Carnmoney

Infobox UK place
official_name = Carnmoney
irish_name = Carn Monadh
map_type = Northern Ireland
latitude =
longitude =
population = 2,775 (2001 Census)
irish_grid_reference =
unitary_northern_ireland = Newtownabbey Borough
country = Northern Ireland
post_town = NEWTOWNABBEY
postcode_area = BT
postcode_district = BT36
dial_code = 028
constituency_westminster = East Antrim
lieutenancy_northern_ireland = County Antrim
belfast_distance = convert|6.3|mi|km|1
static_

static_image_caption = The coat of arms for Newtownabbey. The motto "Multi in Uno Resurgent" (Many re-arise as one) makes reference to the villages including Carnmoney.

Carnmoney ("Carn Monadh" in Irish, 'cairn of the bog') an ancient village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, it has now been subsumed into a suburb of Belfast. It is situated 7 miles from Belfast city centre. It is within the Newtownabbey Borough Council area.

Carnmoney, commonlly known as "Carnmoney Village" by its inhabitants, is known throughout Belfast for its large Cemetery which serves as a burial ground for South Antrim and Belfast. The cemetery is positioned on the slopes of Carnmoney Hill, which is a haven for local wildlife and is designated a local nature reserve.

By tradition, Carnmoney takes its name from Carn Monadh 'the cairn on the boggy mountain' a burial chamber that originally stood on the summit of Carnmoney Hill.

It was made famous by the "Carnmoney Witch trial" in 1818, where Mary Butters was accused of murder through herbalism. More details are found below.

The poet Derek Mahon mentions the enormous Carnmoney Cemetery in his poem, "My wicked uncle".

Until recently Carnmoney was the home of Mauds Ice Cream, a large provincial ice cream producer. It closed in 2007.

Carnmoney's constituent electoral boundaries still refer to the old boundaries of Carnmoney, Carnmoney Bog and Carnmoney Glebe.

History

Carnmoney Presbyterian Church

Carnmoney Presbyterian Church is one of the oldest Presbyterian Churches in Ireland as it dates from 1657. The plot were it stands was home to a meeting house before this, from 1622.

Mary Butters

Mary Butters (1807–1839), well known as the "Carnmoney Witch" was put on trial for murder in March 1818. She was a well known "Wise-woman" in the area and had been hired by a local farmed to lift a "curse" he believed had possessed one of his cows. The day after she had supposedly lifted the spell, the farmer, his wife and his son were found dead in their home. Butters was accused of murdering them with a, "herbal potion" she had created to use on the cow. Her story was that a man appeared before them with a huge bludgeon and killed the three only stunning her. The affair was the topic of much talk in Belfast and its surrounding villages, however Butters was discharged from the Spring Azzizes in Carrickfergus by proclamation.

The Troubles

"For for a wider view of the entire Newtownabbey area see The Troubles in Newtownabbey"

Carnmoney escaped the most of the violece during The Troubles in Ireland.

For more information see The Troubles in Carnmoney, which includes a list of incidents in Carnmoney during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.

Education

There are five school in Carnmoney, all at primary level, run by the North Eastern Education and Library Board.

*Ashgrove Primary School [ [http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/schoolinfo2.php?ref=27440 Schools Web Directory entry for Ashgrove] ]
*Carnmoney Primary School [ [http://www.schoolswebdirectory.co.uk/schoolinfo2.php?ref=27464 Schools Web Directory entry for Carnmoney Primary] ]
*St Mary's on the Hill [ [http://www.saintmarysonthehill.org/ Saint Mary's On the Hill website] ] (Also run by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS))
*St. McNissis Primary School (Also run by the CCMS)
*Mossley Primary School

Demographics

The last UK census in 2001 showed Carnmoney had a population of 2765. However the 2008 estimate is much higher due to major sub-urbanisation in Belfast. [ [http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=SOA&sID=95WW09S1&sName=Carnmoney%201/ NINIS Statistics and Research Agency] ]
*18.1% were under 16 and 22.3% was over the age of 60.
*47.5% of the population of Carnmoney were male and 52.5% were female.
*13% of people were from a Roman Catholic background and 83.3% were from a Protestant or other Christian related community. However recent data has suggested that this data had gone through major changes in the last few years with the improved political situation.
*The average age in Carnmoney was 40 years, higher than the Newtownabbey average of 35 years and higher still than the Northern Ireland average of 35.8 years.
* The population density of Carnmoney was 33.37 persons per hectare. This is proportionaltly much higher than in Newtownabbey were there are 5.31 persons per hectare, and higher still than 1.19, the Northern Ireland Average.
*In 2004 there were 26 births registered in Carnmoney, 42.3% of which were to unmarried mothers.

Land use

Carnmoney Hill

Carnmoney Hill is an northern outlier of the Belfast Hills chain and rises 232m (761 ft) above Newtownabbey, and thus it can be seen from North Down, Belfast Lough, the M2/M5 and Belfast City. The eastern side is mainly ancient wood with semi-natural grasslands and other habitats interspersed e.g. scrub and bracken. The hill top has a volcanic cap yet the slopes are mainly of limestone and flint, joining mudstones at the coastal belt below.
The Woodland Trust and the Newtownabbey Borough Council own most of the eastern side, a third of the hill, although the crest and western two thirds of the hill lie in private hands, which include most of the cultivated, grazing and heath land. There are numerous paths through the private land (often used by the public), leading to the top however there are no permanent paths on the hill open to the public. Dunanney Rath or 'Fort' stands majestically overlooking Carnmoney Cemetery on the southern face of Carnmoney Hill. This prestige rath site, where in ancient times fairs and festivals were held, may date to Celtic times (around 500 BC). In 1556 the Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy to Elizabeth I, camped with his troops at Dunanney where he met with Irish chieftans and tried unsuccessfully to pacify the Irish. The name Dunanney has been translated both as 'The Fort of the Assemblies' and 'The Fort of the Watery Place' (built on rock, it tends to be wet and marshy). A second rath exists to the east of Dunanney. Two souterrains (man-made underground passages) have been found on the hill, although more are likely to have existed in the past.Dunanney Rath is on private land and not open to the public, however the part of Carnmoney Hill owned by Woodland Trust is just south of Dunanney is open all year round. Newtownabbey Borough Council has in recent times tried to open Dunanney Rath with little success. Plans to open a park on the hill are also underway.There are a variety of habitats including floral meadows, wetland patches, shrub land, old hedgerows, copses, mixed ash woods, and semi natural woodland. The grazed lands tend not to have many wildlife species however they add to the hills landscape patchwork when seen from afar.The hill offers good views of Belfast City, Cave Hill, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Bangor. On clear days the Mourne Mountains, Slemish Mountain and sometimes the western coast of Scotland are easily visible. [ [http://www.wt-woods.org.uk/carnmoneyhill/description.asp/ Woodland Trust - Newtownabbey District] ]

Carnmoney Cemetery

Carnmoney cemetery is well known throughout Belfast. It is a large cemetery split into two main sections on the east and west sides of the Prince Charles Way. A Cross of Sacrifice was erected in the cemetery after the First World War. There are 46 Commonwealth burials of the First World War war and 44 of the Second World War war here. The cemetery has been the source of much controversy in recent years. In 2006 14 graves were damaged by vandals with floral tributes and ornaments being smashed on the graves. Outrage after the event led to a rise in foot patrols in the cemetery.However the main area of controversy with the cemetery was over the Roman Catholic celebration of Cemetery Sunday when Catholics gather to honour their dead family and friends. Loyalists in the area threatened to, :"dig up the graves of certain catholics" if the celebration continued. Actions by loyalists has beem condemned by both nationalists and unionists, and despite the celebration being delayed in 2005, it continues each year despite threats. The actions were described as, :"nothing more than petty sectarianism" by local politicians.

Notes

See also

* List of villages in Northern Ireland
* List of towns in Northern Ireland
* The Troubles in Newtownabbey