Muirkirk

This article is about the village in Scotland. For the location in the eastern United States, see Muirkirk, Maryland. For other uses, see Muirkirk (disambiguation).

Muirkirk (Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais an t-Slèibh) is a small village in East Ayrshire, southwest Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the River Ayr, between Cumnock and Glenbuck on the A70.

Muirkirk Scottish Gaelic: Eaglais an t-Slèibh
Village
Muirkirk main street, showing the junction at the centre of the village
Muirkirk Location within East Ayrshire
Population	1,340 (2020)[1]
Language	English Scots
OS grid reference	NS697274
Council area	East Ayrshire
Lieutenancy area	Ayrshire and Arran
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CUMNOCK
Postcode district	KA18
Dialling code	01290
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Scottish Parliament	Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley
List of places UK Scotland 55°31′19″N 4°04′00″W

Conservation

The Muirkirk & North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area was set up to protect the populations of breeding hen harrier (Circus cyaneus), golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), merlin (Falco columbarius), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and short-eared owl (Asio flammeus).

Population

As of 2019, the estimated population of Muirkirk is 1,386. ^[2]

History

The village developed around its church, which was built in 1631, and was a fertile recruiting ground for the Covenanter movement.

The village partook in curling since at least 1750, and has one of the earliest written accounts of this, by the minister, Rev John Sheppard.^[3]

In recent times, the village has fallen into decline due to its geographic isolation and the collapse of its coal and iron industries, but attempts are being made at regeneration through the Muirkirk Enterprise Group which was set up in 1999.

Notable people

• Jocky Dempster, former professional footballer with Queen of the South F.C., St Mirren and Clyde F.C.
• Danny Masterton, footballer with Ayr United and Clyde, lived almost his whole life in Muirkirk.^[4]
• Willie Ferguson, professional footballer with Chelsea F.C. and Queen of the South F.C.
• John Lapraik, poet
• John Loudon McAdam, who developed his system of road laying in Muirkirk
• Isobel Pagan (Tibby) - poet
• Bill Shaw, pre-war footballer
• Prof Sir Tom Symington, pioneer in Cancer research
• Alan Gebbie, professional footballer with St Mirren F.C. and Aldershot F.C.^[5]