The City of Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, is the focus of this category.
Bangor is situated on the east coast, on the southern side of Belfast Lough. It is about thirteen miles east of the Belfast city centre, and linked to that larger city by the A2 road and the Belfast-Bangor rail line. Holywood and Newtownards are nearby.
Bangor's history dates back to the early Christian era. Saint Comgall is credited with having founded Bangor. After serving as a soldier in his early life, he lived a severe monastic life on an island in Lough Erne, where he practised extreme asceticism. Despite his initial intention to go to Britain, Bishop Lugidius asked him to remain in Ireland to spread monastic life throughout the country. To that end, Comgall founded the monastery at Bangor around 555. The monastery grew, attracting monks, and becoming one of Ireland's largest monastic centers. The city grew alongside the monastery.
The settlement's coastal location made it a target for Viking raids in the 9th and 10th centuries, yet it persisted and grew over the centuries. The construction of the Belfast and County Down Railway, linking Bangor to Belfast, spurred economic progress.
Its early economy was primarily based on monastic activities and agriculture. The establishment of Bangor Abbey played a significant role in shaping the settlement's economy, as the abbey became a center for learning and religious scholarship.
Monastic life involved farming, manuscript production, music, and trade. Resident monks cultivated the land to produce food. They created religious texts and other items that became artifacts.
Additionally, its coastal location facilitated trade and fishing activities. At the same time, its proximity to Belfast allowed for the easy exchange of goods and resources with other coastal communities.
Today, Bangor is a thriving city. Maritime industries remain important, with its marina and related businesses playing significant roles. Tourism is increasingly becoming a vital part of the city as people come to enjoy Bangor's beauty, historical sites, and recreational activities. Coastal walkways, beaches, and local events contribute to the city's tourism sector.
Retail and service industries are other significant factors. Bangor has several shops, cafes, and larger retail chains catering to residents and visitors. Easy access to Belfast allows residents to work in that larger city while enjoying the relative tranquility of a coastal community.
Bangor was able to escape much of the sectarian violence surrounding the period known as "The Troubles." Its coastal location and distance from the more heavily contested areas, such as Belfast and Derry, made it less frequently targeted by paramilitary groups. Although Bangor had a relatively mixed population, with both unionist and nationalist residents, its stable economy helped to reduce the socio-economic factors that contributed to the conflicts elsewhere. Although it wasn't wholly untouched by violence during this time, it escaped much of the violence that affected many other parts of Northern Ireland.
Over the years, Bangor has engulfed several small villages and settlements surrounding it, including Balloo, Ballycroghan, Ballyholme, Ballykillare, Ballymaconnell, Ballymacormich, Ballymagee, Ballyree, Ballyvarnet, Carnalea, Conlig, and Rathgill.
Places of interest in Bangor include the Bangor Marina, Clandeboye Estate, Ward Park, Clandeboye Park, Bangor Abbey, Bangor Carnegie Library, Bangor Castle, Somme Heritage Centre, Bangor Old Custom House, and McKee Clock.
There are several sports options for residents and visitors to Bangor.
In football, NIFL Championship sides Ards and Bangor play at Clandeboye Park. Bangor also has some intermediate clubs, including the Bryansburn Rangers, Bangor Swifts, and Bangor Amateurs, as well as junior football clubs, such as Bangor Young Men, 3rd Bangor Old Boys FC, and Castle Juniors FC.
Bangor has two hockey clubs (Bangor Ladies Hockey Club and Bangor Mens Hockey Club), a Rugby Union club (Bangor RFC), and a softball club (North Down Softball Club) with three competitive teams: the Buccaneers, Barracudas, and Sluggers.
Governmental entities, businesses, industries, museums, libraries, art galleries, schools, places of worship, organisations, attractions, and events in Bangor are appropriate topics for this category.
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Recommended Resources
Archery Spot NI is a premier archery shop in Northern Ireland. Located in Bloomfield Shopping Centre in Bangor, County Down, the company offers a wide range of archery equipment and services, catering to both beginners and experienced archers. The website publishes its address, contacts, and opening hours, along with an online product catalog and a gallery of photographs depicting the shop and its products. Special offers and announcements are also posted on the site.
https://www.archeryspotni.com/
Dedicated to Bangor in Northern Ireland, the website covers a variety of topics, including local development projects, events, attractions, and things to do in Bangor. Its topics include, but are not limited to, the Flagship Centre, the Courthouse Music & Arts Venue, the Royal Quays, the Open House Festival, Document Centre, Pickie Fun Park, Ward Park, Castle Park, Bangor Walled Garden, Town Hall, North Down Museum, and the Premier Inn Hotel. Contacts are included.
https://www.bangorbythesea.com/
An accredited member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists (MBACP accredited), with a Diploma in therapeutic counselling, and a Diploma in counselling children and young people, Debbie Shaw also has a background in paediatrict nursing, and has worked with children for thirty years, including six years as a school counsellor. Working in Bangor, Northern Ireland, her services, pricing, FAQ, and contact data are published on the website.
https://www.dscounsellingni.com/
Hi Performance is a fitness and health service provider based in Bangor, Northern Ireland. It offers a range of services, including one-on-one personal training, small-group personal training, outdoor fitness, online coaching, and speed training. The company's website features and describes each service, along with prices and online booking. The website also publishes a telephone number, email address, and an online contact form, along with social media links.
https://www.hiperformanceni.com/
It's Sometimes Sunny in Bangor
An unofficial tourism website for Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, highlights the assets and features of the seaside city, from the Bangor Marina, McKee Clock, Market Fresh, the Eisenhower Pier, Pickie Fun Park, the North Down Coastal Path, Main Street shopping and other shopping venues, Bangor Castle, Castle Park, the North Down Museum, the Walled Garden, Ward Park, and the restaurants, ice cream shops, and drinking places in Bangor, to places to stay in the city.
https://bangorni.com/
Based in Bangor, Northern Ireland, Solutions for Systems specializes in fire, security, electrical, and satellite and aerial communication systems, offering services for commercial and domestic customers. Formerly known as S4S Group, the company is focused on meeting the customer's needs and regulatory requirements in these systems' design, supply, installation, commissioning, integration, and maintenance. The address, phone number, and an online enquiry form are included.
https://solutionsforsystems.com/
Windmill Guitars is a well-known independent guitar shop in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland. The guitar store offers a large range of new, used, and pre-owned guitars, including brands like Eastman, Ernie Ball, Kithara, and Yamaha. The store also stocks Orange and Blackstar amplifiers and provides guitar setups and repair and restoration services. Its address, service hours, and contact data are provided, and its products are featured in its online product catalog.
https://www.windmillguitars.com/
