Holywood
Holywood is a town in the metropolitan area of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a civil parish and townland comprising 755 acres lying on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Urban Area is categorised as a medium town within the Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area (BMUA) by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, with the 2001 Census noting 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 per cent of the population is male and 49.4 percent is female. The train line from Belfast to Holywood arrived in 1848, and this caused rapid advancement. This growth, in combination with that of surrounding towns and villages along the coastal strip to Bangor, required the building and construction of the Holywood Bypass in the early 1970s. The town is a popular residential area and is distinguished for its classy shops, boutiques, arts and crafts. Holywood is most well-known for its maypole at the crossroads in the centre of town. Its origin stays rather ambiguous, however, according to regional legend, it derives from 1700, when a Dutch ship is said to have run aground on the shore nearby, and the crew erected the broken mast to show their gratitude of the assistance offered 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 an annual jazz and blues gala. There are numerous sporting opportunities in Holywood, being home to football clubs, golf clubs, cricket clubs and a sports association. For all your house upgrades, make certain to make use of respected specialists in Holywood to make certain of quality.
