Comber facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about town in Northern Ireland. For the community in Ontario, Canada, see Lakeshore, Ontario. For the fish, see Comber (fish).

Quick facts for kids Comber Scots: Commer Irish: an Comar
Comber
Population	9,071 (2011 Census)
Irish grid reference	45944 69241 J 45944 69241
District	Ards and North Down
County	County Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWTOWNARDS
Postcode district	BT23
Dialling code	028

Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland

EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	Strangford
NI Assembly	Strangford
List of places UK Northern Ireland Down 54°33′01″N 5°44′43″W / 54.550278°N 5.745278°W / 54.550278; -5.745278

Comber (from Irish: An Comar, meaning "the confluence") is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about 5 miles (8 km) south of Newtownards. Comber is located at the northern end of Strangford Lough.

The town is part of the Ards and North Down Borough. Comber is famous for its special Comber Whiskey. This whiskey was last made in 1953. A very famous person from Comber was Thomas Andrews. He designed the RMS Titanic ship and sadly went down with it. In 2011, Comber had a population of 9,071 people.

Discover Comber: A Town in Northern Ireland
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Discover Comber: A Town in Northern Ireland

A Look at Comber's Past

Comber gets its name from two rivers, the Glen River and the Enler River. These rivers meet right here in the town. The name "Comber" means "the confluence," which is where rivers join together.

In the early 1600s, many Scots came to this area. A small settlement started in Comber. It was first located about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of where the town is today. This early settlement was a port for traders and fishermen.

By the 1700s, the town center moved to its current location. Comber became an important place for industry. Many mills were built here.

The Andrews family played a big role in Comber's growth. By the late 1700s, they made Comber a center for making linen and processing grain. Whiskey making also became a major industry in the mid-1800s.

One famous member of the Andrews family was Thomas Andrews. He was the designer of the RMS Titanic. He sadly died when the ship sank in 1912. By 1841, Comber had 1,400 people living there.

In the 20th century, Comber's industries changed. It became a town where people live and travel to work in nearby Belfast. The population grew from 4,000 in 1961 to 8,933 by 2001.

Exploring Comber's Town Center

In Comber's main square, you can see a statue of Major General Rollo Gillespie. He was a local war hero from the 1800s. He was known for his brave actions in India. The statue is 55 feet (16.7 meters) tall. It was unveiled on June 24, 1845. Thousands of people came to see the ceremony.

The square also has a special memorial for those who died on the Titanic. Comber has strong connections to the Titanic story. You can even follow a "Comber Titanic Audio Trail." This trail guides you to places in Comber linked to the ship's history.

The Enler River in Comber has flooded many times in the past. To stop this, a special flood wall was built along the river. This wall has successfully protected the town from floods.

Comber's Local Economy and Food

Comber grew as a market town. It had many small, family-run shops for a long time. Today, the town still has many unique independent stores.

A farmers market is held on the first Thursday of every month. Here, you can buy fresh, local food and plants.

Comber is also famous for its special potato, the Comber Earlies. In 2012, these potatoes got a special EU status. This made them a globally recognized brand. Every June, the town celebrates these potatoes at the Comber Earlies Food Festival.

The town center has also been improved with a £2.4 million project. This project made the town center more attractive for both residents and visitors. It helped create a unique look for Comber.

Understanding Comber's Townlands

Like other parts of Ireland, the Comber area is divided into townlands. These are small land divisions. Their names often come from the Irish language. As the town grew, many roads and housing areas were built on these townlands. Their names are still used today.

Here are some townlands in Comber's urban area:

Ballyaltikilligan
Ballyhenry Minor
Ballymagaughey
Carnasure or Carnesure
Glass Moss

Outdoor Adventures: The Comber Greenway

The The Comber Greenway is a fantastic 7-mile (11 km) path. It's a traffic-free route for cycling and walking. It follows the old railway line that once connected Belfast and Comber.

The Greenway starts in Belfast and ends in Comber. It offers great views of Stormont and Scrabo Tower. This path brings many cyclists to the town, which helps local businesses.

The railway line was used from the 1850s until 1950. After it closed, the tracks were removed. Now, people want to extend the Greenway right into the town center. This would help local businesses even more.

Exploring Nature at Castle Espie

Castle Espie is a special wetland reserve. It's managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). It sits on the banks of Strangford Lough, about 3 miles (5 km) south of Comber.

This reserve is an important place for birds. Many Pale-bellied Brent Geese come here in early winter. The castle that gave the reserve its name no longer exists. Castle Espie opened as a WWT center in 1990. Before that, it was a limestone quarry and had a brickworks.

In 2007, Castle Espie received a large grant of £2.96 million. This money helped restore the wetland habitats. The goal was to attract more types and numbers of waterbirds. A new visitor center was also built.

Getting Around Comber

Comber once had a railway station. It opened in 1850 but closed in 1950. Today, Comber has a good bus system. Buses travel to Belfast and Newtownards often.

In 2003, a new section of the Comber bypass opened. This road helps traffic flow better around the town.

The Comber Greenway also provides a direct cycle route to Belfast. It's a great way to travel without cars.

Schools in Comber

Comber has three local primary schools. One is Comber Primary School. It has about 15 teachers. A famous former student is Northern Ireland footballer Stephen Craigan.

Another primary school is Andrews Memorial Primary School. Part of its buildings include the Andrews Memorial Hall. This hall was built to remember Thomas Andrews, the designer of the RMS Titanic.

The third primary school is St. Mary's Primary School, which is smaller.

After primary school, many students go to Nendrum College in Comber. Others attend Regent House Grammar School in Newtownards.

Comber's Population

On March 27, 2011, there were 9,071 people living in Comber. This was a small increase from 2001.

Here are some facts about the people in Comber:

About 17.66% were under 16 years old.
About 17.59% were 65 years or older.
52.19% of the people were female, and 47.81% were male.
Most people (85.08%) were brought up in a Protestant or other Christian religion.
Many people (77.63%) felt they had a British national identity.
The average age of the population was 42 years.
Some people had knowledge of Ulster-Scots (10.09%) or the Irish language (1.98%).

Famous People from Comber

Comber is known as the birthplace of Thomas Andrews. He was born in 1873 and designed the RMS Titanic. He died when the ship sank in 1912.

John Miller Andrews was Northern Ireland's second Prime Minister. He served from 1940 to 1945. He was born in Comber in 1871. He was a wealthy landowner and flax-spinner.

Sir Robert Rollo Gillespie (1766–1814) was a Major-General. He fought in the West Indies and India. He was killed in battle in India.

Racing driver Jonny Kane was born in Comber in 1973. He won the British Formula Three championship in 1997.

Edmund De Wind was born in Comber. He received the Victoria Cross for his bravery in World War I. He fought bravely until he was fatally wounded in 1918. A housing estate in Comber is named after him.

Former Northern Ireland footballer Stephen Craigan is from Comber. He played 54 times for his country. He went to Comber Primary and Nendrum College.

The jazz singer Ottilie Patterson (1932-2011) was also born in Comber.

Sports in Comber

Comber has a rich history in various sports.

Athletics

The Ballydrain Harrier and Athletic Club started in 1932. It was very successful for many years. After a period of decline, the club has grown quickly again. Members now train and race every week.

Motorsport

The Ards Circuit ran through Comber. It was a famous street circuit for car races from 1928 to 1936. These races were huge events. They often attracted over a quarter of a million people.

Football

One of Comber's proudest sports moments was in 1991. The local football team, Comber Rec., won the Steel and Sons Cup. They beat Brantwood to lift the trophy for the first time.

Cricket

Comber is home to one of Ireland's oldest cricket clubs, North Down Cricket Club. They have played at The Green since 1857. The club has won many championships, including the NCU Challenge Cup a record 30 times.

Hockey

North Down Hockey Club was formed in 1896. It was started by members of the North Down Cricket Club. The club is one of the oldest in Ulster. They won their first two trophies in 1899-1900.

The club's first hockey pitch was at The Green. Today, they play at Comber Leisure Centre. They also use pitches at Glenford Park and Nendrum College.