Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
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 Clockwise from top-left: HMP Kilmarnock, Dean Castle, RBS Building on King Street, Kilmarnock Railway Viaduct and Kilmarnock Railway Station Clock. |
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 Kilmarnock
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| Kilmarnock shown within East Ayrshire | |
| Population | 46,350 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | NS429381 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | KILMARNOCK |
| Postcode district | KA1-KA3 |
| Dialling code | 01563 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
| Website | http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk |
Kilmarnock (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Mheàrnaig, "Meàrnag's church") is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland with a population of 46,350, making it the 15th most populated place in Scotland and the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'. Kilmarnock is often shortened to 'Killie', especially when it is referenced in a footballing situation. Kilmarnock is the main town within East Ayrshire, and the East Ayrshire HQ is located on London Road in Kilmarnock, leading to the villages Crookedholm and Hurlford, which furthermore leads to Loudoun.
The first collection of work by Scottish poet Robert Burns, Poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect, was published here in 1786, and became known as the Kilmarnock volume. The internationally distributed whisky brand Johnnie Walker originated in the town in the 19th century. Protest and backing from the Scottish Government took place in 2009, after Diageo, the owner of Johnnie Walker announced plans to close the bottling plant in the town after 289 years.
In recent years, Kilmarnock has been used for musical acts and film locations. Rock band Biffy Clyro were formed in the town in a primary school in the mid-1990s. The 2001 film, Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) was shot in the town as was Manhunt (2004).
The name Kilmarnock comes from the Gaelic cill (cell), and the name of Saint Marnoch or Mernoc who is also remembered in the name of Portmarnock in Ireland and Inchmarnock. It may come from the three Gaelic elements mo, 'my', Ernán (name of the saint) and the diminutive ag, giving Church of My Little Ernán. According to tradition, the saint founded a church there in the 7th century. There are 12 Church of Scotland congregations in the town, plus other denominations. In 2005, the Reverend David W. Lacy, minister of the town's Henderson Church, was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
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Wikipedia