Ballynure
| Ballynure | |
| County Antrim | |
|---|---|
 Christ Church, Ballynure | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | J320936 |
| Location: | 54°46’22"N, 5°56’58"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Antrim and Newtownabbey |
Ballynure is a village near Ballyclare in County Antrim. It had a recorded population of 677 people at the 2001 census. Its houses are a mixture of older buildings and new estates.
The name of the place is from the Gaelic Baile an Iúir, meaning "Homestead of the yews".[1]
The village was for decades effectively split in two by the A8 main road, which runs from Belfast to Larne. This situation was alleviated in 2015, with the opening of a bypass to the northwest of the village.
A stream called the Ballynure Water runs through the village.
Church
The Church of Ireland parish church is Christ Church, which is one of the old buildings of note in Ballynure. Jonathan Swift, the writer of Gulliver's Travels, was responsible for the Ballynure parish in the Church of Ireland, during his time as prebend of Kilroot.
The 2011 census recorded the village's population as 99.9% Protestant.
Railways
The Ballynure was formerly served by the Ballymena and Larne Railway, a narrow gauge railway.
Ballynure railway station opened on 24 August 1878, but finally closed on 1 October 1930.[2]
Places of interest
The blacksmith's in Ballynure (standing on the corner of The Old Larne Road) was originally a carpenters shop. During the Second World War it was used for storing brushes and after the war the building was used for the slaughter of pigs. When the original plans for the new A8 were to become effective the old blacksmith shop, which sat behind the carpenters shop, was demolished and James (Jim) Barr the blacksmith bought the original carpenters shop. At that time he had been given £50 disturbance money from the roads division. He replaced the roof which had originally been round. The building is still used by Jim's son-in-law as a blacksmith's and agricultural engineer's.
The Ballynure Cemetery is the second oldest cemetery in County Antrim.
Sport
- Football: Ballynure Old Boys F.C.
Events
Ballynure hold two annual fairs, both of which are fairs for the sale of livestock:
- The Yearly Ballynure Fair, begun in 2007, at which cattle are sold;
- May Fair, at which horses are sold
Outside links
References
- ↑ Placenames Database of Ireland
- ↑ "Ballynure station". Railscot - Irish Railways. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070926042407/http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-11.