Ballykinler

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Ballykinlar
Irish: Baile Choinnleora

Population 348
(2001 Census)
District Down District
County County Down
Constituent country Northern Ireland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town NEWCASTLE
Postcode district BT33
Dialling code 028
Police Northern Ireland
Fire Northern Ireland
Ambulance Northern Ireland
European Parliament Northern Ireland
List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Down

Ballykinlar [1] (sometimes known as Ballykinler) is a village in the parish of Drumaroad, [2]County Down, Northern Ireland, 12 kilometres south west of Downpatrick. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 348 people.[3] It is situated in the Down District Council area.

It is a linear settlement running parallel to the Irish Sea coast and bordered by an army camp to the west and south west. It is a residential village with a high level of community facilities and a good bus service.The village is within the Lecale Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The surrounding landscape consists of low drumlins and marshes.

Contents

[edit] Places of interest

  • Ballykinlar is the site of a major British Army base. The Four Roads Inn is a popular pub/bar in Ballykinlar and has live music performances from unsigned bands such as Failed Legacy and Seven Sorts Of Trouble. Ballykinlar is known as a place of great natural beauty and many walkers and hikers who wish to observe the coastline of County Down undertake the convenient Ballykinlar to Killough walk [1] which passes the stunning Blue Flag beach at Tyrella. [2]

[edit] Internment at Ballykinlar

The sprawling site of the army base was pressed into service during the Anglo-Irish War in 1919 [3] (referred to as the War of Independence in the Republic of Ireland[4]) as an internment camp. After partition in Ireland the new Northern Ireland government continued to use the base for internment.[5] There appear to have been attempts by those incarcerated to maintain a normal social structure within the confines of the camp and evidence exists of an orchestra [6] and some examples of typical prisoner art are still available for viewing in museum collections in Ireland, including examples of humorous cartoons [7] [8]. A former IRA prisoner, Louis J Walsh, published a book in 1921 about his experiences in various institutions in Northern Ireland including a chapter about his time in Ballykinlar Camp which describes, amongst other things, having to march for three miles, handcuffed and carrying luggage, only to be placed in bare huts with nothing to sleep in except damp straw. [9] He continues in a second chapter to describe how the prisoners set up their own "Council" which then began to negotiate with the military authorities for better food and conditions within the camp. "The camp regime was notoriously brutal - prisoners were shot dead for minor infractions, such as standing too close to the barbed wire fence that kept them penned in (the camp magazine was titled Barbed Wire." [10] After peace was declared in 1921 the internees were released but it does appear that their ordeal did not necessarily end after leaving as evidence exists that a train carrying released prisoners from Ballykinlar was attacked at Thurles, Co Tipperary injuring three Sinn Fein passengers and several members of the crowd. [11]

Some evidence would also suggest that prisoners were interrogated at Ballykinlar in the early 1970s during the Northern Ireland Troubles [12]

[edit] Military Uses

In World War One the 36th Ulster Division formed from the Ulster Volunteers did much of its training at Ballykinlar.[4] A journalist of the time waxed lyrical about the location describing it as a "camp situated in the centre of picturesque country, with the mountains of Mourne forming an imposing background. On the edge of the camping ground, and within easy walking distance of the tents, is an arm of Dundrum Bay, and here the men will have swimming and bathing drills. Within sight of the camp is the beautifully situated demesne of Tyrella."

In World War Two the camp continued to be a military training establishment and the North Irish Horse record moving there to take over Valentine Tanks and convert to an armoured regiment. [13] Troops from the United States of America, including those from the 1st Armored Division[14] also trained at Ballykinlar. [15]

As peace has returned to Northern Ireland the British troops based there were withdrawn from the streets with the ending of Operation Banner and are now Garrison troops. In 2008 it was announced that the Battalion of the 2nd Rifles based at Ballykinlar would be deployed to Kosovo to "combat fresh violence between ethnic Albanians and minority Serbs." [16]

  • Sandes Home. The civilian charity which provides leisure and restaurant facilities in some bases has had a presence at Ballykinlar Camp for over 100 years. In 1974 the premises at Ballykinlar were destroyed by a terrorist bomb but the building was subsequently rebuilt and continues to offer services. [17].

[edit] Transport

Ballykinlar Halt railway station was opened in March 1915, but was finally closed on 16 January 1950.[5]

A regular bus service runs between the Downpatrick & County Down Railway station in Downpatrick [18].

[edit] Sport

Ballykinlar has three sports pitches, including two excellent changing facilities. It also has many successful football teams, U13's, U15's, U17's and a second and first team.

Ballykinlar also has a Gaelic Football team called Baile Choinnleora (which is Irish for Ballykinlar), founded in 1932.[19][20]

[edit] Lottery Award

The tiny village was selected for an award from the Big Lottery Fund of £128,472 to provide a new children's playgroup area. [21]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Ballykinlar United Kingdom Homepage | Ballykinlar UK News, Ballykinlar UK Weather, Ballykinlar Gossip and Free Ballykinlar Classifieds
  2. ^ http://www.drumaroadhistory.com/priests.html
  3. ^ NI Neighbourhood Information System
  4. ^ www.downcountymuseum.com/uploads/2002_OrrVolunteersBallykinlerCamp.doc
  5. ^ Ballykinlar Halt. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Coordinates: 54°15′N, 5°48′W