Dunmurry is a town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. While it is not particularly touristy, there is a selection of things to do and can be a good place to stop for a laid back day of a trip. It is located in between the cities of Lisburn and Belfast. Travelling through the town is necessary in almost all circumstances if you want to get from Belfast to Lisburn or vice versa.
Understand
[edit]Dunmurry was a village within Lisburn City Council until 2015 where it was transferred to Belfast City Council. Dunmurry is a predominantly Irish Catholic area, however there is still a sizeable Irish Protestant community. Dunmurry is known for being the town in which the DMC DeLorean, notable for featuring in the Back to the Future films, was manufactured. Sometimes Dunmurry can be called "the Colin", "the Collin" or "Colin".
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]Dunmurry has one train station of the same name. The station operates the Belfast-Newry line. It offers half hourly trains Monday-Friday and hourly on Sundays.
By bus
[edit]Translink offers multiple bus services to Dunmurry. The areas main transport hub is the Colin Connect, which has a stop for Belfasts' Glider service.
By car
[edit]Stewartstown Road leads into western Dunmurry, and the M1 leads into Eastern Dunmurry
Get around
[edit]Most of Dunmurry is easily accessible by foot, but there is a regular Translink bus service
See
[edit]- 1 Cloona House, Cloona House, 31 Colin Rd, Poleglass. Cloona House is a historic house in the Poleglass area of Dunmurry. It was once inhabited by writer and explorer Beatrice Grimshaw. The building is used as the meeting place of a Community Partnership so going inside is restricted. Viewing from the outside is allowed.
- Bobby Sands mural, Twinbrook Road. While the most famous mural may be in Belfast, there is another in the Twinbrook estate, birthplace of Bobby Sands.
- 2 Bobby Sands Corner, 6 Laburnum Way. Within walking distance of the mural, Bobby Sands Corner is a more unique take on Republician street art, being a framed picture. Note that the frame is on a private household.
- 3 Colin Area Roll of Remembrance, Gardenmore Road. Memorial in Twinbrook.
Do
[edit]- 1 Colin Glen Forest Park, 163 Stewartstown Road (main entrance), ☏ +44 28 9061-4115. Autumn and winter: daily 9AM-5PM; spring and summer: daily 9AM-6PM. Forest walk that stretches into the Black Mountain.
- 2 Long abandoned facilities, Colinglen Road (if you are going here from Colin Glen, once you reach the end of Lower Colin Glen (you'll know you have once you've reached a road) walk left until you see a dirt track; follow the track). A set of abandoned buildings. They are likely to date back to the early 1900s or 1800s.
- 3 Pairc Nua Chollan, Stewartstown Road. Park and playground with the "Leap of Faith" monument.
- 4 Colin Glen Zip Line, 28 Colin Glen Road. Ziplines over Colin Glen Forest.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Dairy Farm Shopping Centre, Stewartstown Road, ☏ +44 28 9031-1002. Shopping centre with a supermarket and pharmacy.
- 2 Kingsway Shopping Centre, Kingsway. Outdoor shopping centre with Tescos supermarket, a pharmacy and places to eat.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Beechlawn Hotel and Restaurant Dunmurry, 4 Dunmurry Lane, ☏ +44 28 9060-2010, info@beechlawnhotel.com. 4-star restaurant inside a hotel.
- 2 Fuscos Fish & Chip Shop, 4 Jasmine End, ☏ +44 28 90 301 553. Daily noon-11PM. Fish, chips and ice cream takeaway.
- 3 Urban Fire, Unit 27-28 Dairy Farm Shopping Centre, ☏ +44 2890490874. M-Sa 9:30AM-10PM, Su 1-10PM.
- 4 Little Mexican Deli, Unit 2, Dairy Farm Shopping Centre, ☏ +44 2890603012. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-9:30PM, Su noon-9PM. Mexican takeaway or sit-in restaurant.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Glenside Camping, 7 Glenside Road. Campsite on the hills of Dunmurry.
- 2 Beechlawn Hotel Dunmurry, 7 Dunmurry Lane, ☏ +44 28 9060-2010, info@beechlawnhotel.com. The only hotel in Dunmurry. Small hotel, with a restaurant and bar.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Belfast - Bustling capital city of Northern Ireland, just north of Dunmurry
- Lisburn - Small city with many parks and gardens. Directly south of Dunmurry