Gawley's Gate
Encyclopedia
Gawley's Gate is a small village
in County Antrim
, Northern Ireland
. It is situated on the south-eastern shore of Lough Neagh
, seven miles to the north of Lurgan
and ten miles west of Lisburn. It is notable mainly for Gawley's Gate Inn which attracts patrons from the outlying townlands. It also has a jetty and picnic area which is popular amongst many boating enthusiasts on the Lough.http://www.btinternet.com/~donrayofhopeunesco/myweb29/gawleys_gate_quay.htm It consists of merely half a dozen houses in close proximity; however, it is a focal point for much of the countryside on the shore of Lough Neagh from Glenavy
to Lurgan. The rural location means that much of the community is involved in farming in some capacity. The landscape is quite wet with marshland and dense woods giving way to cleared hillocks or 'islands' where settlements have developed. It also a popular destination with wildfowlers and birdwatchers due to the habitat which exists particularly around the RSPB sanctuary at nearby Portmore Lough
.http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/p/portmorelough/
The name "Gawley's Gate" is attributed to the family that controlled the toll gate when this section of the road was first constructed in the 17th Century. In Irish, it is known as Geata Mhic Amhlaí.
The quay and picnic area at Gawley's Gate was constructed with funding from the European Peace Programme and was opened by the First Minister David Trimble and Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers on 7th May 2007.
There has been ongoing residential development in the area in recent years with three separate developments being constructed: Loughview, Bayview and James Lodge. In total these three developments would have about 100 houses. Until recently there was a small shop, a post office and a petrol station beside the Gate Inn. However the Post Office closed in the late 90s and the shop closed shortly afterwards.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, 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...
. It is situated on the south-eastern shore of Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
, seven miles to the north of Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
and ten miles west of Lisburn. It is notable mainly for Gawley's Gate Inn which attracts patrons from the outlying townlands. It also has a jetty and picnic area which is popular amongst many boating enthusiasts on the Lough.http://www.btinternet.com/~donrayofhopeunesco/myweb29/gawleys_gate_quay.htm It consists of merely half a dozen houses in close proximity; however, it is a focal point for much of the countryside on the shore of Lough Neagh from Glenavy
Glenavy
Glenavy is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, 17 kilometres north west of Lisburn on the banks of the Glenavy River. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,069 people. In early documents it was known as Lenavy.-Demographics:...
to Lurgan. The rural location means that much of the community is involved in farming in some capacity. The landscape is quite wet with marshland and dense woods giving way to cleared hillocks or 'islands' where settlements have developed. It also a popular destination with wildfowlers and birdwatchers due to the habitat which exists particularly around the RSPB sanctuary at nearby Portmore Lough
Portmore Lough
Portmore Lough is a small lake in southwest County Antrim, Northern Ireland that drains water into nearby Lough Neagh. It is roughly circular and covers an area of 286 hectares...
.http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/p/portmorelough/
The name "Gawley's Gate" is attributed to the family that controlled the toll gate when this section of the road was first constructed in the 17th Century. In Irish, it is known as Geata Mhic Amhlaí.
The quay and picnic area at Gawley's Gate was constructed with funding from the European Peace Programme and was opened by the First Minister David Trimble and Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers on 7th May 2007.
There has been ongoing residential development in the area in recent years with three separate developments being constructed: Loughview, Bayview and James Lodge. In total these three developments would have about 100 houses. Until recently there was a small shop, a post office and a petrol station beside the Gate Inn. However the Post Office closed in the late 90s and the shop closed shortly afterwards.