Bushmills, County Antrim
| Bushmills | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Population | 1,319 (2001 Census) |
| District |
|
| County | |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BUSHMILLS |
| Postcode district | BT57 |
| Dialling code | 028 |
| UK Parliament | |
| NI Assembly | |
Bushmills (Irish Muileann na Buaise) is a village on the north coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK. Bushmills had 1,319 inhabitants in the 2001 Census. It is located 60 miles (97 km) from Belfast, 11 miles (18 km) from Ballycastle and 9 miles (14 km) from Coleraine. The village owes its name to the River Bush and to a large watermill that was built there in the early 17th century.[1]
Demography
Bushmills is classified as a village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).[3] On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 1,319 people living in Bushmills.[4] Of these:
- 19.9% were aged under 16 and 22.1% were aged 60 and over
- 49.2% of the population were male and 50.8% were female
In popular music
Old Bushmills is mentioned in Tom Waits' song "Tom Traubert's Blues". Also mentioned in Neon Cathedral by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - "Bushmills for a band-aid". Corb Lund's "Time to Switch to Whiskey" mentions Bushmills along with Jameson's and Tullamore Dew
In not-so-popular music
Bushmills is mentioned in NOFX's "Theme From a NOFX Album" on "Pump Up the Valuum". The main chorus begins with "Buy me a Becks beer or pass me a bong. Gimmie some Bushmills, I'll sing you this song."
Places of interest
The village is best known as the location of the Old Bushmills Distillery. The distillery's range includes the Bushmills Original and Black Bush blends, as well as the 10-, 12-, 16-, and 21-year-old Bushmills Single Malts. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of distilling starting in the area the distillery released a unique whiskey called the "1608" which included crystal malt. The distillery draws its water, not from the River Bush itself but from a tributary known as Saint Columbs Rill.
The world-famous Giant's Causeway which attracts over two million visitors per year is also located a short distance away, being located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the town. There is a narrow-gauge steam train running in the summer from Bushmills to the Giant's Causeway.
Transport
Bushmills railway station opened on 28 January 1883, but finally closed on 1 October 1949.[5]
Railway access
The Belfast-Derry railway line run by Northern Ireland Railways connects to Coleraine and along the branch line to Portrush. Local Ulsterbus provides connections to the railway stations. There is a scenic walk of 7 miles from Portrush alongside Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway.
Twin towns
Bushmills is twinned with Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States.[6]
Education
Schools in the area include Dunluce School and Bushmills Primary School.
People
- Norman Parke a Mixed Martial Artist who fights in the UFC was born and raised in Bushmills
Navigation History
Bushmills was the location of one of the five Consol Navigation System transmitter stations in the years following the Second World War.[7]
References
- ^ a b Placenames Database of Ireland
- ^ Dunluce Castle US NI Department of the Environment. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with a population between 1,000 and 2,250 people.)
- ^ NI Neighbourhood Information Service
- ^ "Bushmills station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
- ^ "Sister Cities Online Directory: UK, Europe Archived April 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine." Sister Cities International. Retrieved on March 26, 2007.
- ^ "Dolphin Mk 3 Technical Manual" (PDF). Retrieved 21 May 2013.
External links
