Bangor (in Irish Beannchar) is a town of approximately 80,000 population in County Down, Northern Ireland. The seaside resort, situated on the southern side of Belfast Lough , grew alongside an abbey founded in 586 by Saint Comgall , where the Antiphonarium Benchorense was written. A copy of the manuscript can be seen in the town's heritage centre .
The town (the third largest in Northern Ireland) is the site of a large marina (one of the biggest in Ireland). It is primarily residential and can be viewed as a dormitary suburb of the Greater Belfast area, from which it is linked by the A2 road and a railway line. Light industry also exists. A notable building in the town is Bangor Old Custom House .
Public figures originally from Bangor include David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist Party leader and former First Minister of Northern Ireland, and the Formula One racing driver Eddie Irvine.
Bangor is part of the Borough of North Down and is twinned with the Austrian city of Bregenz. It is also the headquarters of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club. Tourism is important, particularly in the summer months, and plans are being made for the redevelopment of the seafront.
- See also: List of towns in Northern Ireland
- External link: Bangor Local
- External link: North Down Borough Council
