Carryduff

Carryduff
County Down
Location
Location:	54°30’32"N, 5°52’19"W
Data
Population:	6,595  (2001)
Post town:	Belfast
Postcode:	BT8
Dialling code:	028
Local Government
Council:	Lisburn and Castlereagh
Parliamentary constituency:	Belfast South

Carryduff is a small town and townland in County Down, about 6 miles south of Belfast city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 census.

Most of the settlement lies within the townland of Carryduff, although part of it extends into the neighbouring townlands of Killynure and Mealough. Local churches built there include Saint Ignatius' Church of Ireland, Carryduff Presbyterian Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church. Carryduff has twice been awarded the Best Kept Small Town by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.

The name "Carryduff" is form the Gaelic Ceathrú Aodha Dhuibh, meaing Black Hugh's quarter.

History

One of the earliest references to the settlement is in 1623, where its name is written as Carrow-Hugh-Duffe. The original village formed where six roads and a river crossed, and is the site of the ancient Queen's Fort Rath. The road south from Belfast (the A24) climbs out of a gap in the Castlereagh Hills, and splits at Carryduff, one fork (the A7) continuing to Downpatrick (by way of Saintfield and Crossgar), the other fork (A24) continuing by Ballynahinch to Newcastle towards Killkeel. In addition, the road westwards from the Ards Peninsula, Newtownards and Comber (the B178) crosses here en route to Hillsborough in the west. All six roads cross the small Carryduff River here (which flows northwards to eventually join the River Lagan at Minnowburn.

The good road connections (note that Carryduff was never at any time connected to the rail network) and proximity to Belfast made the town an ideal site for overspill development from the city in the 1960s. This period saw numerous housing developments (swallowing Queen's Fort Rath), the construction of the Town and Country Shopping Centre, and Carryduff Primary School, leading into the 1970s with the building of the Killynure council estate. Ribbon development along one side of the northbound A24 took place adjacent too.

Carryduff Library

The 1980s saw expansion continue, with Carryduff becoming a dormitory satellite town for Belfast commuters. Developments continued into the 1990s and included Carryduff Library, Carryduff Shopping Centre. Numerous further housing developments have been erected on former green-field sites, as well as the Lough Moss Leisure Centre. These developments saw the Carryduff River placed inside a covered pipe for much of its journey through the town.

Very little green belt land now remains between Carryduff and the southern border of Belfast, the 1980s having seen the former Matthew Stop Line breached. Carryduff's original raison d'être as a focus of routes on the southern approach to Belfast has led to something of a transport problem, as the road network struggles to cope with commuter traffic, resulting in large amounts of rush hour congestion.

Culturally, as it moved beyond its farming roots in the latter half of the 20th century, Carryduff suffered somewhat from the classic suburban satellite syndrome, being rather devoid of interest in the field of the arts. No cinema, theatres or nightclubs existed in the town.

Society

A few attempts have been made to revive the "community spirit" in Carryduff; some of the more notable ones have been the launch of "Carryduff Focus" - a local business directory with a few articles.

• Football (all playing from Lough Moss pitches in the town):
  • Carryduff FC
  • Carryduff Colts FC
  • Carryduff Athletic FC
• Gaelic sports: Carryduff Gaelic Athletic Club

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Carryduff)

References

• Culture Northern Ireland