Holywood is a town in the city of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a civil parish and townland comprising 755 acres resting on the coast of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Urban Area is identified as a medium town within the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA) by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, with the 2001 Census documenting a permanent population of 12037. Within this population, around 20 percent are aged under 16 years of age and 21 percent were aged 60 and over. 50.6 percent of the population is male and 49.4 per cent is female. The train line from Belfast to Holywood arrived in 1848, and this caused swift advancement. This expansion, in conjunction with that of close-by towns and villages along the coastal strip to Bangor, necessitated the building of the Holywood Bypass in the early 1970s. The town is a popular suburb and is distinguished for its classy shops, boutiques, arts and crafts. Holywood is most popular for its maypole at the crossroads in the centre of town. Its origin remains rather vague, yet, in accordance with regional tradition, it originates from 1700, when a Dutch ship is alleged to have run aground on the shore close by, and the crew set up the damaged mast to show their gratitude of the support used to them by the townsfolk. The maypole continues to be in regular use for dancing at the annual May Day fair. The town also holds a yearly jazz and blues gala. There are many sporting possibilities in Holywood, being the home of football clubs, golf clubs, cricket clubs and a sports association. For all your home upgrades, make sure to make use of trusted specialists in Holywood to make certain of quality.