Warrenpoint facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Warrenpoint
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Clockwise from top left Town from Slieve Martin, Elk at town entrance, Public Baths at Seaview, Warrenpoint from Flagstaff, Warrenpoint Port, Old Narrow Water Castle |
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| Population | 9,091 (2021 Census) |
| Irish grid reference | J145180 |
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| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWRY |
| Postcode district | BT34 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
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| NI Assembly |
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Warrenpoint (Irish: An Pointe) is a small port town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits at the top of Carlingford Lough, south of Newry. A narrow water channel separates it from the Republic of Ireland.
The town is close to the village of Rostrevor. It is surrounded by the beautiful Mournes and Cooley Mountains. Warrenpoint grew in an area called Ringmackilroy. People often call it "The Point." This is also what its full name in Irish, An Pointe, means.
Warrenpoint is famous for its lovely views. It hosts fun events like the Maiden of Mourne festival and the Blues on the Bay music festival. A passenger ferry used to connect Warrenpoint and Omeath. The nearby Narrow Water Castle is also a popular spot. Warrenpoint Port is the second busiest port in Northern Ireland for handling goods. In 2021, about 9,091 people lived there.
Contents
The Story of Warrenpoint
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The area where Warrenpoint now stands was once known as Rinn Mhic Giolla Ruaidh. This means "McIlroy's point" in Irish. This name is still used for the local area, called a townland. It was also known as Portyneil, which might mean "O'Neill's port."
The first time Warrenpoint was mentioned was in 1744. Its name likely comes from the English family name Waring. By 1750, there were only two houses and a few small huts. These huts were used by fishermen during the oyster season.
Over the next 50 years, the town grew quickly. Its beautiful coastal setting helped it become popular. By 1837, it had 462 houses. Markets were held every Friday, and fairs took place once a month.
In the mid-1800s, merchants from Newry got money from the government. They used it to build a special dock in Warrenpoint. Before 1850, large ships could not travel further up the lough than Narrow Water. This new dock helped ships of all sizes.
A railway line opened on May 9, 1849. This made Warrenpoint even more popular for holidays. Thousands of visitors came each year. Many would take the passenger ferry to Omeath in County Louth. The Warrenpoint railway station closed in 1965. The ferry service continued seasonally until 2015.
The town park had a bandstand for concerts. A saltwater swimming pool was built in 1908. Captain Roger Hall opened the baths on June 8 that year. However, these baths are now closed to the public.
Warrenpoint has seen some important historical events. In 1921, during the Irish War of Independence, there was an ambush on Seaview Road. One police officer was killed.
During World War II, on July 15, 1944, two Royal Air Force planes crashed near Warrenpoint. They were part of a public safety show. The planes collided in foggy weather. Everyone on board died. Parts of the planes fell onto local streets and into Carlingford Lough.
On August 27, 1979, during a period known as "the Troubles", a serious event happened near Narrow Water Castle. This event is known as the Warrenpoint ambush. Eighteen soldiers were killed. It was a very sad day for the British Army during the conflict.
Later, on April 12, 1989, Joanne Reilly was killed. This happened during a car bomb attack on the police base in Warrenpoint.
Fun Places to Visit
Warrenpoint has two small lakes, the "Mill Dam" and the "Waterworks." These lakes are great for fishing. You need a special permit to fish there. They are about 1 mile from the town center.
The Warrenpoint Promenade is a lovely walkway by the water. It was even used as a filming location for the movie The Butcher Boy. The old swimming baths and the Star of the Sea Convent were featured.
The Bridal Loanan is one of the world's largest cul-de-sacs. It is the biggest in Europe. At its highest point, you can find the Magennis Investiture Stone.
Schools in Warrenpoint
St Dallan's Primary School is a Catholic primary school. It has about 700 students. It opened in September 2000. It was formed by joining two older schools, Star of the Sea and St. Peters. The new school was built where St. Peters Primary School used to be.
Other schools in the area include Dromore Road Primary School and St Mark's High School.
Getting Around Warrenpoint
The A2 road connects Warrenpoint to Newry. It passes by Narrow Water Castle. A bus service also runs along the A2, linking Newry, Warrenpoint, and Rostrevor. There are plans to build the Narrow Water Bridge to Omeath. Construction was expected to start in 2023.
The Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Railway opened in 1849. It closed in 1965. The old railway track was used to build the A2 road. Warrenpoint railway station was next to the docks. There was also a horse-drawn tram service, the Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramway, until 1915.
Warrenpoint port has regular freight ferries. These ferries carry goods to Heysham. They are run by Seatruck. Local ferry services between Warrenpoint and Omeath ran for many years. However, they stopped in 2015 when the last ferry captain retired.
The Newry Ship Canal closed for large commercial ships in 1974. But it is still there and can be used by smaller leisure boats.
Who Lives in Warrenpoint?
| National Identity of Warrenpoint residents (2021) | ||||
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| Nationality | Per cent | |||
| Irish | 64.3% | |||
| Northern Irish | 24.6% | |||
| British | 9.4% | |||
2021 Census Information
On March 21, 2021, the population of Warrenpoint/Burren was 9,091 people.
- About 86.3% of people were Catholic or grew up Catholic.
- About 8.1% were Protestant or grew up in other Christian faiths.
- When asked about their national identity:
- 9.4% said they had a British national identity.
- 64.3% said they had an Irish national identity.
- 24.6% said they had a Northern Irish national identity.
Famous People from Warrenpoint
- George Gardiner (1821–1891) – a brave soldier who received the Victoria Cross.
- Thomas Caulfield Irwin (1823–1892) – a poet and writer, born in Warrenpoint.
- B. M. Croker (1847–1920) – a novelist, born in Warrenpoint.
- Forrest Reid (1875–1947) – a writer and literary critic, who passed away in Warrenpoint.
- Denis Donoghue (1928–2021) – a literary critic, who grew up in Warrenpoint.
- Carmel Hanna (born 1946) – a politician from the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
- Clodagh Rodgers (born 1947) – a singer, born in Warrenpoint.
- Vedran Smailović (born 1956) – a Bosnian cellist, who now lives in Warrenpoint.
- Cathal McCabe (born 1963) – a poet, who grew up in Warrenpoint.
Images for kids
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Town from Slieve Martin
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Elk at town entrance
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Old Narrow Water Castle
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Public Baths at Seaview
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Warrenpoint Port
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Carlingford Lough
See also
In Spanish: Warrenpoint para niños
