Glenavy

Glenavy (from Irish Lann Abhaigh, meaning 'church of the dwarf'^[1]) is a village and civil parish in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is approximately 11 miles west of Belfast and eight miles north-west of Lisburn, and sits on the banks of the Glenavy river. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 5,697 people. In early documents it was wriiten as "Lenavy".^[1]

Demography

The population of Glenavy ward on census day (27 March 2011) was 5,697 people. Of these:^[2]

26.07% were aged under 16 years;
10.39% were aged 65 and over;
the average age was 34 years;
49.48% of the population were male and 50.52% were female;
59.96% were from a Catholic "community background";
35.39% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' community background; and
39.07% indicated that they had a British national identity, 38.44% had an Irish national identity, and 30.56% had a Northern Irish national identity.
0.86% were from an ethnic group other than white.

Transport

Glenavy railway station was opened on 13 November 1871, and was part of the now closed Knockmore line

The station was closed in 2003

Sport

Glenavy is home to an intermediate-standard football team. Crewe United is a member of the Mid-Ulster Football League.
Glenavy is also home to St. Joseph's GAA Club.

Notable residents

John Ballance, Premier of New Zealand in the late nineteenth century
Samuel Hill, recipient of the Victoria Cross
Ivor Jess, disability sports campaigner
Anne Acheson, sculptor and co-inventor of paper-mache casts for broken limbs

References

^ a b Logainm - Glenavy entry
^ Census 2011 Population Statistics for Glenavy Ward, Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS)

External links

Glenavy history site

54°35′N 06°13′W / 54.583°N 6.217°W / 54.583; -6.217