Crumlin, County Antrim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crumlin
|
|
|---|---|
 Main Street |
|
 |
|
| Population | 5,366 (2021 census) |
| District |
|
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CRUMLIN |
| Postcode district | BT29 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament |
|
| NI Assembly |
|
Crumlin (from Irish: Cromghlinn, meaning "crooked glen") is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is about 20 miles (32 km) west of Belfast city centre. The village is also close to Belfast International Airport, only 3 miles (4.6 km) away. Crumlin is part of the Antrim and Newtownabbey area. In 2021, about 5,366 people lived there.
The village covers an area of 1.28 square kilometres (0.5 square miles). The Crumlin River, also called the Camlin River, flows through the village. It starts in the Divis Mountain and ends in Lough Neagh.
Contents
A Look at Crumlin's Past
People have lived in Crumlin for a very long time. Records show a settlement here as far back as 1306. At that time, there was a church called "The Church of Camelyn." This name came from the "crooked stream" that flows through the area. The church was used until 1661. However, it was destroyed by the army of King James II in 1689. After this, local people went to Glenavy Parish Church instead.
In 1808, a survey found that 430 people lived in Crumlin. The village had a school and a post office. Most people worked in linen weaving or as labourers. By 1849, Crumlin had its own special area for elections. The village's old linen mill was built in 1809.
A stone clock tower stands at the top of the village. It was built in 1897 to remember a member of the Pakenham family. They were important landowners in the area. The tower is near the old railway station.
The Crumlin Meteorite
Something very exciting happened near Crumlin on September 13, 1902. A meteorite, called the Crumlin meteorite, landed there! When it entered Earth's atmosphere, it was moving super fast, at 30,000 miles per hour. The loud "sonic boom" it made could be heard up to 10 miles away. Local people heard strange noises. Some thought it sounded like a train coming off its tracks. Others said it was like a boiler exploding at the nearby mill. Some even thought it was a swarm of bees!
The meteorite landed on Andrew Walker's farm. It was soon bought and taken to the Natural History Museum in London. In February 2023, it was loaned to the Ulster Museum in Belfast for three years. This means it came back to Northern Ireland for a visit!
Crumlin is close to Belfast, which has helped it become a place for businesses. Big companies like Randox Laboratories and Lidl have their main offices for Northern Ireland here.
Learning and Education
Crumlin has several schools for young people:
- Crumlin Integrated College
- St. Joseph's Primary School
- Crumlin Integrated Primary
- Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach
- Naíscoil Ghleann Darach
- Sleepy Hollow Day Nursery
Irish Language Learning
In recent years, more and more people in Crumlin are speaking Irish. Now, Crumlin offers education in Irish for both pre-school and primary school children. Naíscoil and Gaelscoil Ghleann Darach is an Irish-speaking school. It has almost 70 children in the primary school and nearly 30 in the nursery. The school has 15 staff members. The Department of Education officially recognises the Gaelscoil (primary school).
Two volunteer groups, Cumann Gaeilge and Cairde Ghleann Darach, help support the school. They also work to promote the Irish language in the area. These groups help raise money for local schools and clubs. They also organise Irish language classes, a fun Irish language day each year, and other events. These include a céilí (a traditional Irish dance event) and a pub quiz that uses both English and Irish.
Sports and Activities
Crumlin has many sports clubs and activities for everyone.
Football
Crumlin United F.C offers association football (soccer) for over 300 players. This includes men, women, boys, and girls, from under-6 teams to senior level. The club has about 400 members in total. Crumlin United owns a large 9-acre ground. It has grass playing fields and a full-size artificial turf pitch. In 2018, the team joined the County Antrim Senior Shield. This brought competitive senior football to Crumlin village for the first time ever.
Gaelic Games
St James' Aldergrove GAC is a well-known Gaelic Athletic Association club. It has 13 teams, including men's and ladies' football. They also have many teams for younger players. The club has over 300 players and about 500 members. The club provides organised Gaelic football for boys and girls. They also hold social and cultural events. In 2012, the senior men's team moved up to Division 1 for the first time. They stayed there until 2017. In 2019, they won the Antrim Intermediate Championship. This was their first win since 1977. They then represented Antrim in the Ulster Intermediate Championship.
Other Sports
The Crumlin River is a great place for fishing. You can catch salmon and dollaghan there. Crumlin Leisure Centre also offers Community Netball and martial arts classes.
Community Life
Crumlin has a mix of different communities. In the past, Orange Order parades happened without any problems. In July, the main street is decorated with an Orange Arch. This arch displays flags that show support for the United Kingdom.
In 2012, a big celebration called The Twelfth was held in Crumlin. This was the first time in 12 years it had been held there. The march was larger than previous parades, with more bands and people taking part. There was some worry before the march. The Parades Commission (a group that decides on parades) seemed to agree with residents who were against the parade. They felt they were not given enough notice about how big it would be.
However, talks were held between the residents and the parade organisers. Because of these talks, the parade happened peacefully. This agreement was seen as a success. It was also thought to be a possible way to handle other parades that might cause disagreements.
Crumlin's People
2021 Census Information
On March 21, 2021, the census showed that Crumlin had 5,366 people.
- About 80.0% of people were from a Catholic background.
- About 13.6% were from a Protestant or other Christian background.
- 63.7% said they were Irish.
- 17.4% said they were British.
- 25.0% said they were Northern Irish.
Crumlin has several churches. These include Presbyterian, Church of Ireland, Evangelical Presbyterian, and Non-Subscribing churches. Catholic Mass is held regularly at St Joseph's Primary School.
Getting Around Crumlin
The Crumlin railway station first opened on November 13, 1871. However, it is now closed.
Translink runs an Ulsterbus service from Crumlin. These buses can take you to Lisburn, Antrim, Belfast International Airport, and Belfast city centre.
Famous People from Crumlin
- James Dickey (1775/1776–1798), a lawyer and member of the Society of the United Irishmen.
- Peter FitzGerald (born 1950), a scientist and businessman. He founded and owns Randox, a big company.
See also
In Spanish: Crumlin (Irlanda del Norte) para niños
