Annalong
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| Population | 2,037 (2021 census) |
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| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWRY |
| Postcode district | BT34 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
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| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
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Annalong (from Irish Script error: No such module "Lang"., meaning 'ford of the ships')[1][2] is a seaside village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, 8 miles (13 km) south of Newcastle. Annalong is in the civil parish of Kilkeel, the barony of Mourne,[3] and the Newry and Mourne District Council area.[4] It had a population of 2,037 at the 2021 census. The village formerly exported dressed granite and is now a fishing and holiday resort.
History
In the census report of 1659, Annalong is referred to as a 'quarter' - a sub-division of a townland - in this case Moneydarraghmore. Like practically every locality in Mourne, the name derives from the Irish Celtic (Gaelic) - Ath na Long. This means 'the ford of the ships' - a reference to some crossing on the river near where it enters the harbour. It likely relates to around a thousand years ago when the Viking longships found some shelter at the mouth of the river. There is no material evidence of the Vikings ever having settled here. However, there are some words in the local dialect which would appear to suggest Norse influence, such as; 'selk', the local name for the common seal; to 'set allow' is to set on fire; to 'hain' is to eke out; 'holm' refers to low-lying land close to the river.[5]
On 13 January 1843, fishing boats from Newcastle and Annalong set out for the usual fishing stations but were caught in a gale. Fourteen boats were lost in the heavy seas, including a boat that had come to the rescue. Only two boats survived, the Victoria and the Brothers.[6] In all, 76 men perished, 30 of them from Annalong.
It is estimated that around 250 men from Annalong served in the Great War (1914–1918). These men were all volunteers, as conscription was only applied to Great Britain, not Ireland.[7]
Places of interest
Annalong Cornmill
Annalong Cornmill was built in the 19th century and operated until the 1960s, and was one of the last working watermills in Northern Ireland. It contains a grain drying kiln and three pairs of millstones. It is powered by a 15 ft water wheel and a 1920s Marshall "hot-bulb" 20hp engine. Restoration began in 1983 after it was acquired by Newry and Mourne District Council, and it reopened in 1985.[8]
Annalong Harbour
Annalong Harbour was enlarged in the 1880s to cope with the increased granite exports.[9] A purpose-built standard gauge railway was built to transport almost all of the material for the construction of the reservoir.
Annalong Holiday Park
Annalong Holiday Park is a caravan park owned by Chestnutt Holiday Parks located in the centre of the village.[10] Moneydarragh Hub is a social centre offering classes, well-being and business collaboration.[11]
Annalong Coastguard Station
Annalong Coastguard Station has a long history tied to maritime safety and smuggling prevention along the Mourne coast.[12]
Before the establishment of a formal coastguard station in the early 1820s, the area served as a Preventative Water Guard station from 1809 and as a revenue establishment dating back to the 1790s. Prior to this, revenue operations had been based further inland in the townland of Ballyveagh, approximately 1.25 miles from the coast.
The relocation to the shoreline was prompted by a tragic incident in which a revenue officer was mistakenly shot and killed, the intended target having been a Coast Officer named Captain Alexander Chesney. This led to the establishment of a new site at a location known as Prospect, in the townland of Moneydarragh More, southwest of Annalong.
With the foundation of the Coastguard service in 1822, the Prospect site and its boat crew were officially transferred from the Water Guard. While a staff of 12 men was initially recommended, by 1834 the team had been reduced to a Chief Officer and seven men. Staffing rose again to ten by 1868. The Annalong Coastguard Station continued to operate from Prospect until its relocation to Newcastle in 1935.[13]
A related and historically significant structure is the Annalong Coastguard Tower, also known as the Rocket House or the Rocket Tower. Constructed in the 1850s, it is a B1 grade listed building and a rare surviving example of a coastal rescue facility that retains much of its original vernacular character, including an intact interior. It is believed to be the only remaining rocket station in Northern Ireland.
The most distinctive feature is the two-storey square tower, which once served as a pigeon loft. The pigeons housed here were used as couriers for communication between Coastguard stations, a feature unique to the Annalong site. The adjoining garage housed a rocket launcher, which was used to fire ropes to vessels that had run aground - a common occurrence during the peak of smuggling activity in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Despite being derelict, the site is significant in the history of local navigation and the development of Annalong Harbour.
In recent years, the building has deteriorated due to the loss of roof slates and exposure to the elements. Overgrown vegetation now encroaches on the external walls, and concerns have been raised about the condition of the roof structure.[14]
Other places of interest
Annalong Mural Project is a mural painted by pupils from Annalong Primary School and St. Mary's Glasdrumman depicting the area of the Mournes on Main Street. It was created in a cross-community effort between the two schools.
In the village, there is a family farm that sells goods every day of the week. The farm is named Moneydarragh Farm and is mainly run by the Purdy family, known for their potatoes. The potatoes are known as "Purdy's Pink Potatoes".
Music
Annalong is home to multiple marching bands:
Education
Annalong has one school in the village, Annalong Primary School, which also includes a nursery unit. It was built in 1958 and replaced church schools in the village. The Annalong Primary School Nursery Unit was opened in September 2000.[17]
Demography
2011 census
On census day in 2011, 27 March 2011, there were 1,805 people living in Annalong. Of those:[4]
- 20.8% were aged under 16 years and 15.8% were aged 5 and over;
- The average age was 38 years (Northern Ireland average 37.6);
- 50.1% of the population were male and 49.9% were female;
- 29.8% were from a Catholic background, and 64% were from a Protestant background;
- 5.2% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed;
- 21.4% of the population had no access to a car or van.
2001 census
As of the 2001 census, Annalong was classified by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) as a village (i.e. it has a population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On census day in 2001, 29 April 2001, there were 1,778 people living in Annalong. Of these:[18]
- 23.8% were aged under 16 and 19.1% were aged 60 and over;
- the average age was 36.2 years (Northern Ireland average age 35.8 years);
- 50.1% of the population were male and 49.9% were female;
- 25.9% were from a Catholic background, and 71.8% were from a Protestant background;
- 3.1% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.
- 7.5% of the local population had access to a car or van.
Religion
In the 2011 census, 64% of residents declared that they were from a Protestant background, while 29.8% stated they were from a Catholic background. There are several churches in Annalong, including;
- Annalong Presbyterian Church [19]
- Kilhorne Parish Church (part of the Diocese of Down and Dromore) [20]
- Annalong Christian Fellowship[21]
- Annalong Gospel Hall[22]
- Annalong Free Presbyterian Church
Sport
Annalong is represented by two football clubs. These were formerly based on Protestant and Catholic origin; however, both teams are now more religiously mixed due to decreasing religious tensions in Northern Ireland. Annalong Football Club has two junior football teams (65 registered senior players) who participate in the Mid Ulster Football League. There are training sessions two nights per week.[23] The Mourne Rovers football team are also based in Annalong; many of their players also play for local Gaelic teams.
Annalong Canoe and Kayak Club (ACKC), trains Kilkeel Leisure Centre each Tuesday night. This club also has an annual camping trip to mainland Europe.[24]
Annalong Outdoor Bowling Club is the village's bowling club.
Notable people
- Francis Rawdon Chesney (1789–1872), Army general; Chesney was born in Annalong. At age 25, he was honoured for saving the lives of several local fishermen who were caught in a storm. He was a British soldier, an explorer in Asia, and was able to demonstrate that the Suez Canal was a feasible project, bringing about its eventual construction.[citation needed]
- Elizabeth Shane (1877–1951), a poet, lived her last years at Glassdrummond House near Annalong.[citation needed]
See also
References
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- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Placenames Database of Ireland". Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."PlaceNames NI". Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Agency, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research. "statistics". www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
- ^ [ Heritage | Annalong | Co. Down, Northern Ireland Heritage | Annalong | Co. Down, Northern Ireland.org], Annalong website, Heritage page.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.O'Sullivan, Aidan & Breen, Colin (2007). Maritime Ireland. An Archaeology of Coastal Communities. Stroud: Tempus. p. 232. ISBN 978-0-7524-2509-2.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong Remembers the Great War 1914 - 1918 What Caused 'The Great War' 1914 - 1918? There Were Many Factors Which Led to the Outbreak of the 'Great War' in Europe". Docslib. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong Corn Mill". Culture Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong". County Down - Towns. Archived from the original on 20 December 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Anonymous. "Annalong Holiday Park". Chestnutt Holiday Parks. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Moneydarragh Hub". Moneydarragh Hub. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home | Buildings| nidirect". apps.communities-ni.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ 147 Kilkeel Road Annalong Industrial Heritage Assessment final_Issue 09_12_22.pdf
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Home | Heritage at Risk in Northern Ireland | nidirect". apps.communities-ni.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Brunswick Accordion Band - Ulster Scots Community Network". 16 February 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Dozens of bands set to take part in band parades across NI this weekend". Belfast News Letter. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong PS, Kilkeel". www.annalongps.com. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Area Profile of Annalong - Based on 2001 Census". NI Neighbourhood Information Service. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong Presbyterian Church". Church website. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Kilhorne Church". Diocese of Down and Dromore Website. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong Christian Fellowship – at The Riverside Centre". christianfellowshipannalong.org. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Annalong Gospel Hall Annalong County Down".
- ^ Mid Ulster Football League
- ^ Canoe Association of NI
External links
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