Portglenone
Portglenone (from Irish: Port Chluain Eoghain [ˈpˠɔɾˠt̪ˠ ˌxlˠuənʲ ˈoːənʲ], meaning 'landing place of Eoghan's meadow')[2] is a village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Ballymena. It had a population of 1,174 people in the 2011 Census.[3] Portglenone is beside the smaller village of Glenone (in County Londonderry), from which it is separated by the River Bann.
Portglenone | |
---|---|
Location within Northern Ireland | |
Population | 1,174 (2011 Census) |
District | |
County | |
Country | Northern Ireland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | BALLYMENA |
Postcode district | BT44 |
Dialling code | 028 |
UK Parliament | |
NI Assembly | |
History
In 1197, a castle was built there for Norman invader John de Courcy.
Places of interest
Portglenone Forest
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 during World War II. The foundations of their Nissen huts can still be seen throughout the wood.[4]
Portglenone Abbey
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 Ó Muireadhaigh,[5] which has won several architectural awards.
Gig 'n The Bann Festival
The Gig 'n the Bann is a local cross-community music and dance festival in Portglenone. It takes its name from the River Bann and has been held every year since 1999. Performers have included Paul McSherry and the junior members of Portglenone CCE Branch as well as former members of Déanta.[6]
Demography
On census day in 2011, Portglenone had a population of 1,174 people (498 households) in the 2011 Census.[3] According to census retorns, 46.8% were from a Catholic background and 50.6% were from a Protestant background.
Climate
Climate data for Portglenone (64m elevation) 1981–2010 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 6.9 (44.4) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
16.9 (62.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
18.3 (64.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
9.4 (48.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
12.5 (54.5) |
Average low °C (°F) | 1.7 (35.1) |
1.5 (34.7) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.2 (39.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.2 (52.2) |
11.0 (51.8) |
9.4 (48.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
3.8 (38.8) |
2.1 (35.8) |
5.9 (42.6) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 91.4 (3.60) |
60.8 (2.39) |
77.9 (3.07) |
64.2 (2.53) |
64.0 (2.52) |
70.0 (2.76) |
77.5 (3.05) |
88.5 (3.48) |
79.5 (3.13) |
101.1 (3.98) |
89.6 (3.53) |
89.2 (3.51) |
953.6 (37.54) |
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 16.2 | 12.6 | 14.6 | 12.8 | 13.6 | 12.2 | 14.5 | 13.9 | 14.8 | 16.7 | 15.8 | 15.8 | 173.5 |
Source: metoffice.gov.uk[7] |
Sport
Portglenone's camogie club won the Ulster senior club championship in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982 and 1992. Notable players include Mairead McAtamney.
Notable people
- Bernard Diamond, recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Emma Kearney, actress (Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Mr. Bhatti on Chutti)
- Canon Charles O'Neill (1887–1963), author of the most famous version of the song The Foggy Dew, was born in Portglenone.[8]
See also
References
- "Port Chluain Eoghain/Portglenone". Logainm.ie.
- "Place Names NI – Home". www.placenamesni.org.
- "Portglenone". Census 2011 Results. NI Statistics and Research Agency. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- See Portglenone Forest Archived 2006-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
- "Monks are no fuels!". www.ballymenatimes.com.
- Belfast Telegraph, Invitation too good to refuse, 8 September 2007
- "Climate Normals 1981–2010". Met Office. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- "Celebrating the beloved song "Foggy Dew" and its history". 29 August 2022.
External links
- River Bann, Ireland – Portglenone visitor information