Editing Carryduff (section)

==History==
One of the earliest references to the settlement dates from 1622, where its [[anglicised]] name is written as ''Carrow-Hugh-Duffe''.<ref name="PNI"/> The original village formed where six roads and a river crossed, and is the site of the ancient Queen's Fort [[Ringfort|Rath]]. The road south from [[Belfast]] (the [[A24 road (Northern Ireland)|A24]]) climbs out of a gap in the Castlereagh Hills, and splits at Carryduff, one fork (the [[A7 road (Northern Ireland)|A7]]) continuing to [[Downpatrick]] (via [[Saintfield]] and [[Crossgar]]), the other fork (A24) continuing via [[Ballynahinch, County Down|Ballynahinch]] to [[Newcastle, County Down|Newcastle]] towards Kilkeel. In addition, the road from the [[Ards Peninsula]], [[Newtownards]] and [[Comber]] (the B178) crosses here en route to [[Hillsborough, County Down|Hillsborough]] in the west. All six roads cross the small [[Carryduff River]] here (which flows northwards to eventually join the [[River Lagan]] at Minnowburn).

The Knockbracken Reservoir was constructed for the [[Belfast City and District Water Commissioners|Belfast Water Commissioners]] and opened in 1901, the same year as the [[Mourne Conduit]] which carried water from the Kilkeel and Annalong rivers (and later the [[Silent Valley Reservoir]]) to Carryduff where it was transported on to Belfast.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Your Place And Mine - Down - A Century of Water from the Mournes - a concise history|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/down/A1068518.shtml|access-date=2021-05-16|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> The Mourne Conduit was replaced by the [[Mourne Conduit#Aquarius Line|Aquarius pipeline]] and associated infrastructure between 1999 and 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Your Place And Mine - Down - A Century of Water from the Mournes - Part 6|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/down/A1068608.shtml|access-date=2021-05-16|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> This new pipeline was laid to the east and north of Carryduff, crossing the A24 at Brackenvale, and bypassing the Knockbracken Reservoir.

The road connections with and proximity to Belfast meant that the town saw some overspill development, from the city, in the 1960s.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}} This period saw several housing developments, the construction of the "Town and Country Shopping Centre", and Carryduff Primary School, leading into the 1970s with the building of the Killynure housing estate by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. Development along one side of the northbound A24 took place adjacent to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church and St Joseph's Primary School, with the Knockbracken Reservoir on the other side.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

The 1980s saw expansion continue with Carryduff becoming a commuter town for Belfast workers. Developments continued into the 1990s and included Carryduff Library, Carryduff Shopping Centre. These developments saw the Carryduff River placed inside a culvert for much of its journey through the town. Very little [[green belt]] land now remains between Carryduff and the southern border of Belfast, the 1980s having seen the former Matthew Stop Line breached.

In 2018, the disused Knockbracken reservoir became Ireland's largest aqua park, offering a range of water based activities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://visitbelfast.com/see-do/partners/lets-go-hydro|title=Let's Go Hydro|website=visitbelfast.com|language=en|access-date=2018-09-04}}</ref>