Randalstown

Updated on Dec 29, 2023

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Population 5,099 (2011 census) Country Northern Ireland Post town ANTRIM Local time Friday 12:30 PM Dialling code 028		County County Antrim Sovereign state United Kingdom Postcode district BT41 Province Ulster UK parliament constituency South Antrim

Weather 11°C, Wind SE at 11 km/h, 49% Humidity District Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

Randalstown is a townland and small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Antrim and Toome. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate. The town is bypassed by the M22 motorway with junctions at both the eastern and western ends of the town. It had a population of 5,099 people in the 2011 Census.

Map of Randalstown, Antrim, UK

Tornado randalstown northern ireland

History

The settlement sprang up within the townland of an Dún Mór (meaning "the great fort"), anglicised as Dunmore. Randalstown was named after the 2nd Earl and 1st Marquess of Antrim, Randal MacDonnell (1609–1683), and has strong links to the O'Neill family. The original stronghold of Edenduffcarrick was built in the 16th century and changed ownership repeatedly until it was renamed Shane's Castle after the new owner, Shane Mc Brian O'Neill. The O'Neill family still reside on the estate.

Dunmore Park was used as a training camp for the Ulster Volunteers during the Irish Home Rule crisis.

Randalstown has a strong history of linen and iron industries. A memorial to this history is in the middle of the town and made from the original turbine used to generate mains electricity for the town and items salvaged from the Old Bleach Linen Company founded by James Webb in 1864. An old linen mill chimney from the Old Bleach factory can be seen from most parts of the town. The Dorma Old Bleach factory which operated from a neighbouring site closed down in 2002.

On 1 October 1989, an IRA car bomb exploded outside the town's police station on New Street causing serious damage to nearby property.

On 8 January 2010, PSNI Constable Peadar Heffron was seriously injured as a bomb exploded under his car on the Milltown Road near Randalstown. Dissident republicans were blamed for the attack.

Places of interest

The Tudor style gateway to the Shane's Castle estate is in the town.

Randalstown OC Presbyterian Church, a fine example of Irish Gothic.

Around the corner from the gateway is the seven-piered, viaduct built in 1855 to carry the railway line over the River Main. This has had a new bridge installed and a walk path created as part of the local healthy walking areas.

Craigmore Fishery, a Fly Fishing facility is located on the outskirts of the town.

World of Owls, Northern Ireland's premier owl, bird of prey and exotic animal conservation centre is located next to Randalstown Forest.

2011 Census

In the 2011 Census Randalstown had a population of 5,099 people (1,991 households).

2001 Census

Randalstown is classified as a Small Town by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 4,500 and 10,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 4,956 people living in Randalstown. Of these:

25.7% were aged under 16 years and 15.5% were aged 60 and over

48.0% of the population were male and 52.0% were female

70.1% were from a Catholic and 27.7% were from a Protestant background

3.0% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed

Notable residents

John Bodkin Adams, suspected serial killer, was born in Randalstown on 21 January 1899. He became a general practitioner and worked in Eastbourne from 1922. He was charged in 1957 with the murder of two patients but was acquitted. He was, however, suspected of causing the death of 163 other patients.

David Ford, Northern Ireland Minister of Justice (2010-2016) lives in Randalstown.

Laurence McKeown is an author, playwright, screenwriter, and former member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike and lasted 70 days.

David Neill, former Irish League footballer

Alex Woods, 1919-2001. Light heavyweight boxer was born in Randalstown, and died in Melbourne, Australia.