Greenisland

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For places called Green Island, see Green Island
Greenisland
Inis Glas
Location
Location of Greenisland
centerMap highlighting Greenisland
Statistics
Province: Ulster
County: County Antrim
District: Carrickfergus Borough
UK Parliament: East Antrim
European Parliament: Northern Ireland
Dialling code: 028, +44 28
Post town: Carrickfergus
Postal district(s): BT38
Population (2001) 5,050

Greenisland is a suburb in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and lies 3miles to the south west of Carrickfergus, 1mile north east of Jordanstown and its University of Ulster campus and lies 7miles east of Belfast City.

Greenisland is a semi-rural community overlooked by the hill behind upon which stands Greenisland Knockagh Monument (a war memorial to those who died in the first and second world wars). The village stretches down from the foot of the hill to the shores of Belfast Lough.

There are direct rail links to Belfast, Carrickfergus and Larne and there is also a regular bus service to Belfast and Carrickfergus.

In 2001 the population of the Greenisland was 5,048, a fall from the 1972 figure of 5,638. Greenisland is a popular residential location due to its attractive setting on the Lough Shore and its proximity to Belfast. It is a dormitory commuter settlement for Belfast, with a small focus of local retail activity in the small shopping parade at Glassillan Court complemented by a number of local shops dispersed throughout the settlement.


Contents

[edit] Shops & Services

Greenisland has a number of shops and services which include: a number of grocery shops and newsagents; a petrol filling station; a butcher's shop; 2 hair salons and a barber shop; a dental practice; a chemist; a number of fast food outlets; a hotel and restaurant (Knockagh Lodge); a number of car sales and mechanic's garages; a driving school; a computer store and 2 children's nurseries.

The area is also served by the local Greenisland Library; a Community Centre; a Youth Centre and a Scout Hall.

[edit] Churches

Greenisland is home to a number of churches including:

[edit] Sports Clubs

[edit] Local Schools & Education

[edit] Transport

[edit] Local Media

[edit] Local Hotels and B&B's

[edit] Property

[edit] History

  • Castle Lugg (owned by the National Trust) On an area of ground raised above the shoreline of Belfast Lough, with excellent views. The tower was described in the OS memoirs as "a square tower... nothing now remains but a portion of the N wall 27ft long & 25ft high - with a very small portion of the E side attached to it...There is no tradition or local record to throw any light on the origin, history or destruction of this castle". A small excavation was carried out at the site in 1980, but failed to establish a precise date of layout of the structure; documentary evidence suggest it existed by 1570. It is still much as it was when described in 1839, with the remains of the N wall, 8m long x 1.2m thick x c.5m high & a fragment of the E wall surviving at the NE corner. Two modern walls extend S from the E & W sides of the N wall & formed part of a forge.
  • Knockagh Monument
    Greenisland Knockagh Monument
    Greenisland Knockagh Monument
  • The settlement of Greenisland developed rapidly after the introduction of the rail network in the nineteenth century. Its position was at an important railway junction on the Belfast to Ballymena railway line contributed to significant public and private house building rates during the 1960’s.
  • More local History can be found at Greenisland Library where a book has been published on the History of Greenisland.

[edit] Local Councillors

Your local councillors are trusted servants, whose role is to act for the betterment of the Borough as a whole, and for that of its residents. Greenisland is covered by the Knockagh Monument Constituency.

[edit] Local MP's

[edit] 2001 Census

Greenisland is a small settlement within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 5,050 people living in Greenisland. Of these:

  • 21.6% were aged under 16 years and 22.1% were aged 60 and over
  • 47.5% of the population were male and 52.6% were female
  • 9.6% were from a Catholic background and 84.3% were from a Protestant background.
  • 3.34% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Methodist Church Ireland Website.
  2. ^ Church of the Nazarene UK Website.
  3. ^ Greenisland station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
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