Lisburn Totally Explained

Everything about Lisburn totally explained

Not to be confused with the Portuguese capital Lisbon 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, Dromara, Glenavy, Dunmurry and Drumbo The administrative headquarters are in the town of Lisburn.
   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).
   Lisburn is one of the three constituent cities that makes up the Dublin-Belfast corridor region which has a population of just under 3 million.

Administration

Lisburn is home to many important political, civil and military bodies with associated infrastructure. Including Thiepval Barracks, the headquarters of the British Army in Northern Ireland and the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade 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

Lisburn was originally known as Lisnagarvey (an Anglicisation of Lios na gCearrbhach).
   Negotiations preceding the American War of Independence between Ben Franklin and Lord Hillsborough took place at Hillsborough.
   Lisburn's original site was located on what is now known as Hill Street Estate, on a hill above the River Lagan. There was also a fort located at the north side of what is now known as Wallace Park. In 1611 James I granted Sir Fulke Conway the lands of Killultagh in south west County Antrim. During the 1620s the original streets of Lisburn as we know it today were laid out, Market Square, Bridge Street, Castle Street and Bow Street. Sir Fulke Conway brought over many English and Welsh settlers during the Ulster Plantation. He built a manor house on what is now Castle Gardens and in 1623 he built a church on the site of the current cathedral. The Manor House was destroyed in the accidental fire of 1707 and was never rebuilt, a plaque in the Linen Museum marks the inferno. After the fire, Lisnagarvey was renamed Lisburn.
   Lisburn is one of the constituent cities that makes up the Dublin-Belfast corridor region which has a population of just under 3 million.

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.

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

Laurelhill Community College

St. Patrick's High School

Lisburn Institute (further education college)

Churches

Lisburn Baptist Church

(located on Longstone Street). Sunday services 11.30am & 6.30pm.

Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church

is located in Lambeg.

Lisburn Reformed Presbyterian Church

located on the Nettlehill Road.

Transport

Lisburn railway station was opened on 12 August 1839.

The city is served by a variety of bus routes to Belfast city centre via the Lisburn Road (523/4/5) and also the Falls Road (530/1/2). There are also routes passing through the city heading for Banbridge/Newry (service 38) and Craigavon (service 51).

The city has a vast network of local buses, serving the local housing developments and amenities.

Most buses leave from Smithfield (External Link

), except services to Belfast, which depart at the Linen Centre, some away. A new bus station is under construction, beside Christ Church at corner of Smithfield Street and the Hillsborough Road.

Communications

The local area code, like the rest of Northern Ireland is 028. However all local 8-digit subscriber numbers commence with 92xx-xxxx. Before the Big Number Change in 2000, the STD code for Lisburn and its surrounding area was 01846.

Sport

Lisburn Distillery is 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 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. The club's colours are all white, and the current manager is Paul Kirk.

Lisburn Basketball Club

Lisburn Cricket Club

Lisburn Racquets ClubFurther Information

Get more info on 'Lisburn'.

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