Groomsport Coastal Village

Places to See | Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

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Few coastal towns and villages in Northern Ireland can compare with Groomsport for scenic charm, tranquil beauty and historical heritage.

The beautiful village of Groomsport, just ten minutes from Bangor, is best known for it’s picturesque harbour that was once a major fishing port and it’s two fishermans cottages known as Cockle Row.

It’s been high on the list of places to visit in Co Down for centuries.  The harbour is reputed to be of Viking origin and the beginnings of the small settlement can be traced to the 9th or 10th century. Groomsport remained a fishing village through the Victorian and Edwardian periods until the 1920s. The Village narrowly missed out on New World fame when the ship Eagle Wing set out from the port, with 140 men, women and children, to attempt an early trip to North America in 1636 only to be defeated by bad weather after eight weeks at sea. The Eagle Wing is celebrated in an annual festival.

The sandy beaches, quality pubs, restaurants and the picture-postcard beauty of the place make the village popular with holidaymakers and locals alike.

The main attraction for the visitor in Groomsport is Cockle Row, the old fishermen’s thatched cottages cared for by Ards and North Down Borough Council. The cottages have not lost their original charm with the heritage cottage depicting what Cockle Row would have been like around 1910.

Address: Groomsport, Co. Down BT19 6JR

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