Larne | |
Scots: Olderfleet | |
Irish: Latharna | |
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![]() ![]() Larne shown within Northern Ireland |
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Population | 18,228 (2001 Census) |
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Irish grid reference | |
District | Larne Borough |
County | County Antrim |
Constituent country | Northern Ireland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | LARNE |
Postcode district | BT40 |
Dialling code | 028 |
Police | Northern Ireland |
Fire | Northern Ireland |
Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
European Parliament | Northern Ireland |
UK Parliament | East Antrim |
NI Assembly | East Antrim |
Website: www.larne.gov.uk | |
List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Antrim |
Larne (from the Irish: Latharna meaning "Lothair-na"—the domain of a Viking chieftain) is a substantial seaport and industrial town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is now mostly used by freight. Larne is twinned with Clover, South Carolina.
Larne is administered by Larne Borough Council. Together with the neighbouring district of Carrickfergus and part of Newtownabbey, it forms the East Antrim constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly.
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During the 18th century many Irish emigrated to America from the port of Larne. A monument in Curran Park commemorates the Friends Goodwill, the first emigrant ship to sail from Larne in May 1717, heading for Boston in the United States. Boston's long standing Irish roots can be traced to Larne. As with western and southern Ireland Larne, unlike some areas of north–east (Antrim, Down, Louth and North Dublin) and eastern Ireland (South Dublin, Wicklow), was hugely affected by the Irish Famine of the mid 19th century.
In 1914, Loyalists opposed to the Home Rule Act 1914 prepared for armed resistance. In an episode known as the Larne Gun Running, German weapons and ammunition were transported into the port of Larne at dead of night, and distributed all over the country.[1]
Larne is classified as a Large Town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)[3] (i.e. with population between 18,000 and 75,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 18,228 people living in Larne. Of these:
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Larne Harbour Police is a small,approximately seven officers [4], specialised police force responsible for policing Larne Harbour. The officers of the force are sworn in as special constables under the Harbours, Docks, and Piers Clauses Act 1847, and are responsible to Larne Harbour Ltd. Jurisdiction of the constables extends to one mile beyond the Harbour Complex.[5]
In memory of a a battle in the town of Musa Qala in Afghanistan in 2006, involving the Royal Irish Regiment, a new regimental march, composed by Chris Attrill and commissioned by Larne Borough Council, was gifted to the regiment on Saturday 1st November 2008 in Larne, during an event in which the regiment was also presented with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. This gave the regiment the right to march through the towns of the borough with 'flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed'. The march was named Musa Qala. [6]
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