This category focuses on attractions, events, and recreational opportunities in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland.
With a rich history and coastal location, Bangor offers several attractions and activities to residents and visitors alike, including museums, historical landmarks, entertainment venues, parks, and sports programs.
One of the most notable historical attractions in Bangor is Bangor Abbey, which was founded in the 6th century by Saint Comgall. The abbey's history can be seen in its ancient stone walls, some of which go back to the early Christian era in Northern Ireland. Visitors can visit the abbey grounds and nearby Bangor Castle, a 19th-century mansion that currently houses the North Down Museum.
The Carnegie Library in Bangor is more than a repository of books, but a historical landmark. Opened in 1909, the famous philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded the building.
The Bangor Aurora, a multipurpose venue, hosts a range of performances, from dramatic plays to musical concerts. The Loft Gallery at the Marine Court Hotel showcases artwork by local artists.
Bangor Elim Church Auditorium regularly hosts concerts, comedy shows, and theatrical performances.
Bangor is home to several parks and recreational areas. The Bangor Marina is popular for those who enjoy strolling along the waterfront. It offers views of Belfast Lough, a natural sea inlet stretching from Belfast to Bangor. Pickie Fun Park is a nice place for families, as it features a miniature railway, pedal boats, and a splash pad for children.
For golfers, there is the Bangor Golf Club. The Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex includes the only Olympic-size swimming pool in Ireland.
Bangor has a strong football tradition. The Ards Football Club and Bangor Football Club, both in the NIFL Championship, play at Clandeboye Park. Additionally, the city is home to several intermediate and junior football clubs, and Bangor Rugby Football Club plays in Division 2C of the All-Ireland League.
Festivals, concerts, and other events are on Bangor's schedule throughout the year. Its Open House Festival, held each August, features a diverse lineup of music, literature, and arts events across various venues. The Bangor International Choral Festival brings choirs from around the world to Bangor.
These, and other things to do or places to go in Bangor, are appropriate topics for this part of our web guide.
Recommended Resources
Built in 1910 with funding from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, the Bangor, Northern Ireland library originally houses the library as well as a Technical School. The original library was extended in 2008, more than doubling its space, leaving the original front door as an emergency exit. Its address, a map showing its location, opening hours, and contacts are provided on its website, along with an overview of its collections and services, and a calendar of events.
https://www.librariesni.org.uk/libraries/county-down/bangor-carnegie-library/
Also known as the Seasiders, the Bangor Football Club is an intermediate Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. Founded in 1918, the club is based in Bangor, County Down, playing its home matches at the Bangor Fuels Arena, previously known as Clandeboye Park. An introduction to the F.C. is provided, along with club rules and policies, sponsorships, fixtures, results, match and season tickets, news, announcements, and an online store.
https://bangorfc.com/
The parkland course is located near Belfast Lough in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, offering great views and a challenging experience for golfers at all levels. Founded in 1903, the Bangor Golf Club is a private members' club, and has been affiliated with the Golfing Union of Ireland since its inception. The club offers several membership categories, which are outlined on its website, along with prices, membership benefits, and other details. Sponsorship opportunities are featured.
https://www.bangorgolfclubni.co.uk/
The Bangor Hockey Club is based in Bangor, Northern Ireland, where they compete in multiple leagues within Ulster Hockey, fielding six men's senior teams and five ladies' senior teams, ranging from UH Premier League to more social, veteran teams, as well as youth teams for boys and girls from U9 to U15. With around 300 adult members and over 400 junior members, the club offers opportunities for both adults and juniors to play hockey at various levels. Club forms and contacts are posted.
https://bangorhockeyclub.com/
The Blackwood Golf Centre is a premier "pay and play" golf facility situated on the Clandeboye Estate in Bangor, Northern Ireland. The golf centre offers an 18-hole, par 3 course, a driving range, and various membership options. Open to the public seven days a week throughout the year, the facility includes a golfing academy, two courses (Hamilton and Temple), a men's club and a ladies' club, information on society bookings, a telephone number, email address, and contact form.
https://www.theblackwoodgc.com/
Based in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, Leisure Ards and North Down offers a variety of sports and leisure facilities across several locations in the Ards and North Down area. Its main centres include Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing and Leisure Complex, Comber Leisure Centre, Portaferry Sports Centre, and Londonderry Park, which offer a range of activities and gym facilities, swimming, spa services, exercise classes, kid's activities, and others. Contacts are provided.
https://www.leisureardsandnorthdown.com/
Ward Park covers an area of 37 acres and includes a chain of small lakes serving as a wildfowl sanctuary, while the park also includes a children's playground, all-weather hockey pitches, a cricket pitch, bowling greens, a putting green, and tennis courts. Free live music is performed at the park's bandstand every Sunday in July and August, as part of the annual Open House Festival, and other open-air concerts are held at the Ward Arras side of the park. The facilities are highlighted.
https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/ward-park-p676001
