Dunmurry

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Dunmurry (from the Irish: Dun-Muireadhaigh meaning "Murray's fort") is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland situated between the cities of Belfast and Lisburn. The village has in recent years grown enormously as private and public housing estates have been built. The population is now equal to that of a town and Dunmurry has its own shops, schools, churches and other modern amenities.

1 History
2 Facts
3 Features
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

In 1817 work was commenced on a new road from Finaghy to Dunmurry and, with this connecting link, an alternative route to Belfast was in due course provided. Prior to this the old road via Lambeg had been the main thoroughfare.

[edit] Facts

The area known as Dunmurry covers a much greater area than just Dunmurry village. It encompasses the areas of Poleglass, Twinbrook, Lagmore, Upper Dunmurry Lane, Derriaghy, Dunmurry, Seymour Hill, Ballyskeagh, Drumbeg and Edenderry including a large area of public housing to the east of Lisburn district and the west of Belfast. The sector also takes in major industrial estates at Dunmurry and Seymour Hill. Therefore, depending on where they live, Dunmurry people see themselves part of South Belfast, West Belfast or even Lisburn. Dunmurry's post code is BT17.

Politically, Dunmurry falls into the Lisburn district council ward of Dunmurry Cross District Electoral Area. This is composed of Dunmurry, Seymour Hill, Derriaghy, Collin Glen, Kilwee, Poleglass and Twinbrook.

However for Northern Ireland Assembly, Westminster and European Elections these are split differently. Currently four of these seven (Collin Glen, Kilwee, Poleglass and Twinbrook) are categorised as West Belfast with the other three (Dunmurry, Seymour Hill, and Derriaghy) categorised as Lagan Valley.

This will change within the next two years as the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland has announced that part of the Lagan Valley ward of Dunmurry, including Lagmore, will be transferred to West Belfast. However, Seymour Hill, Conway and Derriaghy will remain within Lagan Valley. In effect, the area west of the railway line in Dunmurry, including Blacks Road and Areema will transfer to West Belfast. Whereas the opposite side of the village and the village itself, which is part of the Seymour Hill Ward will remain within Lagan Valley. These revised recommendations for new parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland will also be used in any future Assembly elections. This means Dunmurry village will be under Lagan valley but less than a mile in one direction is the ward of South Belfast and in the other direction a mile away is the ward of Belfast West

Therefore, as things stand, Dunmurry village is currently represented in parliament by Jeffrey Donaldson MP (elected as Ulster Unionist Party in 2003, now Democratic Unionist Party) as part of the Lagan Valley electoral constinuency.

[edit] Features

Backed by the Colin Mountain, with its famous Colin Glen, Dunmurry is flanked by the River Lagan which, although canalised, still retains the atmosphere of a quiet rural waterway. All around Dunmurry's housing estates are the pleasant open landscapes which include the golf course, the Antrim Hills, Moss Side and the Lagan Valley. There are also extensive playing fields in and around Dunmurry.

Dunmurry has its own Golf Club, originally located in Upper Dunmurry Lane, the course was designed and laid by GS Dunn of Newcastle, County Down, in 1805. The course was extended to 14 holes in 1973 and then to 18 holes in 1977. After road improvements were carried out in the area, the club moved to a new course in Dunmurry lane approximately 1 mile away from the previous course. The new clubhouse facilities and course offer some of the best parkland golf in Northern Ireland.

Dunmurry is home to Belfast Bible College, one of five Queens University constituent Colleges recognised to teach Undergraduate and Postgraduate (Certificate, Diploma and part time) courses in Theology. It does not belong to any single denomination but is a community drawn from 20 different denominations and over 30 different countries. There are currently about 120 full-time students, one third of which are following degree pathways.

Close to Dunmurry is the smaller village of Derriaghy, an attractive place, whose parish church is of interest. The church registers here date from 1696, unusually old for Ulster.

Dunmurry's claim to fame is the De Lorean which was manufactured in Dunmurry by the De Lorean Motor Company from 1981 through 1982. At least 8,500 DMC-12s were made before production ended in 1982, and as of 2006, 6,000 are estimated to still exist. It was famously featured in the Back to the Future trilogy.