Location: Irvine 🌎

Irvine ( UR-vin; Scots: Irvin, Scottish Gaelic: Irbhinn, [ˈiɾʲivɪɲ]) is a town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The 2011 Census recorded the town’s population at 33,698 inhabitants, making it the largest settlement in North Ayrshire.Irvine is the administrative centre and the seat of the North Ayrshire Council administration which has its headquarters based at Cunninghame House. Irvine was the site of Scotland’s 12th century military capital and former headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, Hugh de Morville. It also served as the capital of Cunninghame and was, at the time of David I, Robert II and Robert III, one of the earliest capitals of Scotland.The town was once a haunt of Robert Burns, after whom two streets in the town are named: Burns Street and Burns Crescent. He is known to have worked in a flax mill on the Glasgow Vennel. Despite being classed as a new town, Irvine has had a long history stretching back many centuries and was classed as a Royal Burgh. There are also conflicting rumours that Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed briefly at Seagate Castle. There is still a yearly festival, called Marymass, held in the town. Marymass refers to Mary Queen of Scots and is celebrated for around a week starting from the 15th of August, and was therefore Mary’s Mass hence Marymass. Irvine is the birthplace of the former First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, as well as the former First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell. The former Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, was also born in Irvine.