Bangor, on the southern shore of Belfast Lough in County Down, is a seaside town within the Belfast metropolitan area, home to one of Northern Ireland’s largest marinas.
Name and Early History
The town’s name comes from the Irish Beannchar, referring to the shape of Bangor Bay’s coastline. St Comgall founded a monastery here around 555 AD, which grew into a celebrated centre of learning. Vikings sacked Bangor in 824 AD, and the town was later partially restored in the mid-12th century by St Malachy, whose stone church survives in part.
Today
Now a popular seaside resort and commuter town for Greater Belfast, with a population of around 60,000, Bangor is home to the Royal Ulster Yacht Club and the Blue Flag-awarded Bangor Marina, one of the largest in Northern Ireland. It’s well connected to Belfast by direct rail, and to the wider world via George Best Belfast City Airport, close to central Belfast and roughly 13.6 miles (22km) from Bangor itself - making the airport a convenient gateway for visitors heading here.
Bangor has been twinned with Bregenz (Austria), Prüm (Germany), and Virginia Beach (US) since 1973.
Nearby
The Clandeboye Estate, the largest remaining single landholding in the area, and Bangor Old Custom House are notable nearby sights, alongside Bangor’s own beachfront and marina.
