Ballymena, United Kingdom Hotels, Vacations, Tourism

BALLYMENA (An Baile Meánach, "the middle townland") is a predominantly Protestant town that could have been transplanted straight from the Scottish lowlands. Indeed, most of its Plantation settlers came from the southwest of Scotland, and the Ballymena accent still retains traces of Scottish lowlands speech. Like many Northern Irish towns, its prosperity derived from the linen trade; the alleged tightfistedness of its residents earned it the sobriquet of the "Aberdeen of Ireland". Ballymena is the home base of the Reverend Ian Paisley , despite the fact that he originates from … more »