The town became a haunt of Robert Burns, after he briefly worked a flax-dresser in a heckling shop near the Glasgow Vennel.

[12] Dreghorn, a separate village on the outskirts of Irvine, appears to contain archaeological remains dating back to the first incursions of humanity into Scotland (Mesolithic).

Originally the site of the Military Headquarters of the Lord High Constable of Scotland, and one of the earliest Scottish Capitals, it served as an HQ to no fewer than three kings.

[17] Irvine is the site of an incident in 1296 (during the Scottish Wars of Independence) when an English army marched to Irvine to engage the Scottish army, encamped at Knadgerhill; the English arrived only to find that dissension amongst the Scots leaders was so great that armed conflict would not occur, and many of the leaders would end up changing sides and joining King Edward I.

[18] Bourtreehill House, the only major Estate in the parish, was periodically possessed by all three kings, and possibly the Constables of Scotland before them.

[19] In December 2010, the writer A. J. Morton stated that Irvine was a "Lost Medieval Capital" and a likely candidate in the debate surrounding the Stone of Destiny and its location before it was moved to Scone.

The most intriguing evidence concerns Irvine’s links with early monarchs and officers of post-Norman Scotland.

[20]In 1618, John Stewart (said to be a vagabond or juggler) and Margaret Barclay, wife of Archibald Dean (a burgess of Irvine), were tried for witchcraft.

They were accused of sinking a ship called The Gift of God of Irvine belonging to John Dean, Barclay's brother-in-law.

Stewart hung himself, and Barclay was tortured, found guilty by her confession, and executed along with Isobel Scherer, herself accused of the same acts.

The loch and its adjacent land was purchased by the Reverend Patrick Warner (minister in Irvine 1688–1702),who had sought refuge in the Netherlands after the Battle of Bothwell Bridge.

The main shipping in the 20th century was light coastal traffic and vessels destined for the Nobel Explosives facility.

Afterwards it was involved in refitting ships and also in the manufacture of fittings for other vessels including the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2.

Irvine Harbour is now officially closed as a commercial port and houses a small number of privately owned pleasure craft.

It is also home to part of the Scottish Maritime Museum with numerous vessels on display, including the 'Spartan', one of the last surviving Clyde puffers.

In 2013 an initiative by Coastwatch Scotland, a Voluntary Coastal Monitoring and Safety organisation, got underway in an attempt to turn the building into a watch tower for the benefit of the people of Irvine and visitors.

During World War II a Royal Observer Corps watchtower was sited here giving a wide overall view of the Firth of Clyde.

This marked the end of the Irvine Development Corporation and the return of full planning control of the area back to the local authority.

The Burgesses of Irvine were able to produce Royal Charters showing that the town had the right to control trade in the Baronies of Cunninghame and Largs.

[33] Responsibility for public health, schools and strategic services such as roads passed to Ayr County Council in 1930 when the town was re-classified as a Small Burgh.

Generally rainfall is plentiful throughout the year due to Atlantic weather systems sweeping in from the west.

The railway company responsible for local routes is ScotRail who operate Saltire liveried Diesel and Electric Multiple units of the former Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive.

A comprehensive local bus network, coupled with frequent services to Ardrossan, Largs, Kilmarnock, Ayr, Troon and Glasgow, is provided by Stagecoach West Scotland.

North Ayrshire Council announced plans to renew the bridge in a £2m investment which started in 2007, and was completed in 2010.

[37] North Ayrshire's theatre and arts centre was built here in 1966, and plays hosts to touring drama, live music and exhibitions.

[8][45] He lodged in the adjacent vennel (or lane) which led towards Glasgow, used a bookshop in the town, and was encouraged by others to work towards publishing his poetry.

The original minute of the meeting reads "The subscribers agree hereby to form, and do now form ourselves into a Committee for the purpose of establishing a Club, or Society for Commemorating the birth of Robert Burns the Ayrshire Poet – and we agree to meet at an early day to get the preliminaries of the Club properly arranged".

David Sillar, the first vice-president, had been a friend of Burns since his teenage years, was a member of the Tarbolton Bachelors Club, became a grocer, and finally an Irvine Council Bailie.

The club has six of the original manuscripts which Burns sent to John Wilson, printer, Kilmarnock, for his famous Kilmarnock Edition, published on 31 July 1786, namely – The Twa Dogs, The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer, The Address to the Deil, Scotch Drink and The Cottar's Saturday Night.