Ballygalley
Encyclopedia
Ballygalley or Ballygally is a village
and holiday resort
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
which lies on the Antrim coast, approximately 3 miles north of Larne
. It had a population of 714 in the 2001 Census
.
s and stone axes and is an important Neolithic site.
It is also home to Ballygally Castle
, reputed to be the oldest occupied building in Ireland
and with a reputation for being haunted. It sits in the middle of the village and is currently used as a 4 star hotel. It was built around 1625 for James Shaw of Greenock
and is one of Ireland’s best-preserved Scottish baronial style plantation houses.
Ballygally, despite the shop being demolished in 2008 to build flats, now boasts a brand new two-storey building, funded
thankfully by Big Lottery, Larne Borough Council and NER.
The building consists of a large Spar shop at ground level and a magnificent Community Hall on the first floor. This will be the venue for many social activities in the very near future.
The wonderful views of the Bay can be enjoyed from here and the shop provides a much welcomed return of a meeting place and has restored "the heart of the village". There are usually a few local people gathered for a coffee and a bit of chat to catch up with the news.
The holistic massage and therapy centre has moved from the converted boat-house situated on the beach, to other premises nearby.
The restaurants and pubs such as The Halfway House
and The Meeting House
, are all within walking distance.
Cairndhu Golf Course with its restaurant is also very close.
Ballygalley beach is a popular destination for families, teenagers and toddlers alike during the Summer months especially now the shop can provide wonderful ice cream!! However Ballygally has always attracted visitors who are partial to ice cream, even in winter.
Situated 1–2 miles away is the Carnfunnock Country Park, which offers a cafe, trailer park, a children's park, go-cart racing, clay pigeon shooting
, mini-train rides, bungee runs, mini-golf and nature at its best.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
calcicola from Northern Ireland.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and holiday resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
which lies on the Antrim coast, approximately 3 miles north of Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
. It had a population of 714 in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
History
In the 1990s archaeological excavations were carried out in Ballygalley and remains of a number of Neolithic houses on low ground about 500m from the shore of Ballygalley Bay were discovered. Ballygalley Neolithic site produced a large number of finds, including pottery, worked flintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
s and stone axes and is an important Neolithic site.
Places of interest
Notable features include a sandy beach and the distinct headland of Ballgalley Head.It is also home to Ballygally Castle
Ballygally Castle
Ballygally Castle is in the village of Ballygally, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located approximately three miles north of Larne. The castle overlooks the sea at the head of Ballygally Bay...
, reputed to be the oldest occupied building in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and with a reputation for being haunted. It sits in the middle of the village and is currently used as a 4 star hotel. It was built around 1625 for James Shaw of Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
and is one of Ireland’s best-preserved Scottish baronial style plantation houses.
Ballygally, despite the shop being demolished in 2008 to build flats, now boasts a brand new two-storey building, funded
thankfully by Big Lottery, Larne Borough Council and NER.
The building consists of a large Spar shop at ground level and a magnificent Community Hall on the first floor. This will be the venue for many social activities in the very near future.
The wonderful views of the Bay can be enjoyed from here and the shop provides a much welcomed return of a meeting place and has restored "the heart of the village". There are usually a few local people gathered for a coffee and a bit of chat to catch up with the news.
The holistic massage and therapy centre has moved from the converted boat-house situated on the beach, to other premises nearby.
The restaurants and pubs such as The Halfway House
The Halfway House
The Halfway House is a 1944 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Tom Walls, Mervyn Johns and Glynis Johns. It also features the French actress Françoise Rosay...
and The Meeting House
The Meeting House
The Meeting House is a Canadian church located in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, Ontario. It was founded in 1985 by Craig and Laura Sider, and was originally known as "Upper Oaks Community Church".-History:...
, are all within walking distance.
Cairndhu Golf Course with its restaurant is also very close.
Ballygalley beach is a popular destination for families, teenagers and toddlers alike during the Summer months especially now the shop can provide wonderful ice cream!! However Ballygally has always attracted visitors who are partial to ice cream, even in winter.
Situated 1–2 miles away is the Carnfunnock Country Park, which offers a cafe, trailer park, a children's park, go-cart racing, clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun or any type of firearm....
, mini-train rides, bungee runs, mini-golf and nature at its best.
Demographics
Ballygalley is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 500 and 1,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 714 people living in Ballygalley. Of these:- 21.6% were aged under 16 and 22.1% were aged 60 and over
- 49.0% of the population were male and 51.0% were female;
- 27.9% were from a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
background and 70.5% were from a ProtestantProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
background - 2.3% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Biology
Ballygalley Head was (in 1983) the only recorded location of GelidiellaGelidiella
Gelidiella is a genus of red algae . Worldwide there 22 other species of Gelidiella, mostly tropical and subtropical. Gelidiella and Gelidium are now both united into one order Gelidiales....
calcicola from Northern Ireland.