Exhibit 23.a

            Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors
First Bancorp:

We  consent  to  the  incorporation  by  reference  in  Amendment  No.  1 to the
Registration  Statement  of First  Bancorp  on Form S-8  relating  to the  First
Bancorp  2004  Stock  Option  Plan  (File  No.  333-118570),   the  Registration
Statements  on Form S-8  relating to the First  Bancorp  1994 Stock  Option Plan
(File Nos. 333-58668),  the Registration  Statement on Form S-3D relating to the
First Bancorp  Dividend  Reinvestment  and Common Stock  Purchase Plan (File No.
333-117575), the Registration Statement of First Bancorp on Form S-8 relating to
three First Savings Bancorp,  Inc. stock option plans (File No. 333-51798),  the
Registration  Statement  of First  Bancorp on Form S-8  relating  to the Century
Bancorp stock option plan (File No. 333-65296),  and the Registration  Statement
on Form S-8 relating to the Amended and Restated First Bancorp CCB Non-Qualified
Stock Option Plan (File No. 333-103741) of our report dated April 25, 2005, with
respect to management's assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over
financial  reporting as of December 31, 2004, and the  effectiveness of internal
control over financial  reporting as of December 31, 2004,  which report appears
in the December 31, 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K/A of First Bancorp.

                                                        /s/ KPMG LLP

Charlotte, North Carolina
April 25, 2005


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