Irvine,
Scotland, created a Royal Burgh in 1372 by Robert II, was a major
West of Scotland seaport before the dredging of the Clyde. In the 18th c.,
it was the largest burgh in Ayrshire (1775: pop. 3000). Today,
Irvine hosts part of the Scottish Maritime Museum, the HQ of North Ayrshire
Council, Ardagh (Rockware Glass) and NACCO (fork-lift trucks). The town
enjoys a vibrant community spirit (with active Burns
Club, Trades Guilds incorporated in 1646),
and a week-long Marymass Festival in August. Robert Burns worked here for
about six months in 1781-82. Irvine's burgh status ended in 1975 with local
government reorganisation. Today the population of Irvine is 22,000. Apart
from Irvine Scotland, there are other towns named
Irvine. This site also contains the story of the volunteer-led years
of the Harbour Arts Centre (1965-2007), details
of the town walking tour, and the 86-year history
of the now-demolished St Michael's Academy
in Irvine and Kilwinning (1921-2007). Other items are added from time to
time.
photo:
The new bridge during construction the noon (-4C) after the coldest night
(7-8/01/2010) and (if you mouse over) bank to bank ice on the River Irvine
on the same day (photos I J Dickson)
photos:
Irvine harbour - the Maritime Museum pontoons with the dome of The Big
Idea Inventor Centre (now closed) in the background - and, if you mouse
over, a harbour sunset (photos I J Dickson)
This
site hosts two Irvine organisations (a) Irvine Burns Club, celebrating Robert
Burns, and (b) Irvine Carters Society, who (with North Ayrshire Council) organise
the annual Marymass Festival. Many people get a mention on this site - Pittendrigh
Macgillivray, sculptor of the Robert Burns statue in Irvine, John Galt, the
novelist, David Sillar, friend of Burns, William Motherwell, the Paisley poet
and journalist, William Tennant, the distinguished linguist, and A J Balfour
(Viscount Traprain), to name but a few out of perhaps three hundred. We add
new material regularly, with the result that on each return visit you should
always find something new. We also include a good selection of links to sites
within and outwith Scotland.
You
may print copies - on the sole condition that the copyright notice at
its foot is not removed.
"At the northern boundary, the Irvine, which too has a
bridge of four arches, divides it from Cunningham.
At the mouth of the River Irvine is positioned the burgh of
Irvine with a harbour so enclosed by sandbanks and with so little depth that
it can take only smaller ships."
(Blaue Atlas, 1654 - see http://www.nls.uk/digitallibrary/map/early/blaeu/938.html)
NACAS - the North
Ayrshire Citizens Advice Bureau - is an independent advice service, able to
draw on wider resources through membership of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)
and also contributing to the development of national policies through Citizens
Advice Scotland.
Further
down this page: a couple of 2010
photos
