| Portglenone | |
| Irish: Port Chluain Eoghain | |
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Portglenone shown within Northern Ireland |
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| Population | 1,219 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| District | Ballymena |
| County | County Antrim |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BALLYMENA |
| Postcode district | BT44 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | North Antrim |
| NI Assembly | North Antrim |
| List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Antrim | |
Portglenone (from Irish: Port Chluain Eoghain, meaning "port of Eoghan's meadow")[1] is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 8.5 miles (14 km) west of Ballymena. It had a population of 2,900 in the 2001 Census. Portglenone is beside the smaller village of Glenone (in County Londonderry), from which it is separated by the River Bann.
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In 1197, a castle was built there for Norman invader John de Courcy.
Portglenone Forest Park, just outside the village, is classified as an 'Ancient Woodland', and has well marked nature trails, with the River Bann flowing through the forest. There is also a memorial to the United States servicemen stationed there during World War II. The foundations of their Nissan huts can still be seen throughout the wood.[2]
Portglenone Abbey Church, Our Lady Of Bethlehem Cistercian Monastery, occupies a Georgian mansion (Portglenone House) in the village. In the 1960s a new monastery was built, designed by Padraig Ó Muireadhaigh, which has won several architectural awards.
The Gig 'n the Bann is a local cross-community music and dance festival in Portglenone. It takes its name from the River Bann and has been held every year since 1999. Performers have included Paul McSherry and the former members of Déanta.[3]
Portglenone is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 1,000 and 2,250). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,219 people living in Portglenone. Of these:
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service