Warrenpoint (commonly
transcribed into Irish as An
Phointe ('The Point')) is a town in
County Down, Northern Ireland
. It lies on the northern shore of Carlingford
Lough
. The town is alternatively, but not usually,
known in Irish by the name of the
townland
within which it is located:
Rinn Mhic Giolla Rua meaning
"the promontory/point of the red-haired servant". It is known for
its scenic location, the
Maiden of
the Mournes festival, the Blues on the Bay music festival and
the the nearby
Narrow Water
Castle dating from the 1660s.
In the
2001 Census it had
a population of 7,000.
History
What is now Warrenpoint long consisted of a small number of basic
dwellings inhabited by people reliant on fishing for their survival
and sustenance.
Its scenic beauty and coastal location instigated rapid development
so that the population in 1824 was 500 and in 1831 was 1,000. In
1836 there was a school, a court house, a savings bank and a
farming society. In 1846 the population was 683.
Fairs were held once a month and a market every Friday.
In the
mid-19th century, Newry
merchants
obtained a government grant to create a tidal dock at the village,
as prior to 1850 ships of above 150 tonnes could not get further up
the lough than Narrow Water.
A railway connection opened on 9 May 1849, increasing Warrenpoint's
popularity as a holiday destination. and Warrenpoint became popular
as a resort town.
Thousands flocked to the resort every year,
where most took the passenger ferry to Omeath
in County Louth
. The Warrenpoint railway station closed in
January 1965. The Ferry remains in operation but only in the summer
months from May to September.
A bandstand in the town park provided concerts and a swimming pool
was built in 1908. The baths were opened by Captain Roger Hall on
Whit Monday, the 8th of June in that
year, but they are now closed.
Demographics
Warrenpoint is classified as a small town by the
Northern Ireland
Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population
between 4,500 and 10,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001)
there were 7,000 people living in Warrenpoint. Of these:
- 26.7% were aged under 16 years and 16.8% were aged 60 and
over
- 48.3% of the population were male and 51.7% were female
- 90.0% were from a Catholic background
and 8.5% were from a Protestant
background
- 4.3% of people aged 16-74 were unemployed
For more details see:
NI Neighbourhood Information Service
Places of interest
Narrow Water Castle just outside the
town is a three-storey tower house built
in 1560 to protect the entrance to the Newry river
estuary. Across the road is the new Narrow Water Castle
built in 1840.
Carlingford Lough at Dawn.
Today a small passenger ferry service operates out of Warrenpoint
to the village of Omeath in the Irish Republic. The trip takes
about fifteen minutes. Other cruises include trips to Narrow Water
Castle and Bay & Harbour Cruises.
Two small inland lakes , the "Mill Dam" and the "Waterworks" offer
a variety of fishing opportunities. A permit is needed to fish
these lakes, which are located about 1km from the town
centre.
Warrenpoint Promenade was used as a backdrop
for Bundoran
in the film
The Butcher Boy, especially
the exterior of the Star of the Sea Convent and the Edwardian
swimming baths.
Education
People
See also
References
External links
Wikis
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