County Down () is one of the six

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, one of the nine counties of

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

and one of the traditional thirty-two

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...

to the north, the

Irish Sea The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...

to the east,

County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of an ...

to the west, and County Louth across Carlingford Lough to the southwest. In the east of the county is

Strangford Lough Strangford Lough (from Old Norse ''Strangr Fjörðr'', meaning "strong sea-inlet"PlaceNames N ...

and the

Ards Peninsula The Ards Peninsula () is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland, on the north-east coast of Ireland. It separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea. Towns and villages on the peninsula include Donaghadee, Milli ...

. The largest town is Bangor, on the northeast coast. Three other large towns and cities are on its border:

Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, divided by the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Armagh, Armagh and County Down, Down, from Belfast and from Dublin. It had a population of 26,967 in 2011. Newry ...

lies on the western border with County Armagh, while Lisburn and

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

lie on the northern border with County Antrim. Down contains both the southernmost point of Northern Ireland (

Cranfield Point Cranfield Point ( ga, Pointe Chreamhchoille) is the southernmost point of Northern Ireland. It is located at the mouth of Carlingford Lough in the townland of Cranfield, County Down. It was once the site of the Cranfield Point lighthouse, markin ...

) and the easternmost point of Ireland (

Burr Point Burr Point is the easternmost point of mainland Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland. It is located in the townland of Ballyhalbert on the Ards Peninsula in County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, ...

). It was one of two counties of Northern Ireland to have a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

majority at the 2001 census. The other Protestant majority County is County Antrim to the north. In March 2018, ''The Sunday Times'' published its list of Best Places to Live in Britain, including five in Northern Ireland. The list included three in County Down:

Holywood Holy Wood or Holywood may refer to: Places * Holywood, County Down, a town and townland in Northern Ireland ** Holywood, County Down (civil parish), a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland ** Holywood railway station (Northern Ireland) * ...

Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...

, and Strangford.

Toponymy

County Down takes its name from ''dún'', the Irish word for

dun A dun is an ancient or medieval fort. In Ireland and Britain it is mainly a kind of hillfort and also a kind of Atlantic roundhouse. Etymology The term comes from Irish ''dún'' or Scottish Gaelic ''dùn'' (meaning "fort"), and is cognat ...

or fort, which is a common root in Gaelic place names (such as Dundee, Dunfermline and

Dumbarton Dumbarton (; also sco, Dumbairton; ) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, on the north bank of the River Clyde where the River Leven flows into the Clyde estuary. In 2006, it had an estimated population of 19,990. Dumbarton was the ca ...

in Scotland and Donegal and

Dundalk Dundalk ( ; ga, Dún Dealgan ), meaning "the fort of Dealgan", is the county town (the administrative centre) of County Louth, Ireland. The town is on the Castletown River, which flows into Dundalk Bay on the east coast of Ireland. It is h ...

in Ireland). The fort in question was in the historic town of

Downpatrick Downpatrick () is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of Belfast. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Dál Fiatach, the main ruling dynasty of Ulaid. Its cathedral is said to be the b ...

, originally known as ''Dún Lethglaise'' ("fort of the green side" or "fort of the two broken fetters").

History

During the 2nd century the region was home to the Voluntii tribe, according to

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

. From the 400s-1177 County Down formed a central part of the kingdom of

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh ( Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and i ...

. Ulaid was a frequent target of Viking raids in the eighth and ninth centuries, however fierce local resistance prevented the Norse from setting up permanent settlements in the region. In 1001 a fleet led by

Sigtrygg Silkbeard Sigtrygg II Silkbeard Olafsson (also Sihtric, SitricÓ Corráin, p. 123 and Sitrick in Irish texts; or SigtrygWinn, p. 46 and SigtryggrMac Manus, p. 278 in Scandinavian texts) was a Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin (possibly AD 989–994; restored ...

raided much of the region in retribution for the Ulaiden's refusal to offer him sanctuary from

Brian Boru Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domination of Ireland. Br ...

the previous year. The region was invaded by the

Normans The Normans ( Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Franks and Gallo-Romans. ...

in 1177. From the 1180s-1600s the region would see waves of English and Scottish immigration. In 1569 the Irish Parliament passed "An Act for turning of Countries that be not yet Shire Grounds into Shire Grounds". In 1570 a commission was issued in pursance of that statute "to survey and make enquiry in the countries and territories ... that are not shire ground, or are doubtful to what shire they belong; to limit and nominate them a shire or county; to divide them into countries, baronies or hundreds, or to join them to any existing shire or barony" "for the countries or territories of Arde, as well this side Blackstafe as the other side, Copelande islands, the Dufferin, Clandeboy, Kilultoghe, the Glynes with the Raughlines, Momerie and Carie, the Rowte M'William (M'Quillan) and all lands between lough Coine and lough Eaghe, and the water of Strangforde and the Banne. To certify their proceedings before the 1st August." The county was privately planted during the Plantation period (16th-17th centuries). During the

Williamite War in Ireland The Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691; ga, Cogadh an Dá Rí, "war of the two kings"), was a conflict between Jacobite supporters of deposed monarch James II and Williamite supporters of his successor, William III. It is also called th ...

(1689–1691) the county was a centre of Protestant rebellion against the rule of the Catholic James II. After forming a scratch force the Protestants were defeated by the

Irish Army The Irish Army, known simply as the Army ( ga, an tArm), is the land component of the Defence Forces of Ireland.The Defence Forces are made up of the Permanent Defence Forces – the standing branches – and the Reserve Defence Forces. The A ...

at the

Break of Dromore The Break of Dromore took place on 14 March 1689 near Dromore, County Down in the early stages of the Williamite War in Ireland. It featured Catholic Jacobite troops under Richard Hamilton and Protestant Williamite militia led by Hugh Mon ...

and forced to retreat, leading to the whole of Down falling under Jacobite control. Later the same year

Marshal Schomberg Friedrich Hermann von Schönberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg, 1st Count of Mertola, (french: Frédéric-Armand; pt, Armando Frederico; 6 December 1615 – 1 July 1690) was a Marshal of France and a General in the English and Portuguese Army. He was ...

's large

Williamite A Williamite was a follower of King William III of England (r. 1689–1702) who deposed King James II and VII in the Glorious Revolution. William, the Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, replaced James with the support of English Whigs. O ...

expedition arrived in Belfast Lough and captured Bangor. After laying siege to Carrickfergus, Schomberg marched south to Dundalk Camp, clearing County Down and much of the rest of East Ulster of Jacobite troops.

Geography

Down contains two significant peninsulas:

and Lecale peninsula. The county has a coastline along

Belfast Lough Belfast Lough is a large, intertidal sea inlet on the east coast of Northern Ireland. At its head is the city and port of Belfast, which sits at the mouth of the River Lagan. The lough opens into the North Channel and connects Belfast to ...

to the north and Carlingford Lough to the south (both of which have access to the sea).

Strangford Lough Strangford Lough (from Old Norse ''Strangr Fjörðr'', meaning "strong sea-inlet"PlaceNames N ...

lies between the Ards Peninsula and the mainland. Down also contains part of the shore of Lough Neagh. Smaller loughs include Lough Island Reavy and Castlewellan Lake near Castlewellan, Clea Lough near Killyleagh, Lough Money and Loughinisland near Downpatrick and, within the Mourne Mountains, Silent Valley Reservoir, Ben Crom Reservoir, Spelga Dam and Lough Shannagh. The River Lagan forms most of the border with County Antrim. The

River Bann The River Bann (from ga, An Bhanna, meaning "the goddess"; Ulster-Scots: ''Bann Wattèr'') is one of the longest rivers in Northern Ireland, its length, Upper and Lower Bann combined, being 129 km (80 mi). However, the total lengt ...

also flows through the southwestern areas of the county. Other rivers include the

Clanrye Newry River and River Clanrye ( ga, An Rí; Ulster-Scots: ''Clanrye Wattèr'') are names for one of the rivers of Ireland. The river passes through the city of Newry and empties into Carlingford Lough near Warrenpoint. Course The river, whic ...

and Quoile. There are several islands off the Down coast: Mew Island, Light House Island and the

Copeland Islands The Copeland Islands is a group of three islands in the north Irish Sea, north of Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland, consisting of Lighthouse Island (also known as Old Island), Copeland Island (also known as Big Island), and Mew Island. ...

, all of which lie to the north of the Ards Peninsula. Gunn Island lies off the Lecale coast. In addition, there are a large number of small islands in Strangford Lough. County Down is where, in the words of the song by

Percy French William Percy French (1 May 1854 – 24 January 1920) was an Irish songwriter, author, poet, entertainer and painter. Life French was born at Clooneyquinn House, near Tulsk, County Roscommon, the son of an Anglo-Irish landlord, Christopher F ...

, "

The mountains of Mourne The lyrics to the song ''The Mountains of Mourne'' (originally spelt ''The Mountains o' Mourne'') were written by Irish musician Percy French (1854–1920). The music was adapted by Houston Collisson (1865–1920) from the traditional Folk music o ...

sweep down to the sea", and the area around the

granite Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies under ...

Mourne Mountains continues to be known for its scenery.

Slieve Donard Slieve Donard ( ; ) is the highest mountain in Northern Ireland and the wider province of Ulster, with a height of . The highest of the Mourne Mountains, it is near the town of Newcastle on the eastern coast of County Down, overlooking the Iri ...

, at , is the highest peak in the Mournes, in Northern Ireland and in the province of Ulster. Another important peak is

Slieve Croob __NOTOC__ Slieve Croob () is a mountain with a height of in the middle of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the heart of a mountainous area known as the Dromara Hills, north of the Mourne Mountains. It is designated an Area of Outstanding Nat ...

, at , the source of the River Lagan.

Places of interest

King John's Castle Carlingford - geograph

* Saint Patrick is reputed to be buried at

Down Cathedral Down Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is a Church of Ireland cathedral located in the town of Downpatrick in Northern Ireland. It stands on Cathedral Hill overlooking the town. It is one of two cathedrals in th ...

, reputedly alongside St. Brigid and St. Columcille. * Saul, County Down (from the Irish: Sabhall meaning "Barn") – where Saint Patrick said his first eucharist in Ireland * The city of

in the south of the county contains St Patrick's (

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...

, 1578), overlooking the city centre from Church street, on the east side of the city, which is considered to be Ireland's first ever

church. The

Newry Canal The Newry Canal, located in Northern Ireland, was built to link the Tyrone coalfields (via Lough Neagh and the River Bann) to the Irish Sea at Carlingford Lough near Newry. It was the first summit level canal to be built in Ireland or Great ...

is also the first summit-level canal ever to be built in the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. *

Castlewellan Forest Park Castlewellan Forest Park is located in the town of Castlewellan in County Down, Northern Ireland. The park covers some 460 hectares, including woodland and a 40 hectare lake. It was opened to the public in 1967 after the Forest Service of the D ...

. * Cloughmore (The Big Stone), a 30-ton Granite boulder lies on the Slieve Martin Mountain Ridge approximately 1000 ft. above

Rostrevor Rostrevor () is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of Slieve Martin on the coast of Carlingford Lough, near Warrenpoint. The Kilbroney River flows through the village and Rostrevor Forest is nearb ...

village in

Kilbroney Park Kilbroney Park (Irish: Páirc Chill Bhrónai) is a park near Rostrevor in Northern Ireland. Formerly a country estate, it was visited by William Makepeace Thackeray, Charles Dickens and Seamus Heaney and may have been the inspiration for Narnia ...

. * Down is also home to Exploris, the Northern Ireland Aquarium, located in

Portaferry Portaferry () is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula, near the Narrows at the entrance to Strangford Lough. It is home to the Exploris aquarium and is well known for the annual Gala Week Flo ...

, on the shores of Strangford Lough, on the Ards Peninsula. * The Old Inn in Crawfordsburn is one of Ireland's oldest hostelries, with records dating back to 1614. It is predated however by Donaghadee's Grace Neill's which was opened in 1611. The Old inn claims that people who have stayed there include

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet, and Anglican cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dubl ...

Dick Turpin Richard Turpin (bapt. 21 September 1705 – 7 April 1739) was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's trade as a butcher ea ...

, Peter the Great,

Lord Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his ...

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

, Anthony Trollope, former US president George H. W. Bush, and

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...

, who honeymooned there. *

Tollymore Forest Park Tollymore Forest Park was the first state forest park in Northern Ireland, established on 2 June 1955. It is located at Bryansford, near the town of Newcastle in the Mourne and Slieve Croob Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It covers an area ...

between Castlewellan and

. *

Scrabo Tower Scrabo Tower is a high 19th-century lookout tower or folly that stands on Scrabo Hill near Newtownards in County Down, Northern Ireland. It provides wide views and is a landmark that can be seen from afar. It was built as a memorial to Charles ...

, in Newtownards, was built as a memorial to

Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry, (born Charles William Stewart; 1778–1854), was an Anglo-Irish nobleman, a British soldier and a politician. He served in the French Revolutionary Wars, in the suppression of the Irish Reb ...

. * An area of County Down is known as the Brontë Homeland (situated between

Rathfriland Rathfriland () is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland. History In older documents written in English, the town's name was usually spelt ''Rathfylan'' or ''Rathfrilan''.

and

Banbridge Banbridge ( , ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the civil parish of Seapatrick and the historic barony of Iv ...

, where

Patrick Brontë Patrick Brontë (, commonly ; born Patrick Brunty; 17 March 1777 – 7 June 1861) was an Irish Anglican priest and author who spent most of his adult life in England. He was the father of the writers Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë, and of ...

had his church.) Patrick Brontë (originally Brunty), father of

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

, Emily and Branwell, was born in this region.

Subdivisions

Baronies * Ards Lower (from the ga, Aird) * Ards Upper * Castlereagh Lower * Castlereagh Upper * Dufferin (from the ga, Duifrian) * Iveagh Lower, Lower Half (from the ga, Uíbh Eachach) * Iveagh Lower, Upper Half * Iveagh Upper, Lower Half * Iveagh Upper, Upper Half * Kinelarty (from the ga, Cineál Fhártaigh) * Lecale Lower (from the ga, Leath Cathail) * Lecale Upper * Lordship of Newry * Mourne (from the ga, Múrna) Parishes Townlands

Settlements

Cities

(population of 75,000 or more at 2001 Census) *

– the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in

* Lisburn – the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in County Antrim *

– in counties Armagh and Down, divided by the Clanrye River

Large towns

(population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2001 Census)

Medium towns

(Population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2001 Census)

Small towns

(Population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2001 Census)

Intermediate settlements

(Population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census)

Villages

(Population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census)

Small villages or hamlets

(Population of less than 1,000 at 2001 Census)

Administration

The county was administered by Down County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. County Down is now served by the following

local government districts The districts of England (also known as local authority districts or local government districts to distinguish from unofficial city districts) are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. As the st ...

: * Ards and North Down *

Newry, Mourne and Down Ulster Scots: ''Newrie, Morne an Doon'' , settlement_type = District , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_type1 = Constituent country , subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_type3 = , subdivisi ...

''(also serves part of

)'' *

Lisburn and Castlereagh , settlement_type = District , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_type1 = Constituent country , subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_type3 = , subdivision_type4 = Status , subdivision_ ...

''(also serves part of

)'' *

''(also serves part of County Antrim)'' * Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon ''(also serves parts of County Armagh and County Antrim)''

Transportation

Railways

Former railways within the county include the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and

Belfast and County Down Railway The Belfast and County Down Railway (BCDR) was an Irish gauge () railway in Ireland (later Northern Ireland) linking Belfast with County Down. It was built in the 19th century and absorbed into the Ulster Transport Authority in 1948. All but th ...

both of which were formed in the 19th century and were closed (or amalgamated) in the 1950s. The

Downpatrick and County Down Railway The Downpatrick and County Down Railway (DCDR) is a five-foot, three-inch (1,600 mm) gauge heritage railway in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is operated by volunteers and runs passenger trains using steam and diesel locomotives, diesel ra ...

operates a short section of the former Belfast and County Down line as a heritage railway between Downpatrick and

Inch Abbey Inch Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery on the outskirts of Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. It was founded by Anglo-Norman John de Courcy in the twelfth century at the site of a previous monastery which had operated from the 9th ...

Northern Ireland Railways NI Railways, also known as Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) ( ga, Iarnród Thuaisceart Éireann); and for a brief period Ulster Transport Railways (UTR), is the railway operator in Northern Ireland. NIR is a subsidiary of Translink, whose paren ...

operates the area's modern rail network.

Sport

Association football

In association football, the

NIFL Premiership The NIFL Premiership, known as the Danske Bank Premiership for sponsorship purposes, and colloquially as the Irish League or Irish Premiership, is a professional association football league which operates as the highest division of the Northe ...

, which operates as the top division, has three teams in the county: Newry City F. C., Ards F.C. and Warrenpoint Town F.C., with

Banbridge Town F.C. Banbridge Town Football Club is an intermediate football club from Northern Ireland playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1947, hails from Banbridge, County Down and plays its home matches at Crystal Park. Club ...

Bangor F.C. Bangor Football Club is an intermediate Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club, founded in 1918, hails from Bangor and plays its home matches at Clandeboye Park. Club colours are gold and roy ...

and Lisburn Distillery F.C. competing in the

NIFL Championship The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Lough 41 Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championshi ...

, which operates as levels two and three.

Gaelic games

The Down County Board administers Gaelic games in the county. Down is the most successful team north of the border in terms of

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) ( ga, Craobh Shinsir Peile na hÉireann) is the premier competition in Gaelic football. An annual tournament organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), it is contested by the county ...

s won with five (1960, 1961, 1968, 1991 and 1994) in total. In terms of Ulster, they share that accolade with Cavan who also have 5 titles. They currently have four minor All-Ireland titles, twelve Ulster titles and one under 21 all Ireland title (1979). The Ards peninsula is a hurling stronghold.

Golf

County Down is also home to the No.1-ranked golf course,

Royal County Down Golf Club Royal County Down Golf Club is a golf club in Northern Ireland, located in Newcastle, County Down. It opened on 23 March 1889 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland. It has two 18-hole links courses, the Championship Course and the Ann ...

, in not just Ireland, but the entire

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...

, according to '' Today's Golfer''. Former No.1 golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, originates from

, which is situated in the north of the county.

In popular culture

" Star of the County Down" is a popular Irish ballad. The county is named in the lyrics of the song " Around the World", from the film ''

Around the World in 80 Days ''Around the World in Eighty Days'' (french: link=no, Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) is an adventure novel by the French writer Jules Verne, first published in French in 1872. In the story, Phileas Fogg of London and his newly employe ...

'', which was an American top ten hit for Bing Crosby and UK top ten hit for

Ronnie Hilton Ronnie Hilton (born Adrian Hill; 26 January 1926 – 21 February 2001) was an English singer and radio presenter. According to his obituary in ''The Guardian'' newspaper, "For a time Hilton was a star – strictly for home consumption – with ...

, both in 1957, although it was

Mantovani Annunzio Paolo Mantovani (; 15 November 1905 – 29 March 1980) was an Anglo-Italian conductor, composer and light orchestra-styled entertainer with a cascading strings musical signature. The book ''British Hit Singles & Albums'' sta ...

's instrumental version which was actually used in the film. Rihanna's video "

We Found Love "We Found Love" is a song by Barbadian singer Rihanna from her sixth studio album, ''Talk That Talk'' (2011). Scottish DJ Calvin Harris wrote, produced, and features on the song, which also appears on his third album '' 18 Months'' (2012). "We F ...

" was filmed there in 2011, causing complaints when the singer removed her clothes to reveal a bikini. The

singer Van Morrison has made reference to the County Down in the lyrics to several songs including "Northern Muse (Solid Ground)", "Mystic of the East" and the nostalgic "Coney Island (Van Morrison song), Coney Island", which names several places and landmarks in the county. Van Morrison also covered "Star of the County Down" with The Chieftains as a part of their collaboration album ''Irish Heartbeat''. C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, was inspired by the Mourne Mountains. There is a Narnia trail in Kilbroney Park, in

. Sam Hanna Bell based his novel of Ulster rural life, ''December Bride'' (1951) in the Ards peninsula. A film version of the novel, also called ''December Bride (film), December Bride'', was produced in 1990 and released in November 1991. Several areas of County Down served as filming locations for the HBO series Game of Thrones including Castle Ward (Winterfell), Inch Abbey, Inch Abby (Riverlands (A Song of Ice and Fire), Riverlands), and

. The Academy award winning short film The Shore (2011) was filmed in and around Killough bay by director/writer Terry George and his daughter Oorlagh. The film starred Ciaran Hynds, Kerry Condon and Connleth Hill.

Notable people

* Ash (band), Ash, rock band, from

* Paddy Ashdown, former Liberal Democrats (UK) leader, brought up near Comber * Joseph Barcroft, scientist,

* Colin Blakely, actor, Bangor * Christine Bleakley, TV Presenter was born in

and lived in Newtownards *

, father of the authors

, Emily, and Anne Brontë,

Rathfriland Rathfriland () is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland. History In older documents written in English, the town's name was usually spelt ''Rathfylan'' or ''Rathfrilan''.

* Comgall, saint and founder of the great monastery at Bangor * Stephen Craigan, Motherwell and Northern Ireland defender, from Newtownards * Jamie Dornan, actor in 50 Shades of Grey (film), 50 Shades of Grey is from

* Garth Ennis, comic books author of Preacher and The Boys (comics), The Boys, brought up in

* Harry Ferguson, inventor of modern tractor, Dromore, County Down, Dromore * Brian Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Helen's Bay * Patricia Ford (politician), Patricia Ford, first female MP from Northern Ireland, Donaghadee * Charlie Gallogly, Irish professional footballer for Huddersfield Town, Watford and Bournemouth. * Charles de Gaulle, French President and founder of the French Fifth Republic, descended from the McCartan family from Kinelarty * Keith Gillespie, former Manchester United & Newcastle professional footballer grew up in Bangor * Craig Gilroy, Ulster Rugby winger, raised in Bangor * Betsy Gray, heroine of the 1798 rebellion, Gransha, Bangor * Bear Grylls, Chief Scout and TV personality, was raised in Donaghadee * Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, Governor-General of Canada, Viceroy of India, Clandeboye Estate * Henry Harrison (Irish politician), Henry Harrison, Parnellite Member of Parliament,

* Sarah Cecilia Harrison, artist and first woman councillor to serve on Dublin Corporation,

* David Healy (footballer), David Healy, Northern Ireland record goalscorer from Killyleagh * Eddie Irvine, racing driver, Newtownards * E. Neville Isdell, former chair and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company,

* Pat Jennings, former NI goalkeeper, is from

* Patrick Kielty, comedian and television presenter, Dundrum, County Down, Dundrum * Gary Lightbody, lead singer of Snow Patrol, Bangor *Kathleen Isabella Mackie (1899– 1996) painter and glider pilot * Josh Magennis, Professional footballer currently for Bolton Wanderers F.C. from Bangor * James Martin (engineer), James Martin, inventor of the ejector seat, from Crossgar * Robert Blair Mayne, lieutenant colonel and commanding officer of the 1st Special Air Service, SAS Regiment, Newtownards * Aodh MacCathmhaoil, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland, Saul, County Down * Rhys McClenaghan - International gymnast from Newtownards * Edward McGarry (Wisconsin politician), Edward McGarry, Wisconsin politician * Rory McIlroy, major champion golfer, from

* Deirdre McKay, composer * F.E. McWilliam, sculptor,

* Colin Middleton, Irish artist and surrealist, lived in Bangor * John Mitchel, Irish nationalist, Young Ireland movement,

* Colin Murray, sports TV Presenter, is from Dundonald, County Down, Dundonald * Richard Murray (mathematician), Richard Murray, Provost of Trinity College Dublin 1795–1799, born in County Down * Kristian Nairn, portrayed Hodor (character), Hodor in ''Game of Thrones'' is from Lisburn * Lembit Öpik, former Liberal Democrat MP and Shadow Welsh and Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Bangor * Paul Rankin, TV chef, grew up in Ballywalter, Ards Peninsula * Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Governor-General of India, 1813 - 1823, Moira, County Down, Moira * Margaret Ritchie, Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick, former leader of Social Democratic and Labour Party and MP,

* Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen, first Roman Catholic Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales,

* Zöe Salmon, TV presenter and Miss UK contestant is from Bangor * Neil Shawcross, artist, lives in Hillsborough, County Down, Hillsborough * Hans Sloane, founder of the British Museum, Killyleagh * Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh, British Foreign Secretary and diplomat at Congress of Vienna, brought up in family seat Mount Stewart * David Trimble, Baron Trimble, former First Minister of Northern Ireland, former Ulster Unionist Party leader, Bangor * Foy Vance, singer-songwriter, Bangor * Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, Secretary of State for Air, Leader of the House of Lords, Mount Stewart * Martin Waddell, author of children's books, lives in Newcastle, County Down * Paddy Wallace, rugby union footballer for Ulster and Ireland, Dundonald, County Down, Dundonald * Thomas L. Young, U.S. politician, 33rd Governor of the State of Ohio, Killyleagh

Notes

References

External links

*
County Down on the interactive map of the counties of Great Britain and Ireland
– Wikishire
Culture Northern Ireland – Industrial Heritage of County Down
* {{Authority control County Down, Counties of Northern Ireland Ulster, Down