Bessbrook

Bessbrook is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about three miles (5 km) northwest of Newry and near the Newry bypass on the main A1 Belfast-Dublin road and Belfast-Dublin railway line. Today the village of Bessbrook straddles the three townlands of Maghernahely, Clogharevan and Maytown. Bessbrook is near Newry railway station. It had a population of 2,892 at the 2021 census. The model village of Bessbrook, County Armagh is a visible memorial to the commercial endeavours of the Richardson family over a number of generations. During the late 20th century some of the worst violence of "the Troubles" took place near the village and it became a military zone with a large garrison. The small village became the busiest (military) heliport in Europe.

Bessbrook is a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies about three miles (5 km) northwest of Newry and near the Newry bypass on the main A1 Belfast-Dublin road and Belfast-Dublin railway line. Today the village of Bessbrook straddles the three townlands of Maghernahely, Clogharevan and Maytown. Bessbrook is near Newry railway station. It had a population of 2,892 at the 2021 census. The model village of Bessbrook, County Armagh is a visible memorial to the commercial endeavours of the Richardson family over a number of generations. During the late 20th century some of the worst violence of "the Troubles" took place near the village and it became a military zone with a large garrison. The small village became the busiest (military) heliport in Europe.

The Troubles

Bessbrook saw much of the worst violence in the Troubles. The linen mill was converted by the British Army into a major military base. A helicopter landing area was established to supply other military outposts in the area since road-borne movements of troops and supplies were vulnerable to landmine attack. At one stage the little village was reportedly the busiest helicopter airport in Europe. Nine of the ten Protestants murdered by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in the Kingsmill massacre were from Bessbrook. The end of the Troubles, following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, has led to some recovery for the village. Traffic restrictions have been relaxed and the visible security presence has been reduced. On 25 June 2007 the British Army withdrew their military presence from Bessbrook and closed all of their facilities, marking an end to Operation Banner in the South Armagh region. It was confirmed that the local police station would be disposed of by 2009, one of 26 stations that the Police Service of Northern Ireland announced would be closing due to cost efficiency measures. It later closed permanently in 2012 and the site was put up for sale in 2013.

Demography

Bessbrook is classified as an Intermediate Settlement by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), i.e. with a population between 2,500 and 4,999.

2011 census

On census day in 2011, 27 March 2011, there were 2,750 people living in Bessbrook. Of these: 22.91% were aged under 16 years and 14.76% were aged 65 and over 50.58% of the population were male and 49.42% were female 79.56% were from a Catholic background and 18.00% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' background 18.58% indicated that they had a British national identity, 51.35% had an Irish national identity and 31.13% had a Northern Irish national identity. Respondents could select more than one national identity.

2021 census

On the date of the 2021 census, 21 March 2021, there were 2,892 people living in Bessbrook. Of these: 80.01% were from a Catholic background and 14.42% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' background. 15.84% indicated that they had a British national identity, 60.86% had an Irish national identity and 23.24% had a Northern Irish national identity. Respondents could select more than one national identity.

External links

Culture Northern Ireland - Bessbrook (archived 2007)

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1330517154 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.