Newbuildings
Newbuildings or New Buildings is a large village in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies close to the banks of the River Foyle and south of the city of Derry. It had a population of 3,381 in the 2011 Census. It is within Derry and Strabane district.
History
The village was founded in the early 17th century as part of the Plantation of Ulster, on land allocated to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths of London. It remained a small settlement until the 1960s, until large amounts of social housing was built on adjoining townlands. Today, the village has four churches. It also has two primary schools – one administered by the Western Education and Library Board, one by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools. Newbuildings also has a post office, community association, retail units and a wide range of housing.Newbuildings is represented in the Loyalist flute band scene by Pride of the Orange and Blue Flute Band, formed in 1979.
Geography
Newbuildings sits on an area of flat land between Clondermot Hill to the east and the River Foyle to the west.It is within the parish of Clondermott & Glendermott. This parish is split into a number of townlands, whose names mostly come from the Irish language. Over time, the urban area of Newbuildings has spread into the following townlands:
- Ballyore
- Dunhugh
- Gortin
- Kittybane
- Magheracanon
- Primity
- Prehen
- Rossnagalliagh
Transport
Sport
plays association football in the Northern Ireland Intermediate League.Newbuildings Cricket Club plays in the North West Championship
2011 Census
Newbuildings is classified by the as being within Derry Urban Area. On Census day there were 3,381 people living in Newbuildings ward. Of these:- 20.38% were aged under 16 years and 13.36% were aged 65 and over
- 48.27% of the population were male and 51.73% were female
- 58.72% were from a Protestant background and 37.90% were from a Catholic background
- 5.20% of people aged 16–74 were unemployed.