| Banbridge | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 'The Cut' in Banbridge | |
  Banbridge Location withinCounty Down | |
| Population | 17,400 (2021 census) |
| • Belfast | 21 mi (34 km) |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BANBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | BT32 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
| |
Banbridge (/bænˈbrɪdʒ/ban-BRIJ)[3] is a town inCounty Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on theRiver Bann and theA1 road and is named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. It is in thecivil parish ofSeapatrick and the historicbarony ofIveagh Upper, Upper Half.[4] The town began as acoaching stop on the road fromBelfast toDublin and thrived fromIrish linen manufacturing. The town was home to the headquarters of the formerBanbridge District Council. Following a reform oflocal government in Northern Ireland in 2015, Banbridge became part ofArmagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. It had a population of 17,400 in the 2021 census.[5]
The town's main street is very unusual, rising to a steep hill before levelling out. In 1834 anunderpass was built as horses with heavy loads would faint before reaching the top of the hill. It was built byWilliam Dargan and is officially named 'Downshire Bridge', though it is often called "The Cut".
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Banbridge, home to the "Star of the County Down", is a relatively young town, first entering recorded history around 1691 during the aftermath of the struggle betweenWilliam III andJames II. An Outlawry Court was set up in the town to deal with the followers of James.[6] The town grew up around the site where the main road fromBelfast toDublin crossed theRiver Bann over an Old Bridge which was situated where the present bridge now stands.
The town owes its success toflax and thelinen industry, becoming the principal linen producing district in Ireland by 1772 with a total of 26 bleachgreens along the Bann. By 1820 the town was the centre of the 'Linen Homelands' and its prominence grew when it became a staging post on the mail coach route between Dublin and Belfast. A gift of £500 from the Marquis of Downshire around this time helped to alleviate some problems with the steepness of the road and paid for significant improvements.[7] This industry has now greatly diminished in prominence, but Banbridge still has three of the major producers in Ulster; Weavers, Thomas Ferguson & Co, and John England Irish Linen.
In 1994, Banbridge was twinned withRuelle-sur-Touvre inNouvelle-Aquitaine,France.
In 1920, Banbridge saw violence related to the ongoingIrish War of Independence andpartition of Ireland. On 17 July, theIrish Republican Army (IRA) assassinated British colonelGerald Smyth inCork. He had ordered police officers to shoot civilians if they did not immediately obey orders. In a 17 June 1920 speech at theListowel, County KerryRoyal Irish Constabulary station Smyth is quoted as saying: "The more you shoot, the better I will like you, and I assure you no policeman will get into trouble for shooting any man."[8] Smyth was from a wealthy Banbridge family, and his large funeral was held there on 21 July. After Smyth's funeral, about 3,000 Protestantloyalists took to the streets of Banbridge and wreaked revenge on the Catholic community. Many Catholic homes and businesses were attacked, burned and looted, despite police being present. A large mob of loyalists, some of them armed, attacked and tried to break into the home of arepublican family. The father fired on the mob, killing Protestant William Sterritt. A localOrange lodge was later named in his honour. Hundreds of Catholic factory workers were also forced from their jobs, and many Catholic families fled Banbridge. Calm was restored after the British Army were deployed in the town.[9] In the summer of 1920 sectarian rioting occurred in several other towns/cities in east Ulster:Belfast,Dromore andNewtownards.[10]
Banbridge had three major bombings duringthe Troubles. On 15 March 1982, aProvisional IRA bomb on Bridge Street killed a schoolboy and injured 36 people.[11][12] On 4 April 1991, another IRA bomb of 1,000 lb of explosives caused widespread damage and injured a police officer outside Banbridge Courthouse.[13] There was also a dissident republican bombing on 1 August 1998 after the signing of theGood Friday Agreement (see1998 Banbridge bombing) when a bomb detonated outside a shoe shop in Newry Street.[14]
Like the rest of Northern Ireland, the Banbridge area is divided intotownlands. Banbridge sprang up in a townland called Ballyvally. Over time, the surrounding townlands have been built upon and they have lent their names to many streets, roads and housing estates. The following townlands are in Banbridge:
On census day (27 March 2011) there were 16,637 people living in Banbridge (6,693 households), accounting for 0.92% of the NI total,[22] representing an increase of 12.8% on the census 2001 population of 14,744.[23] Of these:
On census day (21 March 2021) there were 17,400 people living in Banbridge.[5] Of these:
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Near the town lie the ancientLisnagade Fort,Legannany Dolmen, and theLoughbrickland Crannóg, constructed around the year 500 AD. TheOld Town Hall in Banbridge was completed in 1834.[28]
In the centre of the town of Banbridge, a large 10.5 acre park, Solitude Park, which exists as a community centre. It is an urban park consisting of skateparks, rivers and grassland.
Banbridge is on theA1 main road betweenBelfast andNewry. The nearest railway station isScarva onNorthern Ireland Railways'Belfast–Newry railway line, about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Banbridge.
Banbridge had its own railway station from 1859 until 1956. TheBanbridge, Newry, Dublin and Belfast Junction Railway openedBanbridge (BJR) railway station on 23 March 1859.[41][42] In contrast with its very long name, this was a short branch line between Banbridge and Scarva.[41][42] This was followed by the opening of the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway betweenKnockmore Junction and Banbridge on 13 July 1863,[42] which gave Banbridge a more direct linkviaLisburn withBelfast Great Victoria Street.Banbridge (BJR) railway station was closed in favour of the newBanbridge (BLBR) railway station.
TheGreat Northern Railway took over both companies in 1877[43] and opened a branch line from Banbridge toBallyroney in 1880.[42] In 1906 the GNR opened an extension from Ballyroney toCastlewellan, where it connected with a newBelfast and County Down Railway branch line toNewcastle, County Down.[42]
In 1953 the governments of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic jointly nationalised the GNR as theGNR Board.[44] On 1 May 1955 the GNRB closed Banbridge's lines toScarva and Castlewellan.[45]Banbridge (BLBR) railway station closed on 29 April 1956, when the GNRB closed the line from Knockmore Junction.[45]
TheBanbridge Hockey Club plays at Havelock Park.[46]
Clann Na Banna (Founded 1903) are the local Gaelic Football and Hurling club, with their ground located at Cottage Park, Scarva Road.
Other sports clubs include Banbridge Bowling Club,Banbridge Town F.C. andBanbridge Rangers as well asBanbridge Rugby Club.[47]
This article contains quotations from this source, which is available under theOpen Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
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