Stranraer

Stranraer (/strænˈrɑr/ stran-RAR; Scottish Gaelic: An t-Sròn Reamhar, ) is a town in Wigtownshire in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway.

Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland. (click on photo below).

The name is generally believed to come from the Scottish Gaelic An t-Sròn Reamhar meaning "The Fat Nose", but which more prosaically might be rendered as "the broad headland". Another interpretation would link the second element in the name with Rerigonium, a settlement anciently noted by Ptolemy in this part of Britain.

Stranraer is an administrative centre for the West Galloway Wigtownshire area of Dumfries and Galloway. It is best known as having been a ferry port connecting Scotland with Belfast (and previously with Larne) in Northern Ireland, the last service was transferred to Cairnryan in November 2011.

Stranraer is Dumfries and Galloway's second largest town with a population including the surrounding area of nearly 13,000+ compared to that of the next town Annan (nearly 8,000).

The main industries in the area are the ferry port, with associated industries, tourism and more traditionally farming.

Stranraer has an active local history trust which publishes work on the area's history commissioned from local authors.

A person from Stranraer is a Stranraerarian; someone from the original, lochside, part of the town, including Sheuchan Street and Agnew Crescent - the Clayhole or, in local dialect Cl'yhole - is a Clayholer ( /kleɪˈhoʊlər/).

Read more about Stranraer:  Transport, Redevelopment, Historic and Notable Buildings, Landmarks, Education, Sport, Public Services, Media, History, The Robert The Bruce Trail, Gallery, Cultural References, Notable People