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Belleek (Flanagan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 182. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. ) is a large village and
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. While the greater part of the village lies within County Fermanagh, part of it crosses the border and the
River Erne The River Erne ( , or ''An Éirne'') in the northwest of the island of Ireland, is the second-longest river in Ulster, flowing through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and forming part of their border. Course The Erne rises on ...
into
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
. It lies in the historic
barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of Lurg. It had a population of 904 people in the 2011 Census, and is situated within
Fermanagh and Omagh Fermanagh and Omagh () is a local government district that was created on 1 April 2015 by merging Fermanagh District and Omagh District. It covers most of the Southwest of Northern Ireland. The local authority is Fermanagh and Omagh District ...
district, around east of
Ballyshannon Ballyshannon () is a town in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located at the southern end of the county where the N3 road (Ireland), N3 from Dublin ends and the N15 road (Ireland), N15 crosses the River Erne. The town was inc ...
. July is normally the warmest month in Northern Ireland, and the highest summer temperatures of all occur inland, furthest away from the cooling influence of the Atlantic. A long-standing high temperature record for Northern Ireland (30.8 °C) was recorded at Knockarevan in County Fermanagh on 30 June 1976, which was not surpassed until the heatwave of July 2021 (peaking at 31.4 °C, recorded at Armagh). The village is the most westerly settlement in Northern Ireland and thus the most westerly settlement in the United Kingdom. The majority of the pottery is still produced in Belleek today using the same procedures of over 165 years.


History

There is evidence of
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
settlers in the area, and later legend has it that Fionn mac Cumhail's men sharpened their swords on the big limestone rock at Belleek Falls. (The flagstone, which gave its name to the area, was destroyed together with the falls during drainage works in the 1880s). The Battle of Belleek 1593, also known as the ''Battle of the Erne Fords'', took place in the build-up to the
Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War was a European great power conflict from 1688 to 1697 between Kingdom of France, France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Grand Alliance. Although largely concentrated in Europe, fighting spread to colonial poss ...
. Belleek along with Pettigo was occupied in the summer of 1922 in an action by elements of the I.R.A. designed to undermine the position of
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
. Two companies of regular British Army troops, sent in by the Secretary of State for the Colonies,
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
, in what was known as ''The Battle of Belleek'', used artillery to dislodge them from the town and Battery fort situated in
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
overlooking the town. The British Army remained at the fort until August 1924. Belleek was one of several Catholic border villages in Fermanagh that would have been transferred to the
Irish Free State The Irish Free State (6 December 192229 December 1937), also known by its Irish-language, Irish name ( , ), was a State (polity), state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-ye ...
had the recommendations of the
Irish Boundary Commission The Irish Boundary Commission () met in 1924–25 to decide on the precise delineation of Republic of Ireland – United Kingdom border, the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, which ended the I ...
been enacted in 1925.


The Troubles

Located on the border, there were a number of incidents in Belleek during
the Troubles The Troubles () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...
– which resulted in eight fatalities between 1972 and 1992.


Places of interest

Three stained glass windows were also unveiled in Belleek Church of Ireland in May 2009 to commemorate the founders of Belleek Pottery, John Caldwell Bloomfield, the local landowner, Robert Williams Armstrong, architect, ceramics expert and first manager of Belleek Pottery and David McBirney, Dublin who provided the finance for the project; all were members of the Church of Ireland. Castle Caldwell Forest Walk lies four miles outside Belleek at the western end of Lower Lough Erne. Castle Caldwell was originally built in 1612. Lower
Lough Erne Lough Erne ( , ) is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is the second-biggest lake system in Northern Ireland and Ulster, and the fourth biggest in Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River E ...
is home to various protected wildlife, including Sandwich tern,
Eurasian curlew The Eurasian curlew or common curlew (''Numenius arquata'') is a very large wader in the family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across temperate Europe and Asia. In Europe, this species is often referred ...
, lapwing, redshank, and common snipe colonies. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds keeps up-to-date records as to colony numbers and well-being.


Transport

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Republic of Ireland, Ireland, with the exception of Dublin, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidiary of C ...
offers routes to
Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 14,086 at the 2011 censu ...
and then to major cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland including
Cavan Cavan ( ; ) is the county town of County Cavan in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town lies in Ulster, near the border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The town is bypassed by the main N3 road (Ireland), N3 road that links Dublin ( ...
and
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. Many bus services meet and hopefully connect with each other's timetables in nearby
Ballyshannon Ballyshannon () is a town in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located at the southern end of the county where the N3 road (Ireland), N3 from Dublin ends and the N15 road (Ireland), N15 crosses the River Erne. The town was inc ...
in
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county of the Republic of Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster and is the northernmost county of Ireland. The county mostly borders Northern Ireland, sharing only a small b ...
, where onward connections can be made.
Ulsterbus Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink (Northern Ireland), Translink, the brand name for the subsidiary operating companies of the Northern Ireland Transpor ...
provide limited connections on the longer route via Belcoo to
Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 14,086 at the 2011 censu ...
. The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway served Belleek railway station from 1868 until 1957. The nearest railway station to Belleek is Sligo railway station which is served by trains to
Dublin Connolly Connolly station () or Dublin Connolly is the busiest railway station in Dublin and Ireland, and is a focal point in the Irish route network. On the North side of the River Liffey, it provides InterCity, Enterprise and commuter services to ...
and is operated by
Iarnród Éireann Iarnród Éireann, () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national Rail transport in Ireland, railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of CIÉ, Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal I ...
.


Economy

Belleek Pottery Ltd has long been a major employer in the region, with its visitor centre attracting 150,000 guests per annum. Fermanagh District Council reports that 70% of Belleek Pottery's product is manufactured for export. Belleek also hosts a street mart every third Tuesday of the month, where a variety of goods can be bought and sold. This mart is much reduced compared to its 1980's vitality when its cants would stretch across the border


Demographics


2001 Census

Belleek is classified as a small village or hamlet by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with a population between 500 and 1,000 people). On the day of the 2001 census (29 April 2001) there were 836 people living in Belleek. Of these: *26.4% were aged under 16 and 22.1% were aged 60 and over *46.8% of the population were male and 53.2% were female *87.8% were from a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
background and 11.6% were from a
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
background *4.5% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.


2011 Census

On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Belleek (Fermanagh Lgd) Settlement was 904 accounting for 0.05% of the NI total. * 99.00% were from the white (including Irish Traveller) ethnic group; * 88.50% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 8.96% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion; and * 11.73% indicated that they had a British national identity, 58.85% had an Irish national identity and 30.20% had a Northern Irish national identity*. *Respondents could indicate more than one national identity On Census Day 27 March 2011, in Belleek (Fermanagh Lgd) Settlement, considering the population aged 3 years old and over: * 21.91% had some knowledge of Irish; * 3.11% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots; and * 1.27% did not have English as their first language.


Sport

The local
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
club is called Erne Gaels (''Gaeil na hÉirne'').


Notable residents

* Dr Edward Daly (1933–2016),
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
Bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
of
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry, is the second-largest City status in the United Kingdom, city in Northern Ireland, and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. Located in County Londonderry, the city now covers both banks of the River Fo ...
from 1974 to 1993, was born in Belleek.O'Leary, Olivia (1 March 1984).
The John Hume Show
. ''
Magill ''Magill'' was an Irish politics and current affairs magazine founded by Vincent Browne and others in 1977. ''Magill'' specialised in investigative articles and colourful reportage by journalists such as Eamonn McCann (who wrote its anonymous ...
''. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
* Tom Daly,
SDLP The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; ) is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland Assembly ( MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs ...
politician, brother of Edward Daly, all grew up in Belleek. * Samuel B. Horne (1843–1928), a Medal of Honor recipient in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
, was born in Belleek on 3 March 1843. * Kate Smith, former presenter and journalist ( UTV).


Civil parish of Belleek

The civil parish contains the village of Belleek.


Townlands

The civil parish contains the following townlands: * Ballaghgee Glebe * Ballymagaghran * Bellanadohy * Buck Island * Carrowkeel Glebe *
Commons The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons ...
* Derrychulloo * Derrynacrannog Glebe * Derryrona Glebe * Druminillar * Dulrush * Eagle Island * Ferny Island * Finner * Gadalough Glebe * Garvary * Graffy * Keenaghan * Larkhill * Leggs * Lowerybane * Magheramenagh * Mallybreen * Meenatully * Oughterdrum * Rathmore * Rossbeg * Rossharbour *Rossmore * Rough Island * Scardans Lower * Scardans Upper * Tawnaghgorm * Tawnynoran Glebe * Tievealough Glebe * Tiragannon Glebe * Tullychurry * Tullyfad * Tullylough * Tullynabohoge * Tullyvogy


See also

*
List of towns and villages in Northern Ireland This is an alphabetical list of towns and villages in Northern Ireland. For a list sorted by population, see the list of settlements in Northern Ireland by population. The towns of Armagh, Lisburn and Newry are also classed as cities (see city ...
* List of civil parishes of County Fermanagh


References


Culture Northern Ireland


External links

{{authority control Villages in County Fermanagh Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border crossings Fermanagh and Omagh district