brought up Catholic ;
• 61.47% indicated that they had a British national identity, 30.76% had a Northern Irish national identity and 11.56% had an Irish national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity);
• 35 years was the average (median) age of the population.
• 8.43% had some knowledge of Ulster Scots and 5.20% had some knowledge of the Irish language.

Antrim round tower

Antrim Masonic Hall

There are many buildings of historic note in the town, especially in and around High Street. The courthouse sits at the end of the street, near the Barbican Gate, the old gateway to Antrim Castle. There are also hidden gems, such as a 19th-century smithy (now a shop) on Bridge Street with a distinctive horseshoe entrance.

• Shane's Castle and Antrim Castle
• In the north of the town is one of the most perfect of the round towers of Ireland, 93 feet high and 50 feet in circumference at the base. It stands in the grounds of Steeple, where there is also the "Witches' Stone", a prehistoric monument.[11]
• There was a Castle, near the Six Mile Water, which was destroyed in a fire in 1922. All that remains is an octagonal tower.
• The river allowed the linen industry to be established. The linen industry has been replaced by a Technology Park, the only one in Northern Ireland.
• Antrim Market House is a 2–story building, nine bays long, three deep built in 1726. Formerly a Court House, it has recently been refurbished and is currently used as a tourist information centre and has a small theatre and café.
• The Castle Grounds, that is beside the Antrim Castle.
• The Springfarm Rath

Antrim railway station on Northern Ireland Railways.

Antrim railway station was opened on 11 April 1848, and closed for goods traffic on 4 January 1965.[20] Served by passenger trains on the Belfast-Derry railway line run by Northern Ireland Railways.

Antrim's Aldergrove Airport known as Belfast International Airport is the largest airport in Northern Ireland, serving destinations in Britain, Europe and North America. However, Aldergrove does not have a proper Airport rail link connection.

Junction One Retail Park

The Junction, formerly Junction One (named after junction 1 of the nearby M22 Motorway), is a retail park in the area with restaurants and a hotel. Supermarkets serving the town include an Asda store, Lidl outlet, Tesco Extra, and Iceland store. Castle Mall, located on High Street in the town, was formerly known as Castle Centre. It has a selection of every day shops, including the town's main Post Office.

• Naomh Comhghall Clg[24]
• Antrim Hockey Club
• Antrim Forum activity centre[25]
• Chimney Corner F.C.
• Muckamore Cricket Club

• Thomas McCord (1750–1824) – businessman and politician in Lower Canada
• Andrew Hunter (1813–1902) – Methodist preacher
• Joseph Stephenson-Jellie (1874–1960) – cricketer
• Eva McGown (1883–1972) – Official Hostess of Fairbanks and Honorary Hostess of Alaska
• Joe Holmes (1906–1978) – traditional musician
• Declan Kearney (b. 1964) – Sinn Féin politician, MLA

• List of localities in Northern Ireland by population
• Market Houses in Northern Ireland
• List of civil parishes of County Antrim

• Antrim on the Culture Northern Ireland website.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Antrim (town).

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antrim, County Antrim.

• Antrim Borough Council
• Antrim Community Website