Groomsport

Infobox Irish Place
name = Groomsport
irish = Port an Ghiolla Ghruama
province = Ulster
county = County Down
map

NI district = North Down Borough
UK constituency = North Down
EU constituency = Northern Ireland
stdcode = +44 2891
web = www.covebay.net
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Groomsport (in Irish: "Port an Ghiolla Ghruama", Port of the gloomy fellow or gloomy servant) is a village two miles north east of Bangor in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the south shore of Belfast Lough and on the north coast of the Ards Peninsula. It had a population of 873 people in the 2001 Census which has risen to 3,000.It is part of the North Down Borough Council region.

Groomsport is a dormitory seaside and holiday village. Originally it was a small fishing village with the focus of development being the harbour and Main Street. Groomsport has developed as a centre for water and shore-based recreation with improved facilities for activities such as sailing and power boating. The Cockle Island Boat Club has its home here in the boat house on the pier.

The village developed beside the natural sheltered harbour, between the shore, Ballymacormick Point and the rocky outcrop known as Cockle Island. The harbour is reputed to be of Viking origin and the beginnings of the small settlement can be traced to the ninth or tenth century. Groomsport remained a fishing village through the Victorian and Edwardian periods until the 1920s. Groomsport still retains the identity and character of a small harbour village with its pier and sheltered anchorage together with its historic street pattern.

History

By the 17th century the village was known as ‘Gilgroomsport’ and at this time, before Donaghadee became the main port for embarkation for Scotland, Groomsport’s harbour was significant enough to have its own Customs House. Indeed, Groomsport narrowly missed out on New World fame when the ship Eagle Wing set out from the port, with 140 men, women and children, to attempt an early trip to North America in 1636 only to be defeated by bad weather after eight weeks at sea.

By the mid 1800s Groomsport had a relatively large fishing fleet and housed a lifeboat station in its sheltered bay. The population of the village was employed mainly in agriculture, fishing and loom weaving. Whilst living conditions were hard, the coming of the railway from Holywood to Bangor in 1865 made the village much more accessible and the standard of living improved. Groomsport had its own halt on the Newtownards to Donaghadee line and the village became a popular destination for visitors.

The population was only 360 in the 1951 Census but this has increased substantially in the last few years with the construction of new housing developments. The harbour has found new popularity, with a sailing club and a collection of pleasure craft. Two former fishermen's cottages by the harbour have been restored as an attraction for visitors.

Groomsport House

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Groomsport House History

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2001 Census

Groomsport is classified as a settlement within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA) by the [http://www.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)] . On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 873 people living in Groomsport. Of these:
*11.7% were aged under 16 years and 41.6% were aged 60 and over
*45.7% of the population were male and 54.3% were female
*7.9% were from a Catholic background and 88.9% were from a Protestant background
*2.6% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed.

For more details see: [http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/ NI Neighbourhood Information Service]
* [http://www.covebay.net/ Official Groomsport Web Site]
*Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015
* [http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=7&to=147&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Culture Northern Ireland]
* [http://www.northdown.gov.uk/template1.asp?parent=130&pid=146&area=2&aNAme=Visitor North Down Borough Council - Groomsport]

See also

*List of villages in Northern Ireland
*List of towns in Northern Ireland