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| Jordanstown | |
|---|---|
  Jordanstown Location withinNorthern Ireland | |
| Population | 6,225 (2011 Census) |
| District | |
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTOWNABBEY |
| Postcode district | BT37 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
| |
Jordanstown (Irish:Baile Mhic Shiúrtáin) is atownland (of 964 acres)[1] andelectoral ward inCounty Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is within the urban area ofNewtownabbey and theAntrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is also situated in thecivil parish ofCarnmoney and the historicbarony ofBelfast Lower.[1] It had a population of 6,225 in the 2011 census, with an average age of 40.[2]
Jordanstown includes aUniversity of Ulster campus, a bowling club, a few schools and shops. It also has a beach and seafront park area called Loughshore Park, which hosts various events throughout the year including the three-day Loughshore Festival over the last weekend in August. The park sits on the shore ofBelfast Lough.
The place is named from an Anglo-Norman family called Jordan who accompaniedJohn de Courcy to Carrickfergus in 1182. The surname Jordan is ultimately derived from the river Jordan, the name of which was used as a Christian name by returning crusaders who brought back Jordan water to baptise their children [Bally Jurdon 1604].[3]
Jordanstown was a semi-rural district until the 1950s when it expanded rapidly with the construction of new housing. Middle-class families were attracted to the area due to its location adjacent to Belfast Lough and the railway station, which provides access toBelfast City Centre.
On 4 November 1983, 28-year-olds John Martin and Stephen Fyfe, and 29-year-old William McDonald, all members of theRoyal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), were killed by aProvisional Irish Republican Army time bomb, hidden in the ceiling of a classroom, which exploded during a lecture to RUC members at the Ulster Polytechnic, Jordanstown, now a campus ofUlster University.Nuala O'Loan, in her capacity as a prison independent custody visitor (ICV), who was named Northern Ireland's firstPolice Ombudsman many years later, was injured in the attack, and, pregnant, lost the baby she was carrying at the time.[4][5][6]
On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Jordanstown was 6,225 accounting for 0.34% of the NI total.[2] Of these:
Jordanstown railway station was opened on 1 February 1853.
Churches in Jordanstown include St. Patrick's Church (Church of Ireland)[7] and Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian).[8]
U.U.J. F.C. playassociation football in theNorthern Amateur Football League.
Jordanstown is covered by the university district electoral area of Newtownabbey Borough Council.[12]
LocalMembers of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for the area include:
 | This section needs to beupdated. The reason given is: Doesn't seem to appear as a settlement in 2011 census. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(January 2021) |
Jordanstown is a small settlement within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 5,494 people living in Jordanstown. Of these:
