Carryduff
Encyclopedia
Carryduff is a small town
and townland
in County Down
, Northern Ireland
, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Belfast
city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census
.
Most of the settlement lies within the townland of Carryduff, although part of it extends into the neighbouring townlands of Killynure and Mealough. Local churches built there include Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Carryduff Presbyterian
Church and Saint Ignatius' Church of Ireland
. Carryduff has twice been awarded the Best Kept Small Town by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.
name is written as Carrow-Hugh-Duffe. The original village formed where six roads and a river crossed, and is the site of the ancient Queen's Fort Rath
. The road south from Belfast
(the A24
) climbs out of a gap in the Castlereagh Hills, and splits at Carryduff, one fork (the A7
) continuing to Downpatrick
(via Saintfield
and Crossgar
), the other fork (A24) continuing via Ballynahinch to Newcastle
towards Killkeel. In addition, the road westwards from the Ards Peninsula
, Newtownards
and Comber
(the B178) crosses here en route to Hillsborough
in the west. All six roads cross the small Carryduff River
here (which flows northwards to eventually join the River Lagan
at Minnowburn.
The good road connections (note that Carryduff was never at any time connected to the Irish rail network
) and proximity to Belfast made the town an ideal site for overspill development from the city in the 1960s. This period saw numerous housing developments (swallowing Queen's Fort Rath), the construction of the Town and Country Shopping Centre, and Carryduff Primary School, leading into the 1970s with the building of the Killynure council estate. Ribbon development along one side of the northbound A24 took place adjacent to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic
Church and St. Joseph's Primary School, with the Knockbracken Reservoir on the other side.
The 1980s saw expansion continue, with Carryduff becoming a dormitory satellite town for Belfast commuters. Developments continued into the 1990s and included Carryduff Library, Carryduff Shopping Centre, including shops such as Wellworths (now SuperValu
and Ireland-wide stationery and book shop Eason (previously NPO). Numerous further housing developments have been erected on former green-field sites, as well as the Lough Moss Leisure Centre. These developments saw the Carryduff River placed inside a covered pipe for much of its journey through the town. Another big development of was the Brackenvale petrol station on the Saintfield Road, which has an Indian Restaurant, a McDonalds and a KFC opposite.
Very little green belt
land now remains between Carryduff and the southern border of Belfast, the 1980s having seen the former Matthew Stop Line breached. Carryduff's original raison d'être as a focus of routes on the southern approach to Belfast has led to something of a transport problem, as the road network struggles to cope with commuter traffic, resulting in large amounts of rush hour
congestion
. Urban Citybus
(Metro) routes did not extend out to Carryduff, leaving Ulsterbus
services from Belfast to Downpatrick and Newcastle as the only public transport.
Culturally, as it moved beyond its farming roots in the latter half of the 20th century, Carryduff suffered somewhat from the classic suburban satellite syndrome, being rather devoid of interest in the field of the arts. No cinema, theatres or nightclubs existed in the town.
A few attempts have been made to revive the "community spirit" in Carryduff; some of the more notable ones have been the launch of "Carryduff Focus" - a local business directory with a few articles.
The local Carryduff Gaelic Athletic
Club is based at Pairc Aodha Dhuibh.
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
city centre. It had a population of 6,595 people in the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
.
Most of the settlement lies within the townland of Carryduff, although part of it extends into the neighbouring townlands of Killynure and Mealough. Local churches built there include Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Carryduff Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland , is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in Northern Ireland...
Church and Saint Ignatius' Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
. Carryduff has twice been awarded the Best Kept Small Town by the Northern Ireland Amenity Council.
History
One of the earliest references to the settlement is in 1623, where its anglicisedAnglicisation
Anglicisation, or anglicization , is the process of converting verbal or written elements of any other language into a form that is more comprehensible to an English speaker, or, more generally, of altering something such that it becomes English in form or character.The term most often refers to...
name is written as Carrow-Hugh-Duffe. The original village formed where six roads and a river crossed, and is the site of the ancient Queen's Fort Rath
Ringfort
Ringforts are circular fortified settlements that were mostly built during the Iron Age , although some were built as late as the Early Middle Ages . They are found in Northern Europe, especially in Ireland...
. The road south from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
(the A24
A24 road (Northern Ireland)
The A24 is a major road in Northern Ireland; running from Belfast, through Carryduff and Ballynahinch to Clough, near Newcastle where it meets the A2....
) climbs out of a gap in the Castlereagh Hills, and splits at Carryduff, one fork (the A7
A7 road (Northern Ireland)
In Northern Ireland, the A7 is a major trunk road running some 16 miles from Downpatrick, through Crossgar and Saintfield, to Carryduff...
) continuing to Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
(via Saintfield
Saintfield
Saintfield is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated roughly halfway between Belfast and Downpatrick on the A7 road. It had a population of 2,959 people in the 2001 Census. The village proper is considered predominantly a middle or upper-middle class town and of both Catholic and...
and Crossgar
Crossgar
Crossgar is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about 15 miles south of Belfast – between Saintfield and Downpatrick. Crossgar had a population of 1,539 people in the 2001 Census.- History :...
), the other fork (A24) continuing via Ballynahinch to Newcastle
Newcastle, County Down
Newcastle is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 7,444 people recorded in the 2001 Census. The seaside resort lies on the Irish Sea coast at the base of Slieve Donard, one of the Mourne Mountains, and is known for its sandy beach and the Royal County Down Golf Club...
towards Killkeel. In addition, the road westwards from the Ards Peninsula
Ards Peninsula
The Ards Peninsula is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland which separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea, on Ireland's northeast coast. A number of towns and villages are located on the peninsula, such as the seaside town of Donaghadee, with the surrounding area...
, Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
and Comber
Comber
Comber is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards...
(the B178) crosses here en route to Hillsborough
Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
in the west. All six roads cross the small Carryduff River
Carryduff River
The Carryduff River is a minor river in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is not navigable.The river rises in Killinure townland, in the boggy ground at the northern base of Ouley Hill , and is fed by numerous drainage ditches as it passes through the farmland to the south of the town of Carryduff...
here (which flows northwards to eventually join the River Lagan
River Lagan
The River Lagan is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 40 miles from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The River Lagan forms much of the border between County Antrim and County Down. It rises as a tiny fast...
at Minnowburn.
The good road connections (note that Carryduff was never at any time connected to the Irish rail network
History of rail transport in Ireland
The history of rail transport in Ireland began only a decade later than that of Great Britain. By its peak in 1920, Ireland counted 5,500 route kilometers...
) and proximity to Belfast made the town an ideal site for overspill development from the city in the 1960s. This period saw numerous housing developments (swallowing Queen's Fort Rath), the construction of the Town and Country Shopping Centre, and Carryduff Primary School, leading into the 1970s with the building of the Killynure council estate. Ribbon development along one side of the northbound A24 took place adjacent to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church and St. Joseph's Primary School, with the Knockbracken Reservoir on the other side.
The 1980s saw expansion continue, with Carryduff becoming a dormitory satellite town for Belfast commuters. Developments continued into the 1990s and included Carryduff Library, Carryduff Shopping Centre, including shops such as Wellworths (now SuperValu
SuperValu (Ireland)
SuperValu is a supermarket chain in Ireland and Spain, owned by the Musgraves wholesaler firm. Its headquarters is located in Cork and has stores across the entirety of Ireland.-Company structure:...
and Ireland-wide stationery and book shop Eason (previously NPO). Numerous further housing developments have been erected on former green-field sites, as well as the Lough Moss Leisure Centre. These developments saw the Carryduff River placed inside a covered pipe for much of its journey through the town. Another big development of was the Brackenvale petrol station on the Saintfield Road, which has an Indian Restaurant, a McDonalds and a KFC opposite.
Very little green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
land now remains between Carryduff and the southern border of Belfast, the 1980s having seen the former Matthew Stop Line breached. Carryduff's original raison d'être as a focus of routes on the southern approach to Belfast has led to something of a transport problem, as the road network struggles to cope with commuter traffic, resulting in large amounts of rush hour
Rush hour
A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening, the times during when the most people commute...
congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. Urban Citybus
Citybus
Citybus or City bus may refer to:*A city bus, also known as a commuter bus, transit bus, or public bus*Citybus , a bus operator in the territory of Hong Kong....
(Metro) routes did not extend out to Carryduff, leaving Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink , which also includes Northern Ireland Railways, Metro Belfast and Flexibus.-Services:Ulsterbus is responsible for most of the province-wide bus...
services from Belfast to Downpatrick and Newcastle as the only public transport.
Culturally, as it moved beyond its farming roots in the latter half of the 20th century, Carryduff suffered somewhat from the classic suburban satellite syndrome, being rather devoid of interest in the field of the arts. No cinema, theatres or nightclubs existed in the town.
A few attempts have been made to revive the "community spirit" in Carryduff; some of the more notable ones have been the launch of "Carryduff Focus" - a local business directory with a few articles.
The local Carryduff Gaelic Athletic
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
Club is based at Pairc Aodha Dhuibh.
Demographics
The population of Carryduff on Census day (29 April 2001) was 6595 people. The demographic characteristics of the people living in Carryduff was as follows:- 26.8% were aged under 16 years
- 14.1% were aged 63 and over
- the average age was 34.0 years (NI average age 35.8 years)
- 56.9% of the population were male and 52.1% were female {?}
- 43.95% were from a Catholic Community Background (Combining Carryduff East and Carryduff West)
- 51.85% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' community background (Combining Carryduff East and Carryduff West)
- 8.4% were born outside Northern Ireland
- 1.7% were from an ethnic group other than white
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
See also
- List of villages in Northern Ireland
- List of towns in Northern Ireland