LISBURN

'Lisburn' (Irish: 'Lios na gCearrbhach'; meaning ''fort of the gamblers'') is a city in Northern Ireland, south-west of and adjoining Belfast. An anglicised version of the Irish name, Lisnagarvey, is used in the title of schools and sporting clubs in the area. Formerly a borough, it was given city status in 2002 (along with Newry) as part of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee celebrations. The city is split between County Antrim & County Down, the River Lagan forming the county boundary. Lisburn had a population of 71,465 people in the 2001 Census. Although it has city status, the area covered consists of the town of Lisburn, surrounded by an extensive rural and semi-rural hinterland. The council area includes Hillsborough, Moira, Glenavy, Dunmurry and Drumbo The administrative headquarters are in the town of Lisburn.^[1]
Lisburn is also known as the birthplace of the Irish linen industry, which was established in 1698 by Louis Crommelin and other Huguenots. An exhibition about the Irish linen industry is now housed in the Irish Linen Centre, which can be found in the town’s old Market House in Market Square.
The city is a popular shopping centre, with a wide range of retail outlets both in the Lisburn town centre and in the out-of-town Sprucefield and Sprucefield Park centres. Also in the town centre is the Irish linen centre and Lisburn Museum, which is free to enter and contains displays about the history of the linen industry (which was a key industry in the history of Ulster).^[2]

Contents

Administration

History

People

Demographics

Public Representatives

Education

Transport

Sport

References

See also

External links

Administration

Lisburn is home to many important political, civil and military bodies with associated infrastructure. Including the headquarters of Down Lisburn Trust, one of the largest of Northern Ireland's Health and Social Services trusts, Thiepval Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Fire Brigade headquarters are also located in the town.
In elections for the Westminster Parliament the city falls mainly into the Lagan Valley constituency but partly into West Belfast.

History

Negotiations preceding the American War of Independence between Ben Franklin and Lord Hillsborough took place at Hillsborough.
===The Troubles===
For more information see The Troubles in Lisburn, which includes a list of incidents in Lisburn during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.

People

Sir Richard Wallace made quite an impact on Lisburn. His bequests include the Wallace Park and Wallace High School. In 1872 he donated drinking fountains, known as Wallace fountains, two of which can still be seen near the cricket pitch in Wallace Park, another in front of Lisburn Linen Museum in Bow Street and another in Castle Gardens. Wallace was created baronet in 1871 and was Member of Parliament for Lisburn from 1873 to 1885.

Demographics

Lisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA)and is classified as a Large Town by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 18,000 and 75,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn. Of these:

★ 25.4% were aged under 16 years and 15.6% were aged 60 and over

★ 52.1% were female and 47.9% were male

★ 54.2% were from a Protestant background and 41.7% were from a Catholic background

★ 4.0% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.^[3]

Public Representatives

Lisburn encompasses the Lagan Valley constituency, as well as a small portion of the West Belfast seat

Education

★ Central Primary School ★ Tonagh Primary School ★ Largymore Primary School ★ St Aloysius Primary School ★ Killowen Primary School ★ Ballymacash Primary School ★ Brownlee Primary School ★ Forthill Primary School ★ Harmony Hill Primary School ★ St Joseph's Primary School ★ St Colman's Primary School

★ Old Warren Primary School ★ Knockmore Primary School ★ Pond Park Primary School ★ Friends School ★ Lisnagarvey High School ★ Wallace High School ★ Forthill College Lisburn ★ Laurelhill Community College ★ St Patricks High School ★ Lisburn Institute

Transport

★ Lisburn railway station was opened on 12 August 1839.^[4]

Sport

Lisburn Distillery is a Northern Ireland football club playing in the Irish Premier League. The club, founded in 1879, originated in West Belfast, where it was based at Distillery Street off the Grosvenor Road until 1971. After sharing Skegoneill Avenue (Brantwood FC) and Seaview (Crusaders FC) for some years the club again moved in 1980 to New Grosvenor Stadium, Ballyskeagh, near Dunmurry on the outskirts of the city. The club was known as 'Distillery' until 1999, when it changed its name to 'Lisburn Distillery' in an attempt to associate itself more closely with its adopted borough of Lisburn. Club colour is white. The current manager is Paul Kirk.

References

1. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Sr/sr2002/20020231.htm Office of Public Sector Information]
2. Culture Northern Ireland
3. NI neighbourhood Information Service
4. Lisburn station

See also

★ List of towns in Northern Ireland

★ List of villages in Northern Ireland

★ List of Irish Towns with a Market House

External links

★ lisburn.com

★ Lisburn Market House

★ Lisburn Cricket Club

★ Lisburn Racquets Club

★ BFBS Radio Lisburn

★ St. Patrick's GAA, Lisburn