Downpatrick () is a town in
County Down,
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 ...
. It is on the
Lecale
Lecale (, ) is a peninsula in the east of County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies between Strangford Lough and Dundrum Bay.
In the Middle Ages it was a district or ''túath'' in the Gaelic Irish kingdom of Ulaid, then became a county in the Anglo ...
peninsula, about south of
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 ...
. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the
Dál Fiatach
Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their ...
, the main ruling dynasty 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 ...
.
Its cathedral is said to be the burial place of
Saint Patrick. Today, it is the
county town of Down and the joint headquarters of
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council ( Irish: ''Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir, Mhúrn agus an Dúin'') is a local authority in Northern Ireland that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaces Down District Council and Newry and Mourne Distri ...
.
Downpatrick had a population of 10,822 according to the
2011 Census.
History
Pre-history
An early
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
site was excavated in the Meadowlands area of Downpatrick, revealing two
roundhouses, one was four metres across and the other was over seven metres across. Archaeological excavations in the 1950s found what was thought to be a Bronze Age hillfort on Cathedral Hill, but further work in the 1980s revealed that this was a much later
rampart
Rampart may refer to:
* Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement
Rampart may also refer to:
* "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...
surrounding an early Christian monastery.
Early history
![St Patrick's Grave Downpatrick - older photo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/St_Patrick%27s_Grave_Downpatrick_-_older_photo.jpg)
Downpatrick (''Dún Pádraig'') is one of Ireland's oldest towns. It takes its name from a ''dún'', a medieval royal fort, which stood on a
drumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word ''droimnín'' ("littlest ridge"), first recorded in 1833, in the classical sense is an elongated hill in the shape of an inverted spoon or half-buried egg formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated ...
overlooking the
River Quoile
The Quoile (; ) is a river in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Course
The river begins its life as the Ballynahinch River which flows from west of the town of Ballynahinch to Annacloy where it is known as the Annacloy River. This then becomes ...
. In the Middle Ages, the river was an estuary that would have surrounded the drumlin on most sides.
[MacDonald, Philip (2012)]
"Geophysical Survey and Excavation at the Mound of Down, County Down"
Queen's University Belfast. pp.5–14, 33–35. It is believed that there was a
ringfort on the site in the
early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
. This may have been the site called ''Ráth Celtchair'' (later anglicized Rathkeltair), the 'fort of
Celtchar
Celtchar, son of Uthechar or Uthidir, is a character from the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. In '' Scéla Mucce Maic Dathó'' ("The Tale of Mac Dathó's Pig") he is described as "a grey, tall, very terrible hero of Ulster". When he challenges Ce ...
', after a hero in the
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle ( ga, an Rúraíocht), formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the Ulaid. It is set far in the past, in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly coun ...
of
Irish mythology
Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by Ch ...
.
A small
Christian monastic settlement Monastic settlements are areas built up in and around the development of monasteries with the spread of Christianity. To understand Christian monastic settlements, we must understand a brief history of Christian monasticism. Monasticism was a moveme ...
was also built on the neighbouring drumlin to the south, now known as 'Cathedral Hill'.
Nearby
Saul Monastery
Saul Monastery is a former Christian monastery located in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is traditionally associated with the 5th-century Saint Patrick, who is said to have founded it shortly after arriving in Ireland, and having died there a ...
was associated with
Saint Patrick. The saint is said to have been buried on Cathedral Hill in the 5th century, and his reputed grave is still a place of pilgrimage. Down Cathedral was later built on this spot.
In the early 11th century, a much bigger fort with earthen ramparts was built on the northern drumlin, now known as the 'Mound of Down'.
This was the capital of the
Dál Fiatach
Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their ...
, the main ruling dynasty 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 ...
h (Ulster), who held the title "Rí Uladh", "King of Ulster".
Deirdre Flanagan suggests that the older name ''Dún Lethglaise'' referred to Cathedral Hill, while ''Dún da Lethglas'' was the name of this new royal residence.
The
King of Norway
The Norwegian monarch is the head of state of Norway, which is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. The Norwegian monarchy can trace its line back to the reign of Harald Fairhair and the previous petty kingd ...
,
Magnus Barefoot
Magnus Olafsson (Old Norse: ''Magnús Óláfsson'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Olavsson''; 1073 – 24 August 1103), better known as Magnus Barefoot (Old Norse: ''Magnús berfœttr'', Norwegian: ''Magnus Berrføtt''), was King of Norway (being Ma ...
, was killed in an ambush near Downpatrick in 1102. It is believed his grave is marked by a mound at Horse Island, southwest of Cathedral Hill.
Saint Malachy
Malachy (}; Modern ga, Maelmhaedhoc Ó Morgair; ) (1094 – 2 November 1148) is an Irish saint who was Archbishop of Armagh, to whom were attributed several miracles and an alleged vision of 112 popes later attributed to the apocryphal ...
became the
Bishop of Down
The Bishop of Down was an episcopal title which took its name from the town of Downpatrick in Northern Ireland. The bishop's seat (Cathedra) was located on the site of the present cathedral church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the Church ...
(''Dún da Lethglas'') in 1137. He administered the diocese from
Bangor and introduced a community of
Augustinians (canons) to ''Dún da Lethglas'' dedicated to St John the Evangelist. Malachy and his successors repaired and enlarged Down Cathedral.
In the late 12th century, the area was conquered by
Anglo-Normans
The Anglo-Normans ( nrf, Anglo-Normaunds, ang, Engel-Norðmandisca) were the medieval ruling class in England, composed mainly of a combination of ethnic Normans, French, Anglo-Saxons, Flemings and Bretons, following the Norman conquest. A sma ...
led by
John de Courcy
{{Infobox noble
, image = Sir John de Courcy (1150-1219).jpg
, caption =
, alt =
, more = no
, succession =
, reign =
, predecessor =
, successor =
, ...
, becoming part of his
Earldom of Ulster
The Earldom of Ulster was an Anglo-Norman lordship in northern medieval Ireland, established by John de Courcy from the conquest of the province of Ulaid in eastern Ulster. It was the most important Anglo-Norman lordship in the north of Ireland ...
. In February 1177, a Norman army of 300 men and 20 knights marched north from Dublin and took the town by surprise. The King of Ulster and Dál Fiatach,
Ruaidrí mac Duinn Sléibe
Rory is a given name of Gaelic origin. It is an anglicisation of the ga, Ruairí/''Ruaidhrí'' and gd, Ruairidh and is common to the Irish, Highland Scots and their diasporas. for the given name "Rory". The meaning of the name is "red king", ...
(Rory MacDunleavy), tried to retake the town, but was forced to withdraw after a fierce battle. The Normans began building a
motte
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...
(fortified mound) inside the older royal fort, but abandoned it when de Courcy made
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,998 at the 2011 Census. It is County Antrim's oldest ...
his capital in 1178.
In 1183, de Courcy brought in
Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, foun ...
monks from the abbey of
St Werburgh in
Chester (today
Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral and the mother church of the Diocese of Chester. It is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly the abbey church of a Benedictine monastery dedicated to Saint ...
), England. He built a friary for them at Downpatrick; this building was destroyed by an earthquake in 1245. He also re-dedicated the cathedral to Saint Patrick, giving it the name ''Ecclesia S. Patricii Duni'' in Latin.
It is claimed that de Courcy miraculously found the bones of St Patrick, St
Brigid
Brigid ( , ; meaning 'exalted one' from Old Irish),Campbell, MikBehind the Name.See also Xavier Delamarre, ''brigantion / brigant-'', in ''Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise'' (Éditions Errance, 2003) pp. 87–88: "Le nom de la sainte irlandais ...
and St
Colmcille
Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is tod ...
at Downpatrick. In the presence of the Papal Legate, Vivian, the relics were reburied inside the cathedral on 9 June 1196. This story of their discovery is thought to have been crafted by de Courcy for political reasons. In the Anglo-Norman and later medieval era the town's name in Latin and English documentation is variously 'Dunum', 'Dun' or 'Down'. The oldest surviving record of the name 'Downpatrick' is in the
Bodley Survey of the early 1600s.
In 1260
Brian O'Neill, King of
Tír Eoghain
Tír Eoghain (), also known as Tyrone, was a kingdom and later earldom of Gaelic Ireland, comprising parts of present-day County Tyrone, County Armagh, County Londonderry and County Donegal (Raphoe). The kingdom represented the core homeland of ...
(Tyrone) and claimed
High King of Ireland, marched to Downpatrick, which was then part of the Anglo-Norman earldom of Ulster. Allied with a Connacht force under Hugh O'Conor, he fought the Anglo-Normans in the
Battle of Down
The Battle of Down, also known as the battle of Drumderg (Irish: ''Druim Dearg'') took place on or about 14 May 1260 near Downpatrick, in modern-day County Down, Northern Ireland. A Gaelic alliance led by Brian O'Neill (High-King of Ireland) a ...
. O'Neill was killed and the Irish were defeated. The death of O'Neill and defeat of the Irish was lamented in a poem by the
Cenél nEógain
Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history
* Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) i ...
bard
Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe
Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe, or Gilbride McNamee () was an Irish poet.
Background and family
Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe was hereditary Ollamh to the Cenél nEógain. The '' Ceart Uí Néill'', a late medieval document dealing with the rights a ...
(1210–1272).
The earldom collapsed in the 1300s, but the English retained a foothold in Lecale. In 1375, Niall O'Neill of Tyrone defeated the English at Dundalethglas.
Downpatrick's
monastic community was dissolved by the English around 1540, and the cathedral fell into ruin. In 1600, the cathedral was allegedly burnt by English forces led by
Edward Cromwell.
The great scholar, poet, bishop and
Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
theologian
Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil was born outside Downpatrick in 1571. On 21 January 1575, Franciscans John Lochran, Donagh O'Rorke, and Edmund Fitzsimon were hanged by Protestants at Downpatrick.
Cathedral Hill was the subject of an archaeological investigation in Series 5 of the Channel 4 ''
Time Team
''Time Team'' is a British television programme that originally aired on Channel 4 from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned online in 2022 for two episodes released on YouTube. Created by television producer Tim ...
'' programme.
18th century
Four main thoroughfares are shown converging on a town plan of 1724, namely English Street, Scotch (now Saul) Street, Barrack (now Scotch) Street, and Irish Street. The landscape limited the growth of the town. The early-18th-century street plan continued largely unchanged until 1838 when Church Street was built, followed by Market Street in 1846.
The condition of the town was greatly improved in the 18th century by a land-owning family named Southwell. The first Edward Southwell was responsible for building a
shambles in 1719 and paving of the streets, which started in 1727. In 1717 he built a quay and grain store at Quoile Quay, contributing to the economic growth of the town. The second Edward Southwell was responsible for building Southwell School in 1733.
Down County Infirmary was established in a house in Saul Street in October 1767, where it operated for seven years. It was moved to Barrack Lane (now Fountain Street) where the former Horse Barracks was bought in 1774 for £150 by
Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor
Bernard Ward, 1st Viscount Bangor (18 August 1719 – 20 May 1781), was an Irish politician and peer.
Background
He was the only surviving son of Michael Ward of Castle Ward, County Down, one of the justices of the Court of King's Bench, and hi ...
for use as the
Infirmary
Infirmary may refer to:
*Historically, a hospital, especially a small hospital
*A first aid room in a school, prison, or other institution
*A dispensary (an office that dispenses medications)
*A clinic
A clinic (or outpatient clinic or ambu ...
. It was used until the new Infirmary (later known as the
Downe Hospital
Downe Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal an Dúin) is a local hospital in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is managed by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust (SEHSCT) is a health or ...
) was opened in 1834.
In June 1778,
John Wesley, the founder of
Methodism
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...
, preached in the new preaching house in Downpatrick and in The Grove beside the ruins of Down Cathedral, which he called a "noble ruin".
19th century
On 21 October 1803, a co-founder and leader of the
United Irishmen
The Society of United Irishmen was a sworn association in the Kingdom of Ireland formed in the wake of the French Revolution to secure "an equal representation of all the people" in a national government. Despairing of constitutional refor ...
,
Thomas Russell, was hanged outside Downpatrick Gaol for his part in trying to raise local United Irishmen and
Defenders
Defender(s) or The Defender(s) may refer to:
*Defense (military)
*Defense (sports)
**Defender (association football)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''The Defender'' (1989 film), a Canadian documentary
* ''The Defender'' (1994 f ...
in support of
Robert Emmet's rebellion in July of that year. Russell is buried in the graveyard of the Anglican parish Church of Downpatrick, St Margaret's, in a grave paid for by his friend
Mary Ann McCracken, sister of leading Belfast United Irishman
Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken (31 August 1767 – 17 July 1798) was an Irish republican, a leading member of the Society of the United Irishmen and a commander of their forces in the field in the Rebellion of 1798. In pursuit of an independent and democra ...
who had been hanged in 1798.
In his role as barrister,
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell (I) ( ga, Dónall Ó Conaill; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), hailed in his time as The Liberator, was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilizat ...
, "The Liberator", was called away from London to Downpatrick to attend the County Down Assizes, as counsel in a case heard on 1 April 1829. As the leading campaigner for
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restricti ...
, he had been in London for the parliamentary passage of the of
Catholic Relief Act
The Roman Catholic Relief Bills were a series of measures introduced over time in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries before the Parliaments of Great Britain and the United Kingdom to remove the restrictions and prohibitions impose ...
which lifted the sacramental test bar to Catholics entering the British Parliament.On 2 April 1829, O'Connell attended a public dinner at Downpatrick in his honour, along with "upwards of eighty gentlemen, of different religious persuasions".
On St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1848, a crowd of 2,000–3,000 Catholics set off from Old Course Road intending to parade to the reputed grave of St Patrick on Cathedral Hill. They were attacked by Protestant
Orangemen at the Irish Street shambles and a riot ensued.
The Troubles
There were many gun attacks and bombings in Downpatrick during
the Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an " ...
. The deadliest incident was the
Downpatrick landmine attack
On 9 April 1990, the South Down Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a massive improvised land mine under a British Army convoy outside Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. Four soldiers of the Ulster Defence ...
on 9 April 1990. The
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...
(IRA) detonated a massive
improvised
Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...
land mine
A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...
under a
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
convoy on Ballydugan Road, just outside the town. Four soldiers of the
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) was an infantry regiment of the British Army established in 1970, with a comparatively short existence ending in 1992. Raised through public appeal, newspaper and television advertisements,Potter p25 their offi ...
(UDR) were killed
Places of interest
![Quoile Castle, geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Quoile_Castle%2C_geograph.jpg)
![O&K No](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/O%26K_No._1%2C_Downpatrick_Station.JPG)
*
Ballyalton Court Cairn
Ballyalton Court Cairn is a single court grave situated on a rock outcrop by the roadside 0.5 miles from Ballyalton village, which is 2.25 miles east of Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éirea ...
is a
single court grave situated on a rock outcrop by the roadside from Ballyalton village, which is east of Downpatrick, at grid ref 531 448.
*
Ballynoe stone circle
Ballynoe Stone Circle is a late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age stone circle located near the village of Ballynoe, County Down in Northern Ireland. It is one of around 1,300 recorded stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany.
History
Sto ...
, a large circle of over 50 closely spaced upright stones, surrounding a mound which, when excavated, was found to contain two
cist
A cist ( or ; also kist ;
from grc-gre, κίστη, Middle Welsh ''Kist'' or Germanic ''Kiste'') is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle Ea ...
s in which cremated bones were found, is only 2.5 miles (4 km) south in the hamlet of
Ballynoe. The site is near the disused railway station, reached by a long footpath off the main road, at grid ref: J481404.
*The
Down Arts Centre, located in the former Downpatrick Town Hall, is an events venue in the town.
*Down County Museum, is located on the Mall in English Street in Downpatrick and was formerly the old Down County Gaol. It was built between 1789 and 1796 at the behest of the County Grand Jury of Down under the supervision of Marquess of Downshire, the Earl of Hillsborough and the Hon Edward Ward, it was designed by architect Charles Lilly. The building served for a time as a barracks for the South Down Militia. It is famously where, at its gates, United Irishman,
Thomas Russell was hanged in 1803.
*
Downpatrick Racecourse, is located on the Ballydugan Road on the outskirts of Downpatrick. Horse racing has been held at Downpatrick under the charter of
James II of England
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
.
*
Downpatrick & 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, dies ...
is Ireland's only full-sized heritage railway. Built on the
BCDR's former line to Belfast, it links the town with
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 ...
and various other places of historical interest. The railway houses Ireland's largest collection of
Victorian carriages, eight
diesel locomotives
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ...
, three
steam engines, and several
railcars
A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach (carriage, car), with a drive ...
.
*
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 ...
, a large, ruined
Cistercian monastic site featuring early
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...
is 0.75 miles (1.2 km) north-west of Downpatrick on the north bank of the
River Quoile
The Quoile (; ) is a river in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Course
The river begins its life as the Ballynahinch River which flows from west of the town of Ballynahinch to Annacloy where it is known as the Annacloy River. This then becomes ...
off the main road to Belfast, at grid ref: J477455.
*The
Lecale peninsula covers an area of some between Downpatrick and
Dundrum. It is an area of historical and geographic significance.
*The Mound of Down or Rathkeltair is one of the major earthworks of Ulster, situated on the NW edge of Downpatrick it is a good example of an
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
defensive earthwork in the middle of which a Norman
Motte and Bailey was built by
John de Courcy
{{Infobox noble
, image = Sir John de Courcy (1150-1219).jpg
, caption =
, alt =
, more = no
, succession =
, reign =
, predecessor =
, successor =
, ...
after his defeat of Rory Mac Donlevy in 1177. Some believe that it was the residence of
Celtchar
Celtchar, son of Uthechar or Uthidir, is a character from the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. In '' Scéla Mucce Maic Dathó'' ("The Tale of Mac Dathó's Pig") he is described as "a grey, tall, very terrible hero of Ulster". When he challenges Ce ...
mac Ulthechair, the legendary Iron Age hero of the Ulster Cycle. It seems to have become the administrative centre of the Kings of
Dál Fiatach
Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their ...
by the early Christian period.
*St. Patrick Centre, is the only permanent exhibition in the world dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland. As a nonprofit educational organisation offers of reconciliation in Northern Ireland, thousands of children each year and the ongoing cross-border and international youth programs.
*
Quoile Castle is a ruined 16th-century
tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strateg ...
, just off the main road from Downpatrick to
Strangford, at grid ref: J4963 4701.
*
Struell Wells
Struell Wells ( ga, Toibreacha an tSruthail; Ulster-Scots: ''Struell Waals'') are a set of four holy wells in the townland of Struell, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland (grid ref: J513442). The wells d ...
is a set of four
holy well
A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its guar ...
s 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Downpatrick (grid ref: J513442). The wells date from before the time of
Saint Patrick, and even today are used for people seeking cures.
*As of 2009,a cinema was opened in Downpatrick,(Previously Eclipse now Omniplex cinemas), which is a very popular destination among the community both as a cinema and a venue for events.
*
Lough Money is about three miles from the town. A
rainbow trout fishery is maintained there for anglers.
*Saul Church is approx. 3 Miles from the town, built in 1932 to commemorate St Patrick's first church in Ireland.
St Patrick's Day Parade
St Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick ( ga, Lá Fhéile Pádraig, lit=the Day of the Festival of Patrick), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patr ...
is celebrated in Downpatrick through an annual cross-community parade which goes through the centre of the town. This is the one day of the year that Downpatrick closes its main streets so that celebrations can begin. The celebrations occurs every year on the 17th of March.
Newry, Mourne and Down District council
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council ( Irish: ''Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir, Mhúrn agus an Dúin'') is a local authority in Northern Ireland that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaces Down District Council and Newry and Mourne Distri ...
in recent years have lengthened the celebrations from one day to the entire week full of history exhibitions and family events.
Downpatrick's St Patrick's Day celebrations are also popular for tourists especially because of the town's history of
St Patrick and because of his burial site.
Demography
On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 10,822 people living in Downpatrick (4,179 households), accounting for 0.60% of the NI total,
[ and representing an increase of 4.9% on the Census 2001 population of 10,316.] Of these:
* 22.35% were aged under 16 years and 13.28% were aged 65 and over;
* 51.55% of the usually resident population were female and 48.45% were male;
* 85.51% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic faith and 10.78% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' denominations;
* 42.95% had an Irish national identity, 34.77% had a Northern Irish national identity and 26.58% indicated that they had a British national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity);
* 34 years was the average (median) age of the population;
* 13.10% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge) and 3.12% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.
Transport
*
Downpatrick is situated at the junction of the A7 (Downpatrick to Saintfield
Saintfield () is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about halfway between Belfast and Downpatrick on the A7 road. It had a population of 3,381 in the 2011 Census, made up mostly of commuters working in both south ...
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 ...
) road, the A25 (Downpatrick to 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 ...
and Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
) road and the A2 coast road. While there are no rail services in Downpatrick, Ulsterbus provides bus services to and from the Downpatrick Bus Station.
*Downpatrick railway station
Downpatrick railway station was on the Belfast and County Down Railway, which ran its longest route from Belfast to Downpatrick in Northern Ireland. Today it is the headquarters of the Downpatrick and County Down Railway.
History
Downpatric ...
on the 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 ...
, opened on 23 March 1859 and Downpatrick Loop Platform opened on 24 September 1892. Both closed on 16 January 1950. Downpatrick Racecourse Platform had opened on 8 March 1893, but closed in September 1949. The current station, owned by 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 ...
, was opened in the early 1990s and serves several sites of historical interest near the town, having originally been a gas manager's office situated elsewhere in Downpatrick.
*Downpatrick also holds a Translink bus station on the Ballydugan Road providing bus services to Belfast, Bangor and Newry alongside services to local towns and townlands.
Education
Primary schools
*Downpatrick Primary School – "controlled" Primary School.
*Bunscoil Naomh Pádraig (''St Patrick's Primary School'') – Irish Speaking Primary School.
*St Brigid's Primary School – Roman Catholic Primary School.
*St Colmcille's Primary School – Roman Catholic Primary School.
*Our Lady & St Patrick Primary School – Roman Catholic Primary School. (St Patrick's Boys' Primary School & Convent of Mercy Primary School merged to form this school which is situated at the old Convent of Mercy building, with a new school building in the planning stages.)
Post-primary schools
*Down High School
Down High School is a controlled co-educational grammar school located in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. The school has students from the ages of eleven to eighteen in the senior school — of which there are approximately 970 pup ...
– (known locally as "The Green High") "Controlled" coeducational Grammar School
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
*De la Salle High school – Roman Catholic all-male High School
*Blackwater Integrated College – Integrated High School
*St Mary's High school – Roman Catholic all-female High School
* St Patrick's Grammar School (known locally as "The Red High") – Roman Catholic all-male grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
(although girls are admitted in the sixth form)
Further and higher education
*South Eastern Regional College
South Eastern Regional College (SERC) is a further and higher education college in the south-east of Northern Ireland.
SERC was created following the merger of three institutes of further and higher education in the south-east of Northern Irela ...
( Downpatrick Campus ) – the local campus of the regional further and higher education college
People
See '' :People from Downpatrick''
* Trevor Carson
Trevor Carson (born 5 March 1988) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Scottish Premiership club Dundee.
Born in Killyleagh, Northern Ireland, Carson started his youth career with Killyleagh Boys before movin ...
, Northern Ireland international football team goalkeeper.
* Maurice Hayes
Maurice Hayes (8 July 1927 – 23 December 2017) was an Irish public servant and, late in life, an independent member of the 21st and 22nd Seanads. Hayes was nominated by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, in 1997 and re-nominated in 2002. He also s ...
, the former Northern Ireland Ombudsman
The office of the NI Ombudsman, now known as the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO), was first established in Northern Ireland in 1969. The role of an independent ombudsman was originally created as a response to the Northern Irel ...
, Chairman of the Ireland Funds and Taoiseach-appointed Senator in Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house).
It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
.
* Conor Hazard, goalkeeper who currently plays for HJK.
John Frederick Hodges
(1815-1899), internationally recognised pioneer of the application of chemistry to agriculture,
* E. Neville Isdell, former chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company.
* William Johnston of Ballykilbeg (1829-1902), MP for Belfast, Orangeman, tenant righter and women's suffragist.
* Patrick Kielty
Patrick Kielty (born 31 January 1971) is a Northern Irish comedian and television personality.
Background
Kielty was born in County Down, Northern Ireland, and grew up in the village of Dundrum. He is one of three sons born to the businessm ...
, attended (St. Patrick's Grammar) school in Downpatrick.
* Miles Kington
Miles Beresford Kington (13 May 1941 – 30 January 2008) was a British journalist, musician (a double bass player for Instant Sunshine and other groups) and broadcaster. He is also credited with the invention of Franglais, a fictional language, ...
, journalist, musician and broadcaster born in Downpatrick.
* George Lowden
George Lowden is a luthier based in Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. He constructs steel and nylon string acoustic guitars by hand without any UV finishing as well as solid-body electric guitars.
Early life
George Lowden was born ...
, custom guitar maker, based in Downpatrick
* Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil (1571-1629), poet, Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
theologian and Archbishop of Armagh
* Colin McGrath
Colin McGrath MLA (born 21 October 1975) is an Irish Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician from Northern Ireland. He has been a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for South Down since the 2016 election.
Background
McG ...
, South Down SDLP
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Irela ...
MLA, Chairman and party Chief Whip.
* Colin Murphy Colin Murphy may refer to:
* Colin Murphy (comedian) (born 1968), Irish comedian
* Colin Murphy (ice hockey) (born 1980), Canadian ice hockey player
* Colin Murphy (footballer, born 1950)
Colin Murphy (born 21 January 1950) is an English for ...
, comedian.
* Margaret Ritchie, SDLP
The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) ( ga, Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Irela ...
MP, Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branch of the legislature – the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is answerable to the assembly and was initially established according to the ...
Minister.
* Thomas Russell (1767-1803) executed at Down County Gaol following Robert Emmet’s Rebellion in 1803. He is honoured in the name of the local GAA.
* Robert Scott (1874–1961) Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
* Tim Wheeler
Timothy James Arthur Wheeler (born 4 January 1977) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician for the alternative rock band Ash. He has written nearly all of Ash's notable works, such as " Oh Yeah", "Shining Light", " Girl from Mars" ...
, lead singer of rock band Ash.
Sport and clubs
Gaelic games
Downpatrick is home to RGU Dún Phádraig GAC. The Russell Gaelic Union was formed by an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman: Willie King, Alex McDowell, and Willie Byrne, respectively, in the county town in the early 20th century. The team traditionally wears green and white hoops. Downpatrick has had mixed fortunes over the years but has still managed to produce excellent county footballers such as Ray McConville, Conor Deegan
Fontaines D.C. are an Irish post-punk band formed in Dublin in 2017. The band consists of Grian Chatten (vocals), Carlos O'Connell (guitar), Conor Curley (guitar), Conor Deegan III (bass), and Tom Coll (drums).
After meeting while attending mu ...
, and Barry Breen, all of whom won All-Irelands with Down.The club was named in honour of , Thomas Russell (rebel)
Thomas Paliser Russell (21 November 1767 – 21 October 1803) was founding member, and leading organiser, of the United Irishmen marked by his radical-democratic and millenarian convictions. A member of the movement's northern executive in Belf ...
.
Cricket
Downpatrick Cricket Club has won the Irish Senior Cup on two occasions, the NCU Senior League
The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) Senior League is the provincial cricket league within the NCU jurisdiction in Ireland, which covers counties Antrim, Armagh, Down and south Tyrone of Northern Ireland. The league was formed in 1897 and is curre ...
on six occasions and the NCU Challenge Cup
The NCU Challenge Cup, also called the NCU Senior Challenge Cup and the NCU Senior Cup, is the most important provincial cricket knock-out cup of the NCU jurisdiction in Ireland. The competition began in 1887, with eleven clubs participating in ...
on six occasions. The club's Strangford Road ground has hosted 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 ...
international matches, most recently against Australia "A" and South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
in 1998.
Rugby union
The community of Downpatrick also features two Rugby Clubs. These clubs are Ballynahinch Rugby Football and Dromorer Rugby Football.
Association football
Downpatrick's most prominent team is Celtic Bhoys which competes in the Newcastle Premier district League 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 ...
The Bhoys are current Premier Division and Division 2 Champions for Season 2018/2019. There are other clubs associated with the town, and others from surrounding areas. These include Ballynagross F.C and Rossglass County F.C
There are also many youth teams such as the Celtic Bhoys, Ballynagross, Rossglass and Coney Island who along with many other teams in the area, participate in the Downpatrick Youth
League. Most famous football side out of Downpatrick were Downpatrick Rec. who won the Steel & Sons Cup in 1978. Downpatrick is home to one of the biggest Northern Irish branches of the Manchester United Supporters' Club, the ''Downpatrick Manchester United Supporters' Club'', which was founded in 1993.
Snooker and billiards
Downpatrick is also the home of the Downpatrick & District Snooker & Billiard League. Many of the local towns compete in the leagues. Teams from Downpatrick, 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 ...
, Ballynahinch, Crossgar
Crossgar () is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about south of Belfast – between Saintfield and Downpatrick. Crossgar had a population 1,892 people in the 2011 UK Census.
History
Crossgar has had an inter ...
, Drumaness
Drumaness (formerly Drumanessy; ) is a class village and townland (of 761 acres) in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is 3 miles or 5 kilometres south of Ballynahinch, which is not really far en ...
, Ballykinler
Ballykinler (), often transcribed as Ballykinlar, is a village and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 12 kilometres south west of Downpatrick, in the parish of Tyrella and Dundrum. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 34 ...
, Castlewellan, Newtownards and Ballyalton play in the local district.
The league currently has the Northern Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association
The Northern Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association, or NIBSA, is the national governing body for Snooker and Billiards in Northern Ireland, recognised by the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, Sport NI. The aims of the association are to dev ...
Billiard Champion Darren Dornan playing in the league.
Bowls
Downpatrick Bowling Club is situated on the Old Belfast road, Downpatrick. Having been established since the early 1950s it is only over the last several years that they have finally enjoyed a sustained period of success. The club won the Irish Bowling Association Junior Cup for the first time in their history in 2006. The following year they once again reached the final only to be beaten by Cookstown in a close encounter. However the club once again regained the Irish Cup in 2011, with a resounding victory against Kilrea. In 2011 Downpatrick also won the PGL Midweek Division 2 title.
Other sports
Downpatrick Golf Club has its own club grounds. The town also has its own tennis club, Downpatrick Tennis Club. Downpatrick has several other clubs that use the facilities of the Down Leisure Centre (run by Down District Council) such as the Lecale Amateur Swimming Club, the Downpatrick School of Lifesaving and the East Down Athletics Club.
Downpatrick Golf Club is now known as At Patrick's Golf Club.
Annalistic references
See Annals of Inisfallen
Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record.
Scope
The nature of the distinction between ann ...
* ''AI1026.5 Mael Petair Ua hAilecáin, lector of Dún dá Lethglas, rested in Christ.''
See also
* List of localities in Northern Ireland by population
This is a list of settlements in Northern Ireland by population. The fifty largest settlements are listed. This list has been compiled from data published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), based on the 2011 Census. Se ...
* Downpatrick (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Downpatrick was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.
History
In the Patriot Parliament of 1689 summoned by James II, Downpatrick was not represented.
Members of Parliament, 1586–1801
*1613-1615: Richard Win ...
* Brian Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick
Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, (18 February 1921 – 3 March 1977), was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, from March 1971 until his resignation in March 1972. He was also the chief executive ...
* Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick
Edward Edmund Maximilian George Windsor, Lord Downpatrick (born 2 December 1988), known professionally as Eddy Downpatrick, is an English fashion designer and former financial analyst. He is the co-founder and creative director of the British fa ...
References
{{Authority control
County towns in Northern Ireland
Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom
Civil parish of Down
Towns in County Down