107-567: 54°39′40″N 5°39′40″W / 54.661°N 5.661°W / 54.661; -5.661 The Tonic Cinema was built in 1936 in Bangor , Northern Ireland . At the time it was the largest Cinema in Ireland with 2,001 seats. It was demolished in 1992 following a fire. The old Compton Theatre Organ, formerly in the Tonic Cinema, was in the care of Bangor Academy School but following
214-684: A Lowland Scot , arrived in Bangor, having been granted lands in North Down by King James VI and I in 1605. In 1612, King James made Bangor a borough which permitted it to elect two MPs to the Irish Parliament in Dublin. The Old Custom House , which was completed by Hamilton in 1637 after James I granted Bangor the status of a port in 1620, is a visible reminder of the new order introduced by Hamilton and his Scots settlers. In 1689 during
321-479: A deacon ; his grandfather Potitus was a priest from Bonaven Tabernia. However, Patrick's confession states he was not an active believer in his youth, and considered himself in that period to be "idle and callow". According to the Confession of Saint Patrick , at the age of sixteen, he was captured by a group of Irish pirates, from his family's Villa at "Bannavem Taburniae". They took him to Ireland where he
428-524: A cleric, he returned to spread Christianity in northern and western Ireland. In later life, he served as a bishop, but little is known about where he worked. By the seventh century, he had already come to be revered as the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day , considered his feast day, is observed on 17 March, the supposed date of his death. It is celebrated in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora as
535-477: A large part of the frontage already demolished, leaving a patch of derelict ground facing onto the marina. A great deal of local controversy surrounds this process and the many plans put forward by the council and developers for the land. In November 2009 it was voted by UTV viewers as Ulster's Biggest Eyesore. A state of the art recycling centre has been built in Balloo Industrial Estate which
642-550: A level depth of 24 cm (9.4 in), the same morning. Inland Northern Ireland saw almost −19 °C (−2 °F), new record lows. Like much of the UK, spring 2020 was the sunniest on record. The first section of Belfast and County Down Railway line from Belfast to Holywood opened in 1848 and was extended to Bangor by the Belfast, Holywood and Bangor Railway (BHBR), opening on 1 May 1865, along with Bangor railway station . It
749-574: A major force in Ireland. The introduction attributes it to Patrick, Auxilius, and Iserninus, a claim which "cannot be taken at face value." Legend credits Patrick with teaching the Irish about the doctrine of the Holy Trinity by showing people the shamrock , a three-leafed plant, using it to illustrate the Christian teaching of three persons in one God. The earliest written version of the story
856-583: A major renovation of the centre began, including the construction of a multistorey car park. The trend towards out-of-town shopping centres was somewhat reversed with the construction of the Flagship Centre around 1990. The Flagship Centre went into administration and was closed in January 2019, it is currently undergoing appraisal for re-development options. The former seafront of the city is awaiting redevelopment and has been for over two decades, with
963-487: A number of intermediate clubs, including Bryansburn Rangers , Bangor Swifts , Bangor Amateurs . Bangor also has a number of junior football clubs including Bangor Young Men , 3rd Bangor Old boys FC, and Castle Juniors FC. Bangor has two hockey clubs that cater for both men's and women's hockey, respectively: Bangor RFC plays in division 2C of the All-Ireland league at Upritchard Park. Bangor has clubs such as
1070-457: A number of secondary, grammar, and primary schools in nearby towns and the vicinity of Bangor such as Crawfordsburn Primary & Groomsport Primary; Priory Integrated College , Sullivan Upper School , Regent House Grammar School , Movilla High School , Strangford College , Campbell College , and Rockport School are secondary schools. Like the rest of Northern Ireland , Bangor has a mild climate with few extremes of weather. It enjoys one of
1177-607: A religious and cultural holiday. In the Catholic Church in Ireland , it is both a solemnity and a holy day of obligation . Two Latin works survive which are generally accepted as having been written by St. Patrick. These are the Declaration ( Latin : Confessio ) and the Letter to the soldiers of Coroticus ( Latin : Epistola ), from which come the only generally accepted details of his life. The Declaration
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#17328015969381284-534: A shamrock and discoursed on the Christian Trinity". Patricia Monaghan says there is no evidence that the shamrock was sacred to the pagan Irish. However, Jack Santino speculates that it may have represented the regenerative powers of nature, and was recast in a Christian context. Icons of St Patrick often depict the saint "with a cross in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other". Roger Homan writes, "We can perhaps see St Patrick drawing upon
1391-525: A shepherd and strengthened his relationship with God through prayer, eventually leading him to deepen his faith. After six years of captivity, he heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and then that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he travelled to a port, two hundred miles away, where he found a ship and with difficulty persuaded the captain to take him. After three days' sailing, they landed, presumably in Britain, and apparently all left
1498-451: A supposed prophecy by the druids which gives an impression of how Patrick and other Christian missionaries were seen by those hostile to them: Across the sea will come Adze -head, crazed in the head, his cloak with hole for the head, his stick bent in the head. He will chant impieties from a table in the front of his house; all his people will answer: "so be it, so be it." The second piece of evidence that comes from Patrick's life
1605-509: A vision a few years after returning home: I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut , which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us." A.B.E. Hood suggests that
1712-508: Is Cumméne Fota , associated with Clonfert , or Cumméne Find —does refer to Patrick, calling him "our papa"; that is, pope or primate . Two works by late seventh-century hagiographers of Patrick have survived. These are the writings of Tírechán and the Vita sancti Patricii of Muirchú moccu Machtheni. Both writers relied upon an earlier work, now lost, the Book of Ultán . This Ultán, probably
1819-577: Is a name for the Rock of Cashel , and the place-names Cothrugu and Catrige are attested in Counties Antrim and Carlow . The dates of Patrick's life are uncertain; there are conflicting traditions regarding the year of his death. His own writings provide no evidence for any dating more precise than the 5th century generally. His Biblical quotations are a mixture of the Old Latin version and
1926-478: Is a park which replaced Pickie Pool named Pickie Fun Park. A children's paddling pool was created as the original Pickie Pool was demolished due to the rejuvenation of Bangor seafront in the 1980s and early 1990s. Pickie Fun Park closed in early 2011 to be refurbished and modernised. The park, which reopened in March 2012, has an 18-hole maritime themed mini golf course, children's electric cars and splash pads (replacing
2033-567: Is a sheltered bay and studies have suggested that it is one of the best landing places on Belfast Lough and would therefore have made a good location for a Viking base. It is possible that the burial was associated with a Viking settlement in the area." In 1689 Field Marshal Schomberg landed with 10,000 troops either at Ballyholme Bay or at Groomsport , a little further east. On census day (21 March 2021) there were 64,596 people living in Bangor. Of these: On census day (27 March 2011) there were 61,011 people living in Bangor, accounting for 3.37% of
2140-406: Is also home to Two Door Cinema Club . Bangor is twinned with: Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( Latin : Patricius ; Irish : Pádraig [ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ] or [ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ] ; Welsh : Padrig ) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland . Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland ,
2247-404: Is general agreement that he was active as a missionary in Ireland during the fifth century. A recent biography on Patrick shows a late fourth-century date for the saint is not impossible. According to tradition dating from the early Middle Ages, Patrick was the first bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland , and is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland , converting a pagan society in
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#17328015969382354-417: Is given by the botanist Caleb Threlkeld in his 1726 Synopsis stirpium Hibernicarum , but the earliest surviving records associating Patrick with the plant are coins depicting Patrick clutching a shamrock which were minted in the 1680s. In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many triple deities , a fact that may have aided Patrick in his evangelisation efforts when he "held up
2461-449: Is identified by Mac Neill as "a word of British origin meaning swineherd". Cothirthiacus also appears as Cothraige in the 8th-century biographical poem known as Fiacc's Hymn and a variety of other spellings elsewhere, and is taken to represent a Primitive Irish : * Qatrikias , although this is disputed. Harvey argues that Cothraige "has the form of a classic Old Irish tribal (and therefore place-) name", noting that Ail Coithrigi
2568-646: Is important to the local economy, particularly in the summer months, and plans are being made for the long-delayed redevelopment of the seafront; a notable historical building in the city is Bangor Old Custom House . The largest plot of private land in the area, the Clandeboye Estate , which is a few miles from the city centre, belonged to the Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava . Bangor hosts the Royal Ulster and Ballyholme yacht clubs . Bangor Marina
2675-518: Is linked by the A2 road and the Belfast–Bangor railway line . The population was 64,596 at the 2021 census . Bangor was granted city status in 2022, becoming Northern Ireland's sixth city. Bangor Abbey was an important and influential monastery founded in the 6th century by Saint Comgall . Bangor grew during the 17th century Plantation of Ulster , when many Scottish settlers arrived. Today, tourism
2782-531: Is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status. The name Bangor comes from Irish : Beannchar , from Middle Irish : Beannchor and Old Irish : Bennchor . This is thought to mean 'place of points' or 'horned curve', referring to the shoreline of Bangor Bay. The Old Irish tale, Táin Bó Fraích , gives a fanciful explanation for the name. It tells how the Connacht warrior Fráech and
2889-515: Is said to have borne. Tírechán 's seventh-century Collectanea gives: "Magonus, that is, famous; Succetus, that is, god of war; Patricius, that is, father of the citizens; Cothirthiacus, because he served four houses of druids." "Magonus" appears in the ninth-century Historia Brittonum as Maun , descending from British *Magunos , meaning "servant-lad". "Succetus", which also appears in Muirchú moccu Machtheni 's seventh-century Life as Sochet ,
2996-461: Is so impressed that he converts to Christianity, while in others he is killed by the bull. In parts of Ireland, Lughnasa (1 August) is called 'Crom's Sunday' and the legend could recall bull sacrifices during the festival. The twelfth-century work Acallam na Senórach tells of Patrick being met by two ancient warriors, Caílte mac Rónáin and Oisín , during his evangelical travels. The two were once members of Fionn mac Cumhaill 's warrior band
3103-547: Is supposed to be one of the most advanced in Europe. It opened in the summer of 2008. In May 2022, it was announced that, as part of the Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours , Bangor would be granted city status by Letters Patent . It received the status on 2 December 2022, becoming Northern Ireland's sixth city, alongside Armagh , Belfast , Derry , Lisburn , and Newry . Despite escaping much of
3210-481: Is the Letter to Coroticus or Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus , written after a first remonstrance was received with ridicule and insult. In this, Patrick writes an open letter announcing that he has excommunicated Coroticus because he had taken some of Patrick's converts into slavery while raiding in Ireland. The letter describes the followers of Coroticus as "fellow citizens of the devils" and "associates of
3317-661: Is the more biographical of the two. In it, Patrick gives a short account of his life and his mission. Most available details of his life are from subsequent hagiographies and annals , which have considerable value but lack the empiricism scholars depend on today. The only name that Patrick uses for himself in his own writings is Pātricius [paːˈtrɪ.ki.ʊs] , which gives Old Irish : Pátraic [ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ] and Irish : Pádraig ( [ˈpˠaːd̪ˠɾˠəɟ] or [ˈpˠɑːɾˠɪɟ] ); English Patrick ; Scottish Gaelic : Pàdraig ; Welsh : Padrig ; Cornish : Petroc . Hagiography records other names he
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3424-668: The Catholic Encyclopedia stating that Patrick was born in Kilpatrick , Scotland. In 1926 Eoin MacNeill also advanced a claim for Glamorgan in south Wales, possibly the village of Banwen , in the Upper Dulais Valley, which was the location of a Roman marching camp. Patrick's father, Calpurnius, is described as a decurion (Senator and tax collector) of an unspecified Romano-British city , and as
3531-460: The Confession . An early document which is silent concerning Patrick is the letter of Columbanus to Pope Boniface IV of about 613. Columbanus writes that Ireland's Christianity "was first handed to us by you, the successors of the holy apostles", apparently referring to Palladius only, and ignoring Patrick. Writing on the Easter controversy in 632 or 633, Cummian—it is uncertain whether this
3638-477: The Fianna , and somehow survived to Patrick's time. In the work St. Patrick seeks to convert the warriors to Christianity, while they defend their pagan past. The heroic pagan lifestyle of the warriors, of fighting and feasting and living close to nature, is contrasted with the more peaceful, but unheroic and non-sensual life offered by Christianity. A much later legend tells of Patrick visiting an inn and chiding
3745-517: The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , a force of United Irishmen, mainly from Bangor, Donaghadee , Greyabbey and Ballywalter attempted to occupy the nearby town of Newtownards . They met with musket fire from the market house and were subsequently defeated. By the middle of the 19th century, the cotton mills had declined and the city changed in character once again. The laying of the railway in 1865 meant that inexpensive travel from Belfast
3852-920: The Royal Ulster Yacht Club and Ballyholme Yacht Club which is the venue for Northern Ireland's Elite Sailing Facility. North Down Softball Club (previously Bangor Buccaneers Softball Club, est. 2014) compete in the Softball Ulster League. Based at Ward Park the club comprises three competitive teams; the Buccaneers, the Barracudas (2023) & the Sluggers (2024) Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex includes Northern Ireland's only Olympic-size swimming pool . The city has created an environment which has supported local musicians, such as Foy Vance and Snow Patrol . It
3959-507: The Ulster warrior Conall Cernach were returning to Ireland from the Alps with Fráech's cattle. When they came to shore at what is now Bangor Bay, the cattle shed their horns, thus giving rise to the name Trácht mBennchoir , "the strand of the horn-casting". Bangor Bay was originally called Inber Beg (Inver Beg), 'the little inlet or rivermouth', after the now-culverted stream which ran past
4066-645: The Vulgate , completed in the early 5th century, suggesting he was writing "at the point of transition from Old Latin to Vulgate", although it is possible the Vulgate readings may have been added later, replacing earlier readings. The Letter to Coroticus implies that the Franks were still pagans at the time of writing: their conversion to Christianity is dated to the period 496–508. The Irish annals date Patrick's arrival in Ireland at 432, but they were compiled in
4173-629: The Williamite War in Ireland , Marshal Schomberg 's expedition landed at Ballyholme Bay and captured Bangor, before going on to besiege Carrickfergus . Schomberg's force went south to Dundalk Camp and were present at the Battle of the Boyne the following year. The city was an important source of customs revenue for the Crown and in the 1780s Colonel Robert Ward improved the harbour and promoted
4280-495: The sea air . The city has been the site of a Gaelic Irish monastery renowned throughout Europe for its learning and scholarship, the victim of violent Viking raids in the 8th and 9th centuries, and the new home of Scottish and English planters during the Plantation of Ulster . The Annals of Ulster says that the monastery of Bangor was founded by Saint Comgall from Antrim in the year 555, while other annals give
4387-463: The tonsure at Lérins Abbey . Saint Germanus of Auxerre , a bishop of the Western Church , ordained him to the priesthood. Maximus of Turin is credited with consecrating him as bishop. Acting on his vision, Patrick returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. According to Bury, his landing place was Wicklow , County Wicklow , at the mouth of the river Inver-dea, which is now called
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4494-402: The "Two Patricks" theory, which suggests that many of the traditions later attached to Saint Patrick actually concerned the aforementioned Palladius , who, according to Prosper of Aquitaine 's Chronicle , was sent by Pope Celestine I as the first bishop to Irish Christians in 431. Palladius was not the only early cleric in Ireland at this time. The Irish-born Saint Ciarán of Saigir lived in
4601-543: The Biblical account of the staff of the prophet Moses . In Exodus 7:8–7:13 , Moses and Aaron use their staffs in their struggle with Pharaoh's sorcerers, the staffs of each side turning into snakes. Aaron's snake-staff prevails by consuming the other snakes. Post-glacial Ireland never had snakes . "At no time has there ever been any suggestion of snakes in Ireland, so [there was] nothing for St. Patrick to banish", says naturalist Nigel Monaghan, keeper of natural history at
4708-849: The Body of Saint Patrick ( Cath Coirp Naomh Padraic ): The Uí Néill and the Airgíalla attempted to bring it to Armagh; the Ulaid tried to keep it for themselves. When the Uí Néill and the Airgíalla came to a certain water, the river swelled against them so that they were not able to cross it. When the flood had subsided the Ui Neill and the Ulaid united on terms of peace, to bring the body of Patrick with them. It appeared to each of them that each had
4815-501: The Dagda , an Irish god who owns a cauldron of plenty. In a later legend, the pagan chieftain is named Crom . Patrick asks the chieftain for food, and Crom sends his bull, in the hope that it will drive off or kill Patrick. Instead, it meekly submits to Patrick, allowing itself to be slaughtered and eaten. Crom demands his bull be returned. Patrick has the bull's bones and hide put together and brings it back to life. In some versions, Crom
4922-471: The Eisenhower Pier. With the growing popularity of inexpensive foreign holidays from the 1960s onwards, Bangor declined as a tourist resort and was forced to rethink its future. The second half of the 20th century saw its role as a dormitory town for Belfast become more important. Its population increased dramatically; from around 14,000 in 1930 it had reached 40,000 by 1971 and 58,000 by the end of
5029-532: The Irish church. Other presumed early materials include the Irish annals , which contain records from the Chronicle of Ireland . These sources have conflated Palladius and Patrick. Another early document is the so-called First Synod of Saint Patrick . This is a seventh-century document, once, but no longer, taken as to contain a fifth-century original text. It apparently collects the results of several early synods, and represents an era when pagans were still
5136-532: The Irish railway system by closure of the Belfast Central Railway line from Ballymacarrett Junction (east of Queen’s Quay station in Belfast) to Central Junction, just west of the former GNR(I) Great Victoria Street station . Fortunately the connection was rebuilt in 1976 to allow Bangor line services to transfer to Belfast Central (now Lanyon Place) and run directly through to the rest of
5243-719: The NI total. Of these: Bangor had an estimated Gross Domestic Product ( GDP ) of the equivalent of $ US678 million in 2015. Colleges and schools in the area include South Eastern Regional College , Bangor Academy and Sixth Form College , Bangor Grammar School , Glenlola Collegiate School , and St Columbanus' College . Primary schools include Towerview Primary School, Clandeboye Primary, Ballyholme Primary School, Kilmaine Primary , St Malachy's Primary, St Comgall's Primary, Grange Park Primary, Ballymagee Primary, Bloomfield Primary, Kilcooley Primary, Rathmore Primary, Towerview Primary, and Bangor Central Integrated Primary School. There are also
5350-466: The National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, who has searched extensively through Irish fossil collections and records. Tírechán wrote in the 7th century that Patrick spent forty days on the mountaintop of Cruachán Aigle , as Moses did on Mount Sinai . The 9th century Bethu Phátraic says that Patrick was harassed by a flock of black demonic birds while on the peak, and he banished them into
5457-523: The Northern Ireland railway network. Today the Belfast–Bangor line is operated by Translink 's Northern Ireland Railways , which runs trains to either Belfast or Portadown . Bangor is served by Ulsterbus , which aside from local town services, provides daily services to Belfast, Newtownards , Holywood and Donaghadee . In football, NIFL Championship sides Ards and Bangor play at Clandeboye Park on Clandeboye Road. Bangor also has
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#17328015969385564-456: The Scots [of Dalriada and later Argyll] and Apostate Picts ". Based largely on an eighth-century gloss , Coroticus is taken to be King Ceretic of Alt Clut . Thompson however proposed that based on the evidence it is more likely that Coroticus was a British Roman living in Ireland. It has been suggested that it was the sending of this letter which provoked the trial which Patrick mentions in
5671-621: The United Kingdom is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Bangor, County Down Bangor ( / ˈ b æ ŋ ɡ ər / BANG -gər ; from Irish Beannchar [ˈbʲaːn̪ˠəxəɾˠ] ) is a city and seaside resort in County Down , Northern Ireland , on the southern side of Belfast Lough . It is within the Belfast metropolitan area and is 13 miles (22 km) east of Belfast city centre, to which it
5778-530: The Vartry. Bury suggests that Wicklow was also the port through which Patrick made his escape after his six years' captivity, though he offers only circumstantial evidence to support this. Tradition has it that Patrick was not welcomed by the locals and was forced to leave and seek a more welcoming landing place further north. He rested for some days at the islands off the Skerries coast, one of which still retains
5885-567: The Victoricus of St. Patrick's vision may be identified with Saint Victricius , bishop of Rouen in the late fourth century, who had visited Britain in an official capacity in 396. However, Ludwig Bieler disagrees. Patrick studied in Europe principally at Auxerre . J. B. Bury suggests that Amator ordained Patrick to the diaconate at Auxerre. Patrick is thought to have visited the Marmoutier Abbey, Tours and to have received
5992-597: The abbey. It was also recorded as Inber Bece . The area was also known as 'The Vale of Angels', as Saint Patrick is said to have once rested there and had a vision of angels . Bangor has a long and varied history, from the Bronze Age people whose swords were discovered in 1949 or the Viking burial found on Ballyholme beach, to the Victorian pleasure seekers who travelled on the new railway from Belfast to take in
6099-646: The areas of Birdoswald , twenty miles (32 km) east of Carlisle on Hadrian's Wall . Thomas 1981 , pp. 310–14. In 1993, Paor glossed it as "[probably near] Carlisle ". There is a Roman town known as Bannaventa in Northamptonshire, which is phonically similar to the Bannavem Taburniae mentioned in Patrick's confession, but this is probably too far from the sea. Claims have also been advanced for locations in present-day Scotland , with
6206-482: The body conveying it to their respective territories. The body of Patrick was afterwards interred at Dun Da Lethglas with great honour and veneration; and during the twelve nights that the religious seniors were watching the body with psalms and hymns, it was not night in Magh Inis or the neighbouring lands, as they thought, but as if it were the full undarkened light of day. Irish academic T. F. O'Rahilly proposed
6313-573: The century (the 2001 census showed the population as 76,403). The 1970s saw the building of the Springhill Shopping Centre, an out-of-town development near the A2 road to Belfast and Northern Ireland's first purpose-built shopping centre . It has since been demolished to facilitate a modern Tesco supermarket. In the early 1990s, Bloomfield Shopping Centre, another out-of-town development, opened beside Bloomfield Estate . In 2007,
6420-814: The citizens); Cothirtiacus (because he served four houses of druids)." Muirchu records much the same information, adding that "[h]is mother was named Concessa". The name Cothirtiacus , however, is simply the Latinised form of Old Irish Cothraige , which is the Q-Celtic form of Latin Patricius . The Patrick portrayed by Tírechán and Muirchu is a martial figure, who contests with druids , overthrows pagan idols, and curses kings and kingdoms. On occasion, their accounts contradict Patrick's own writings: Tírechán states that Patrick accepted gifts from female converts although Patrick himself flatly denies this. However,
6527-468: The city became a location for sea bathing and marine sports, and the number of visitors from Great Britain increased during the Edwardian era at the beginning of the 20th century, which also saw the improvement of Ward Park . The inter-war period of the early 20th century saw the development of the Tonic Cinema , Pickie Pool and Caproni's ballroom . All three were among the foremost of their type in Ireland , although they no longer exist. However, there
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#17328015969386634-407: The conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity. It may be doubted whether such accounts are an accurate representation of Patrick's time, although such violent events may well have occurred as Christians gained in strength and numbers. Much of the detail supplied by Tírechán and Muirchu, in particular the churches established by Patrick, and the monasteries founded by his converts, may relate to
6741-403: The cotton industries; today's seafront was the location of several large steam-powered cotton mills, which employed a large workforce. The end of the 18th century was a time of great political and social turmoil in Ireland. The United Irishmen , inspired by the American and French Revolutions , sought to achieve a greater degree of independence from Britain . On the morning of 10 June during
6848-417: The dates given for Patrick's death in the Annals are reliable. A recent biography argues that a late fifth-century date for the saint is not impossible. Patrick was born at the end of Roman rule in Britain . His birthplace is not known with any certainty; some traditions place it in what is now England—one identifying it as Glannoventa (modern Ravenglass in Cumbria ). In 1981, Thomas argued at length for
6955-417: The demolition of the school, the organ was moved to north east England where it is in the care of an enthusiast in Hull. It was one of only two Theatre Organs still in Northern Ireland, the other being in the Movieland Cinema, Newtownards , County Down, where it was installed in 1994, having originally been in the Ambassador Cinema, Hounslow , west London . This article about a theatre building in
7062-402: The demon withering away. It then flees in a flash of flame, and Patrick decrees that people should have a drink of whiskey on his feast day in memory of this. This is said to be the origin of "drowning the shamrock" on Saint Patrick's Day. According to the Annals of the Four Masters , an early-modern compilation of earlier annals, his corpse soon became an object of conflict in the Battle for
7169-429: The east. One day, Dáire's horses die after grazing on the church land. He tells his men to kill Patrick, but is himself struck down with illness. Dáire's men beg Patrick to heal him, and Patrick's holy water revives both Dáire and his horses. Dáire rewards Patrick with a great bronze cauldron and gave him the hill of Ard Mhacha to build a church, which eventually became the head church of Ireland. Dáire has similarities with
7276-533: The emphasis Tírechán and Muirchu placed on female converts, and in particular royal and noble women who became nuns, is thought to be a genuine insight into Patrick's work of conversion. Patrick also worked with the unfree and the poor, encouraging them to vows of monastic chastity. Tírechán's account suggests that many early Patrician churches were combined with nunneries founded by Patrick's noble female converts. The martial Patrick found in Tírechán and Muirchu, and in later accounts, echoes similar figures found during
7383-448: The explosion; the cost of the damage was later estimated at £2 million, as there was extensive damage to retail premises and Trinity Presbyterian Church, as well as minor damage to the local Church of Ireland Parish Church and First Bangor Presbyterian Church. The shield is emblazoned with two ships, which feature the Red Hand of Ulster on their sails, denoting that Bangor is in the province of Ulster . The blue and white stripes on
7490-419: The greatest monastic school in Ulster as well as one of the three leading monasteries of Celtic Christianity . The others were Iona , the great missionary centre founded by Columba , and Bangor on the Dee, founded by Dinooth; the ancient Welsh Triads also confirm the "Perpetual Harmonies" at the house. Throughout the sixth century, Bangor became famous for its choral psalmody . "It was this music which
7597-507: The head of the city, became a centre of great learning and was among the most eminent of Europe's missionary institutions in the Early Middle Ages . At Bangor, Comgall instituted a rigid monastic rule of incessant prayer and fasting. Far from turning people away, this ascetic rule attracted thousands. When Comgall died in 602, the annals report that three thousand monks looked to him for guidance. Named Bennchor Mór , "the great Bangor", to distinguish it from its British contemporaries, it became
7704-494: The hollow of Lugnademon ("hollow of the demons") by ringing his bell. Patrick ended his fast when God gave him the right to judge all the Irish at the Last Judgement , and agreed to spare the land of Ireland from the final desolation . A later legend tells how Patrick was tormented on the mountain by a demonic female serpent named Corra or Caorthannach. Patrick is said to have banished the serpent into Lough Na Corra below
7811-419: The house which became one of the largest monasteries in Europe. Saint Malachy was elected abbot of the monastery in 1123, a year before being consecrated Bishop of Connor . His extensive travels around Europe inspired him to rejuvenate the monasteries in Ireland, and he replaced the existing wooden huts with stone buildings. The modern city had its origins in the early 17th century when James Hamilton ,
7918-420: The innkeeper for being ungenerous with her guests. Patrick tells her that a demon is hiding in her cellar and being fattened by her dishonesty. He says that the only way to get rid of the demon is by mending her ways. Sometime later, Patrick revisits the inn to find that the innkeeper is now serving her guests cups of whiskey filled to the brim. He praises her generosity and brings her to the cellar, where they find
8025-516: The island and of sometimes difficult interactions with the ruling elite. He does claim of the Irish: Never before did they know of God except to serve idols and unclean things. But now, they have become the people of the Lord, and are called children of God. The sons and daughters of the leaders of the Irish are seen to be monks and virgins of Christ! Patrick's position as a foreigner in Ireland
8132-436: The late seventh or early eighth century. The earliest writings about Patrick ridding Ireland of snakes are by Jocelyn of Furness in the late twelfth century, who says that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him during his fast on a mountain. Gerald of Wales also mentions the story in the early thirteenth century, but he is doubtful of its truthfulness. The hagiographic theme of banishing snakes may draw on
8239-442: The later date, the annals record that in 553 "the relics of Patrick were placed sixty years after his death in a shrine by Colum Cille " (emphasis added). The death of Patrick's disciple Mochta is dated in the annals to 535 or 537, and the early hagiographies "all bring Patrick into contact with persons whose obits occur at the end of the fifth century or the beginning of the sixth". However, E. A. Thompson argues that none of
8346-446: The mid-6th century at the earliest. The date 432 was probably chosen to minimise the contribution of Palladius , who was known to have been sent to Ireland in 431, and maximise that of Patrick. A variety of dates are given for his death. In 457 "the elder Patrick" ( Irish : Patraic Sen ) is said to have died: this may refer to the death of Palladius, who according to the Book of Armagh
8453-400: The mountain, or into a hollow from which the lake burst forth. The mountain is now known as Croagh Patrick (Cruach Phádraig) after the saint. According to tradition, Patrick founded his main church at Armagh (Ard Mhacha) in the year 445. Muirchú writes that a pagan chieftain named Dáire would not let Patrick build a church on the hill of Ard Mhacha, but instead gave him lower ground to
8560-593: The name of Inis-Patrick. The first sanctuary dedicated by Patrick was at Saul . Shortly thereafter Benin (or Benignus ), son of the chieftain Secsnen, joined Patrick's group. Much of the Declaration concerns charges made against Patrick by his fellow Christians at a trial. What these charges were, he does not say explicitly, but he writes that he returned the gifts which wealthy women gave him, did not accept payment for baptisms , nor for ordaining priests, and indeed paid for many gifts to kings and judges, and paid for
8667-466: The new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became nuns in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too. The Confessio is generally vague about the details of his work in Ireland, though giving some specific instances. This is partly because, as he says at points, he was writing for a local audience of Christians who knew him and his work. There are several mentions of travelling around
8774-522: The north east of Bangor is Ballyholme Bay, named for the township of Ballyholme in the east of the town. During World War II the bay was used as a base for American troops training for the Normandy Landings . Two ships have been named SS Ballyholme Bay . In 1903 a Viking grave was found on the shore at Ballyholme Bay: it contained two bronze brooches, a bowl, a fragment of chain and some textile material. It has been said that "Ballyholme Bay
8881-521: The old children's paddling pool). Also, the Pickie Puffer steam train has been given an updated route and the swans have a new lagoon. During World War II , General Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed Allied troops in Bangor, who were departing to take part in the D-Day landings . In 2005, his granddaughter Mary-Jean Eisenhower came to the city to oversee the renaming of the marina's North Pier to
8988-844: The other patron saints being Brigid of Kildare and Columba . Patrick was never formally canonised by the Catholic Church, having lived before the current laws it established for such matters. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church , the Church of Ireland (part of the Anglican Communion ), and in the Eastern Orthodox Church , where he is regarded as equal-to-the-apostles and Enlightener of Ireland. The dates of Patrick's life cannot be fixed with certainty, but there
9095-413: The process. He has been generally so regarded ever since, despite evidence of some earlier Christian presence. According to Patrick's autobiographical Confessio , when he was about sixteen, he was captured by Irish pirates from his home in Britain and taken as a slave to Ireland. He writes that he lived there for six years as an animal herder before escaping and returning to his family. After becoming
9202-452: The record high is 28.8 °C (83.8 °F), owing to the moderating influence of the sea. The lowest recorded temperature is −6.2 °C (20.8 °F). Temperatures above 25 °C (77 °F) in Bangor can be uncomfortable due to the high humidity, with an apparent temperature in the high 20s. Bangor has had a number of extreme weather events, including hot summers in 2006, 2013 and 2018. The summers of 2007, 2008 and 2009 were some of
9309-487: The same person as Ultan of Ardbraccan , was Tírechán's foster-father. His obituary is given in the Annals of Ulster under the year 657. These works thus date from a century and a half after Patrick's death. Tírechán writes, "I found four names for Patrick written in the book of Ultán, bishop of the tribe of Conchobar : holy Magonus (that is, "famous"); Succetus (that is, the god of war); Patricius (that is, father of
9416-596: The sectarian violence during The Troubles , Bangor was the site of some major incidents. During the Troubles there were eight murders in the city including that of the first Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) woman to be murdered on duty; 26-year-old Mildred Harrison was killed by an explosion from a UVF bomb while on foot patrol in the High Street on 16 March 1975. On 23 March 1972 the IRA detonated two large car bombs on
9523-400: The shield show that Bangor is a seaside city. Supporting the shield are two sea-horses, signifying Bangor's links with the sea. Each is charged with a gold roundel; the left featuring a shamrock to represent Ireland , and the right featuring a bull's head, possibly in reference to the derivation of the city's name. The arms are crested by a haloed St Comgall , founder of the city's abbey, who
9630-634: The ship, walking for 28 days in a "wilderness" and becoming faint from hunger. Patrick's account of his escape from slavery and return home to Britain is recounted in his Declaration . After Patrick prayed for sustenance, they encountered a herd of wild boar ; since this was shortly after Patrick had urged them to put their faith in God, his prestige in the group was greatly increased. After various adventures, he returned home to his family, now in his early twenties. After returning home to Britain, Patrick continued to study Christianity. Patrick recounts that he had
9737-503: The situation in the seventh century, when the churches which claimed ties to Patrick, and in particular Armagh , were expanding their influence throughout Ireland in competition with the church of Kildare . In the same period, Wilfred , Archbishop of York , claimed to speak, as metropolitan archbishop , "for all the northern part of Britain and of Ireland" at a council held in Rome in the time of Pope Agatho , thus claiming jurisdiction over
9844-506: The sons of chiefs to accompany him. It is concluded, therefore, that he was accused of some sort of financial impropriety, and perhaps of having obtained his bishopric in Ireland with personal gain in mind. The condemnation might have contributed to his decision to return to Ireland. According to Patrick's most recent biographer, Roy Flechner, the Confessio was written in part as a defence against his detractors, who did not believe that he
9951-528: The sunniest climates in Northern Ireland , and receives about 970 millimetres (38 in) of rain per year. Snow is rare but occurs at least once or twice in an average winter and frost is not as severe as areas further inland. This is due to the mild winters and close proximity to the sea. Winter maxima are about 8 °C (46 °F) but can reach as high as 17 °C (63 °F). Average maxima in summer are around 20 °C (68 °F), and
10058-569: The town's main street. On 30 March 1974, paramilitaries carried out a major incendiary bomb attack on the main shopping centre in Bangor. On 21 October 1992, an IRA unit from the lower Ormeau exploded a 200-pound (91 kg) bomb in Main Street, causing large amounts of damage to nearby buildings. Main Street sustained more damage on 7 March 1993, when the IRA exploded a 500-pound (230 kg) car bomb. Four RUC officers were injured in
10165-539: The visual concept of the triskele when he uses the shamrock to explain the Trinity". Ireland was well known to be a land without snakes, and this was noted as early as the third century by Gaius Julius Solinus , but later legend credited Patrick with banishing snakes from the island. The earliest text to mention an Irish saint banishing snakes from Ireland is in fact the Life of Saint Columba (chapter 3.23), written in
10272-456: The west of Scotland , where he died "full of sanctity and miracles". In 590, the fiery Colombanus , one of Comgall's leaders, set out from Bangor with twelve other brothers, including Saint Gall who planted monasteries throughout Switzerland. In Burgundy, Columbanus established a severe monastic rule at Luxeuil which mirrored that of Bangor. From there he went to Bobbio in Italy and established
10379-530: The wettest on records with flooding in June 2007. The Autumn of 2006 was also the warmest recorded. December 2010 saw record snowfall fall on the town, with temperatures below −7 °C (19 °F). On 21 December 2010 an unofficial weather station staffed by a retired meteorological officer in the Springhill area recorded a low of −8.1 °C (17.4 °F), and a high of −2.0 °C (28.4 °F). Snow lay to
10486-529: The year as 558. It was where the Antiphonary of Bangor ( Antiphonarium Benchorense) was written, a copy of which can be seen in the town's heritage centre . The monastery had such widespread influence that the city is one of only four places in Ireland to be named in the Hereford Mappa Mundi in 1300. The monastery, situated roughly where the Church of Ireland Bangor Abbey stands at
10593-539: Was acquired by the BCDR in 1884. and closed to goods traffic on 24 April 1950. Bangor West railway station was opened by the BCDR on 1 June 1928. Most of the BCDR's network was shut down by its successor, the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) in 1950, two years after nationalisation and only the branch to Bangor survived. The line received a further blow in 1965 when it was isolated from the rest of
10700-479: Was also called Patrick. In 461/2 the annals say that "Here some record the repose of Patrick"; in 492/3 they record the death of "Patrick, the arch-apostle (or archbishop and apostle) of the Scoti", on 17 March, at the age of 120. While some modern historians accept the earlier date of c. 460 for Patrick's death, scholars of early Irish history tend to prefer a later date, c. 493 . Supporting
10807-441: Was an important figure in the spread of Christianity . The motto reads Beannchor , the archaic form of the city's name in Irish. Bangor is administered by Ards and North Down Borough Council which is based at Bangor Castle . Bangor lies on the east coast of Northern Ireland, on the south shore of the mouth of Belfast Lough , north east of central Belfast . Bangor city includes the following townlands : The sea area to
10914-482: Was carried to the continent by the Bangor missionaries in the following century". Divine services of the seven hours of prayer were carried out throughout Bangor's existence, however the monks went further and carried out the practice of laus perennis. In the twelfth century, Bernard of Clairvaux spoke of Comgall and Bangor, stating, "the solemnization of divine offices was kept up by companies, who relieved each other in succession, so that not for one moment day and night
11021-480: Was enslaved and held captive for six years. Patrick writes in the Confession that the time he spent in captivity was critical to his spiritual development. He explains that the Lord had mercy on his youth and ignorance, and afforded him the opportunity to be forgiven his sins and to grow in his faith through prayer. The Dál Riata raiders who kidnapped him introduced him to the Irish culture that would define his life and reputation . While in captivity, he worked as
11128-423: Was not an easy one. His refusal to accept gifts from kings placed him outside the normal ties of kinship, fosterage and affinity. Legally he was without protection, and he says that he was on one occasion beaten, robbed of all he had, and put in chains, perhaps awaiting execution. Patrick says that he was also "many years later" a captive for 60 days, without giving details. Murchiú's life of Saint Patrick contains
11235-403: Was possible, and working-class people could afford for the first time to holiday in the city. Bangor soon became a fashionable resort for Victorian holidaymakers, as well as a desirable home to the wealthy. Many of the houses overlooking Bangor Bay (some of which have been demolished to make way for modern flats) date from this period. The belief in the restorative powers of the sea air meant that
11342-434: Was taken to Ireland as a slave, despite Patrick's vigorous insistence that he was. Patrick eventually returned to Ireland, probably settling in the west of the island, where, in later life, he became a bishop and ordained subordinate clerics. From this same evidence, something can be seen of Patrick's mission. He writes that he "baptised thousands of people", even planning to convert his slavers. He ordained priests to lead
11449-609: Was there an intermission of their devotions." This continuous singing was antiphonal in nature, based on the call and response reminiscent of Patrick's vision, but also practised by St. Martin's houses in France. Many of these psalms and hymns were later written down in the Antiphonary of Bangor which came to reside in Colombanus' monastery at Bobbio , Italy. In 580, a Bangor monk named Mirin took Christianity to Paisley in
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