Ballyclare

Ballyclare (from Irish Bealach Cláir, meaning 'pass of the plain') is a market town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located within the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area, approximately 13 miles (21 km) north-northwest of Belfast. The town had a population of 10,850 according to the 2021 census. It is the principal settlement in the Ballyclare District Electoral Area. It sits on the river Six Mile Water. The town probably owes its origins to its being a crossing point of the river, the strategic importance of which is shown by existence of a small Norman motte on the south side of the river and presently located in the War Memorial Park. The broad main street dates from the 17th century. In the centre of the town is the Market Square with the Town Hall. The town grew in the 19th century with the coming of the railway and it became an important industrial town with a large paper mill in the South West of the town and a large Linen Bleach Green. These factories gave their names to the roads leading to them, the Mill Road and the Green Road, but have been closed for some time. It is now a local service centre with a significant dormitory role in relation to Belfast. It is the main focus within the rural area for shopping, education and recreation. To the north is the remnant of Craig Hill, which once provided a wooded backdrop but is now covered with modern housing. Much of the Craig Hill has been quarried for its basalt.