McKee Clock facts for kids
The McKee Clock is a famous clock tower located in Bangor, Northern Ireland. You can find it at the bottom of High Street, right in the beautiful sunken gardens of the marina. This area is often called the "McKee Clock Arena." The clock is named after William McKee, a kind person from Bangor who collected money for the town. He gave a very generous gift of £200 to help build the clock. This was a huge amount of money back in those days!
Building the Clock
The McKee Clock was designed by Mr. Bell, who was the town's surveyor. It was built in 1915 by John McNeilly. The stone used to build the clock came from a quarry in Ballycullen, which is near Newtownards.
A Special Message
On the bottom part of the clock, there is a black granite slab with a special message carved into it. This message says: "8 July 1915. This stone records the appreciation of the Bangor Urban District Council for the generous gift of this clock to his native town by James McKee. The above James McKee died on 28th April 1919." This inscription shows how thankful the town council was for the clock.
Through the Years
During World War II, a German plane from the Luftwaffe dropped a bomb that landed right on top of the clock! Luckily, the clock was not badly damaged and stood strong.
Today, the McKee Clock is a very familiar and loved sight for everyone in Bangor, whether they live there or are just visiting. It's also a popular spot for people to meet up with friends.
