Drumaness

Drumaness (formerly Drumanessy; from Irish: Druim an Easa, meaning "ridge of the waterfall")^[1] is a village and townland in the Down District Council area of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is 5 kilometres south of Ballynahinch, beside the main A24 Belfast to Newcastle road. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,280 people.

Demography

The population of Drumaness on Census day (29 April 2001) was 1280 people. The demographic characteristics of the people living in Drumaness was as follows:

• 30.4% were aged under 16 years;
• 11.1% were aged 60 and over; the average age was 30.7 years (NI average age 35.8 years);
• 47.7% of the population were male and 52.3% were female;
• 91.7% were from a Catholic Community Background;
• 7.4% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' Community Background
• 6.3% were born outside Northern Ireland; and
• 0.5% were from an ethnic group other than white.

History and development

Drumaness developed as a mill village in 1850, with the opening of a spinning mill on the banks of the River Cumber. The village lost its employment role in 1968 following the closure of the mill and today it is largely a commuter settlement. It contains a limited range of services and shops. Drumaness Primary School and the Church of Christ the King are situated on the Drumsnade Road on the opposite side of the Newcastle Road, approximately 0.5 kilometres south west of the village.

Drumaness in the early 1900s showing the Dan Rice Hall

The centre of the village has a distinctive appearance with listed terraces of mill buildings, alleyways, courtyards and a millpond. The Dan Rice Memorial Hall, now used as a community centre, is a listed building.

A recent application for the opening of a pharmacy in Drumaness has been curtailed due to opposition by several competing pharmacies in Ballynahnich, who believe that the addition of a such a public service in a village 3 miles away would constitute unfair competition.

Sport

Drumaness is in the Parish of Magheradroll. There is evidence of Gaelic football being played in the parish as far back as 1889 when a club was in existence in Glassdrummond, on the Belfast side of Ballynahinch. A club was formed in Ballynahinch in 1935 and continued until it moved to Drumaness in February 1957, where it has remained ever since.

Drumaness Mills F.C. are a the local soccer club playing in the NAFL Premier Division of the Northern Amateur Football League.

Drumaness Cricket Club plays in the NCU Senior League.

Churches

Drumaness has a Catholic chapel called "Christ the King".

Schools

Drumaness has one school called "Drumaness Primary".

Drumaness has a Primanry School called 'Christ The King'.

People

• Amanda McKittrick Ros, the writer, was born in Drumaness (b. 1860 - d. 1939).

References

1. ^ Placenames NI

• Draft Ards and Down Area Plan 2015
• Culture Northern Ireland

Coordinates: 54°22′19″N 5°51′21″W / 54.37194°N 5.85583°W / 54.37194; -5.85583