County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the north, the Irish Sea to the east, County Armagh to the west, and

County Louth County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...

across

Carlingford Lough Carlingford Lough (, Ulster Scots: ''Carlinford Loch'') is a glacial fjord or sea inlet in northeastern Ireland, forming part of the border between Northern Ireland to the north and the Republic of Ireland to the south. On its northern shore i ...

to the southwest. In the east of the county is Strangford Lough 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, Millisle ...

. The largest town is Bangor, on the northeast coast. Three other large towns and cities are on its border: Newry lies on the western border with County Armagh, while

Lisburn Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...

and Belfast lie on the northern border with County Antrim. Down contains both the southernmost point of Northern Ireland ( Cranfield Point) and the easternmost point of Ireland ( Burr Point). It was one of two counties of Northern Ireland to have a Protestant 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, Newcastle, and

Strangford Strangford (from Old Norse ''Strangr fjörðr'', meaning "strong sea-inlet") is a small village at the mouth of Strangford Lough, on the Lecale peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 475 at the 2001 Census. On the ...

Toponymy

County Down takes its name from ''dún'', the Irish word for dun or fort, which is a common root in Gaelic place names (such as

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

Dunfermline Dunfermline (; sco, Dunfaurlin, gd, Dùn Phàrlain) is a city, parish and former Royal Burgh, in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. The city currently has an estimated population of 58,508. Accord ...

and Dumbarton in Scotland and

Donegal Donegal may refer to: County Donegal, Ireland * County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster * Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland * Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...

and Dundalk in Ireland). The fort in question was in the historic town of Downpatrick, 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. From the 400s-1177 County Down formed a central part of the kingdom of Ulaid. 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 raided much of the region in retribution for the Ulaiden's refusal to offer him sanctuary from Brian Boru the previous year. The region was

invaded An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...

by the Normans 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 (1689–1691) the county was a centre of Protestant rebellion against the rule of the Catholic

James II James II may refer to: * James II of Avesnes (died c. 1205), knight of the Fourth Crusade * James II of Majorca (died 1311), Lord of Montpellier * James II of Aragon (1267–1327), King of Sicily * James II, Count of La Marche (1370–1438), King C ...

. After forming a scratch force the Protestants were defeated by the Irish Army at the Break of Dromore 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 expedition arrived in Belfast Lough and captured Bangor. After laying siege to Carrickfergus, Schomberg marched south to

Dundalk Camp Dundalk Camp was a military camp which served as the headquarters of the Williamite Army under Marshal Schomberg in Autumn 1689 as part of the Williamite War in Ireland. The camp rapidly became notorious for the great loss of life suffered by so ...

, clearing County Down and much of the rest of East Ulster of Jacobite troops.

Geography

Down contains two significant

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

and

Lecale peninsula 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 Angl ...

. The county has a coastline along Belfast Lough to the north and

to the south (both of which have access to the sea). Strangford Lough lies between the Ards Peninsula and the mainland. Down also contains part of the shore of

Lough Neagh Lough Neagh ( ) is a freshwater lake in Northern Ireland and is the largest lake in the island of Ireland, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It has a surface area of and supplies 40% of Northern Ireland's water. Its main inflows come ...

. Smaller loughs include

Lough Island Reavy Lough Island Reavy is a small man-made lough in Kilcoo, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a fishing spot, which is controlled by the Kilcoo Angling Club. The lake contains pike and perch, as well as small numbers of wild brown trout and eels ...

and Castlewellan Lake near Castlewellan, Clea Lough near Killyleagh, Lough Money and Loughinisland near Downpatrick and, within the

Mourne Mountains The Mourne Mountains ( ; ga, Beanna Boirche), also called the Mournes or Mountains of Mourne, are a granite mountain range in County Down in the south-east of Northern Ireland. They include the highest mountains in Northern Ireland, the high ...

Silent Valley Silent may mean any of the following: People with the name * Silent George, George Stone (outfielder) (1876–1945), American Major League Baseball outfielder and batting champion * Brandon Silent (born 1973), South African former footballer * C ...

Reservoir, Ben Crom Reservoir, Spelga Dam and Lough Shannagh. The

River Lagan The River Lagan (; Ulster Scots: ''Lagan Wattèr'') is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 53.5 miles (86 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The ...

forms most of the border with County Antrim. The River Bann also flows through the southwestern areas of the county. Other rivers include the Clanrye and Quoile. There are several islands off the Down coast: Mew Island, Light House Island and the Copeland Islands, 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, " The mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea", and the area around the granite Mourne Mountains continues to be known for its scenery. Slieve Donard, at , is the highest peak in the Mournes, in Northern Ireland and in the province of Ulster. Another important peak is Slieve Croob, at , the source of the River Lagan.

Places of interest

King John's Castle Carlingford - geograph

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick ( la, Patricius; ga, Pádraig ; cy, Padrig) was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, the other patron saints be ...

is reputed to be buried at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick, reputedly alongside St. Brigid and St. Columcille. *

Saul, County Down Saul () is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland, within the civil parish of Saul and Ballee. The villages lies to the east of Downpatrick and has strong links with Saint Patrick. It is claimed that when Saint Patrick arrived in Ireland i ...

(from the Irish: Sabhall meaning "Barn") – where Saint Patrick said his first eucharist in Ireland * The city of Newry in the south of the county contains St Patrick's ( Church of Ireland, 1578), overlooking the city centre from Church street, on the east side of the city, which is considered to be Ireland's first ever Protestant church. The Newry Canal is also the first summit-level canal ever to be built in the British 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 De ...

. *

Cloughmore Cloughmore or Cloghmore (), known locally as "The Big Stone", is a huge granite boulder perched on a mountainside almost above the village of Rostrevor, County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits on the slopes of Slieve Martin in Kilbroney Park, o ...

(The Big Stone), a 30-ton Granite boulder lies on the Slieve Martin Mountain Ridge approximately 1000 ft. above Rostrevor 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 Exploris is a public aquarium situated in Portaferry, Northern Ireland. The facility is located on the shores of the Marine Nature reserve of Strangford Lough, which is an important winter migration destination for many wading and sea birds. The ...

, the Northern Ireland Aquarium, located in Portaferry, on the shores of Strangford Lough, on the Ards Peninsula. * The Old Inn in

Crawfordsburn Crawfordsburn () is a small village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village, which is now effectively a commuter suburb, lies between Holywood and Bangor to the north of the A2 road, about 4 km west of Bangor town centre. Bounded to ...

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,

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 ear ...

Peter the Great Peter I ( – ), most commonly known as Peter the Great,) or Pyotr Alekséyevich ( rus, Пётр Алексе́евич, p=ˈpʲɵtr ɐlʲɪˈksʲejɪvʲɪtɕ, , group=pron was a Russian monarch who ruled the Tsardom of Russia from t ...

, Lord Tennyson, Charles Dickens,

Anthony Trollope Anthony Trollope (; 24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was an English novelist and civil servant of the Victorian era. Among his best-known works is a series of novels collectively known as the '' Chronicles of Barsetshire'', which revolves ar ...

, former US president

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

, 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 Castlewellan () is a small town in County Down, in the south-east of Northern Ireland close to the Irish Sea. It is beside Castlewellan Lake and Slievenaslat mountain, southwest of Downpatrick. It lies between the Mourne Mountains and Slieve C ...

and Newcastle. * Scrabo Tower, in

Newtownards Newtownards is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles (16 km) east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. It is in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Newtownard ...

, was built as a memorial to Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry. * An area of County Down is known as the Brontë Homeland (situated between Rathfriland and Banbridge, where Patrick Brontë had his church.) Patrick Brontë (originally Brunty), father of Anne, Charlotte, 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) * Belfast – the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in County Antrim *

– the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in County Antrim * Newry – in counties Armagh and Down, divided by the

Clanrye River 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, whi ...

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 Down County Council was the authority responsible for local government in County Down, Northern Ireland. History Down County Council was formed under orders issued in accordance with the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 which came into effect ...

from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. County Down is now served by the following local government districts: *

Ards and North Down , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_type1 = Constituent country , subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_type3 = , subdivision_type4 = Status , subdivision_type5 = Admin HQ , subdivision_n ...

* Newry, Mourne and Down ''(also serves part of County Armagh)'' * Lisburn and Castlereagh ''(also serves part of County Antrim)'' * Belfast ''(also serves part of County Antrim)'' *

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Ulster Scots: ''Airmagh, Bannbrig an Craigavon'' , settlement_type = District , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_type1 = Constituent country , subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_type3 = , ...

''(also serves parts of County Armagh and County Antrim)''

Transportation

Railways

Former railways within the county include the

Great Northern Railway of Ireland The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) (GNR(I) or GNRI) was an Irish gauge () railway company in Ireland. It was formed in 1876 by a merger of the Irish North Western Railway (INW), Northern Railway of Ireland, and Ulster Railway. The government ...

and Belfast and County Down Railway 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, diese ...

operates a short section of the former Belfast and County Down line as a

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (US usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) i ...

between Downpatrick and Inch Abbey. Northern Ireland Railways operates the area's modern rail network.

Sport

Association football

In association football, the NIFL Premiership, which operates as the top division, has three teams in the county:

Newry City F. C. Newry City Football Club was a Northern Irish association football, football club founded in 1918 and dissolved in 2012. It was based in Newry, County Down and played its home matches at The Showgrounds (Newry), the Showgrounds. Club colours we ...

Ards F.C. Ards Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Championship. The club is based in Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Clandeboye Park in Bangor, which it rents from rivals Bangor to play home ...

and

Warrenpoint Town F.C. Warrenpoint Town Football Club is a semi professional Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club's home ground is Milltown, Warrenpoint. History The club was formed in 1987, and for the first 23 years of its exis ...

, 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 co ...

, Bangor F.C. and

Lisburn Distillery F.C. Lisburn Distillery Football Club is a Northern Irish intermediate football club who are based in Ballyskeagh, County Down. A founder member of the Irish League, they currently play in the NIFL Premier Intermediate League, the third tier of the ...

competing in the NIFL Championship, which operates as levels two and three.

Gaelic games

The Down County Board administers

Gaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...

in the county. Down is the most successful team north of the border in terms of All-Ireland Senior Football Championships 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, in not just Ireland, but the entire Great Britain, according to ''

Today's Golfer ''Today's Golfer'' is a monthly golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a s ...

''. Former No.1 golfer in the world,

Rory McIlroy Rory Daniel McIlroy (born 4 May 1989) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours. He is the current world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has spent over 100 weeks in tha ...

, originates from Holywood, which is situated in the north of the county.

In popular culture

Star of the County Down \new Score "Star of the County Down" is an Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, in Northern Ireland. The words are by Cathal MacGarvey (1866–1927) from Ramelton, County Donegal. MacGarvey's song was first collected in Herbert Hu ...

" 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'', which was an American top ten hit for

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

and UK top ten hit for Ronnie Hilton, both in 1957, although it was Mantovani's instrumental version which was actually used in the film.

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

's video " We Found Love" was filmed there in 2011, causing complaints when the singer removed her clothes to reveal a bikini. The Ulster 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 Coney Island is a peninsular neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach and Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, Manhattan Beach to its east, L ...

", 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 CS, C-S, C.S., Cs, cs, or cs. may refer to: Job titles * Chief Secretary (Hong Kong) * Chief superintendent, a rank in the British and several other police forces * Company secretary, a senior position in a private sector company or public se ...

, author of The Chronicles of Narnia, was inspired by the

. There is a Narnia trail in Kilbroney Park, in Rostrevor.

Sam Hanna Bell Sam Hanna Bell (16 October 1909 – 9 February 1990) was a Scottish-born Northern Irish novelist, short story writer, playwright, and broadcaster. Bell was born in Glasgow to Ulster Scots parents. Following the sudden death of his father in ...

based his novel of Ulster rural life, ''December Bride'' (1951) in the Ards peninsula. A film version of the novel, also called ''

December Bride ''December Bride'' is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network from 1954 to 1959. It was adapted from the original CBS radio network series of the same name that aired from June 1952 through September 1953. Overview ''Dec ...

'', was produced in 1990 and released in November 1991. Several areas of County Down served as filming locations for the

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...

series

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...

including Castle Ward ( Winterfell), Inch Abby (

Riverlands Riverlands is a locality in Marlborough, New Zealand. State Highway 1 runs through the settlement, and the Ōpaoa River flows past to the northeast. Blenheim is about 2.5 km to the northwest. According to the 2013 New Zealand census, Rive ...

), 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 Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

, rock band, from Downpatrick * Paddy Ashdown, former Liberal Democrats (UK) leader, brought up near Comber *

Joseph Barcroft Sir Joseph Barcroft (26 July 1872 – 21 March 1947) was a British physiologist best known for his studies of the oxygenation of blood. Life Born in Newry, County Down into a Quaker family, he was the son of Henry Barcroft DL and Anna Richar ...

, scientist, Newry * Colin Blakely, actor, Bangor * Christine Bleakley, TV Presenter was born in Newry and lived in

* Patrick Brontë, father of the authors Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë, Rathfriland * Comgall, saint and founder of the great monastery at Bangor *

Stephen Craigan Stephen James Craigan (born 29 October 1976) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer. He played in central defence, and spent his entire playing career in Scotland, playing for Motherwell (twice) and Partick Thistle. He has also pl ...

, Motherwell and Northern Ireland defender, from

* Jamie Dornan, actor in

50 Shades of Grey ''Fifty Shades of Grey'' is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It became the first instalment in the ''Fifty Shades'' novel series that follows the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, ...

is from Holywood * Garth Ennis, comic books author of Preacher and

The Boys Boys are young male humans. Boys or The Boys may also refer to: Film and television Films * ''The Boys'' (1962 British film), a courtroom drama by Sidney J. Furie * ''The Boys'' (1962 Finnish film), a war drama by Mikko Niskanen * ''Boys'' ( ...

, brought up in Holywood *

Harry Ferguson Henry George "Harry" Ferguson (4 November 188425 October 1960) was a British mechanic and inventor who is noted for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor and its three point linkage system, for being the first person ...

, inventor of modern tractor, Dromore * Brian Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick, last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland,

Helen's Bay Helen's Bay is a village on the northern coast of County Down, Northern Ireland. It is within the townland of Ballygrot (), between Holywood, Crawfordsburn and Bangor. It is served by a railway station and had a population of 1,390 in the 2011 ...

* Patricia Ford, first female MP from Northern Ireland, Donaghadee *

Charlie Gallogly Charles Gallogly (16 June 1919 – 12 January 1993) was an Irish professional footballer who played as a fullback for Huddersfield Town, Watford and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. In 1950 he was awarded two caps for Northern Ireland N ...

, Irish professional footballer for Huddersfield Town, Watford and Bournemouth. *

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...

, French President and founder of the French Fifth Republic, descended from the

McCartan McCartan is a surname of Irish origin. It is the anglicized form of ''Mac cArtáin'' of Irish origins. The surname denotes the son of Artán, diminutive of the personal name Art, an old Irish word for "bear". They are the Lords of Kinelarty, a ba ...

family from

Kinelarty Kinelarty () is a former Irish district and barony in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies east of the centre of the county, and is bordered by five other baronies: Iveagh Upper, Lower Half to the west; Lecale Upper to the south and south-east; ...

Keith Gillespie Keith Robert Gillespie (born 18 February 1975) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who plays as a winger for FC Mindwell in the Mid-Ulster Football League. He began his career at Manchester United after winning the FA Youth ...

, former Manchester United & Newcastle professional footballer grew up in Bangor *

Craig Gilroy Craig Gilroy (born 11 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player who wing for Ulster, and is a former Ireland international. he was Ulster's player of the year in 2014–15, and was named in the Pro12 Dream Team twice. Born in Bangor, County D ...

, Ulster Rugby winger, raised in Bangor *

Betsy Gray Elizabeth "Betsy" Gray (c. 1778 or 1780 - 1798), is a folkloric figure in the annals of 1798 Rebellion in Ireland. Ballads, poems and popular histories celebrate her presence in the ranks of the United Irishmen, and her death, on 12 June 1798 at ...

, 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, Parnellite Member of Parliament, Holywood * Sarah Cecilia Harrison, artist and first woman councillor to serve on Dublin Corporation, Holywood * David Healy, Northern Ireland record goalscorer from Killyleagh * Eddie Irvine, racing driver,

E. Neville Isdell Edward Neville Isdell (born 8 June 1943 in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland) is an Irish businessman, former chair and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company and currently president of the WWF. Early life and career Isdell moved to Zambia at the age of ten, ...

, former chair and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, Downpatrick * Pat Jennings, former NI goalkeeper, is from Newry * Patrick Kielty, comedian and television presenter, Dundrum * Gary Lightbody, lead singer of

Snow Patrol Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish–Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. They consist of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), Paul Wilson (musician), Paul Wilson (bass guitar, ...

, Bangor *

Kathleen Isabella Mackie Kathleen Isabella Mackie ''ARUA'' (22 July 1899 – 8 May 1996) was a painter and an elected Associate of the Ulster Academy of Arts and exhibitor at the Paris Salon. She was a founding member of the Ulster Gliding Club and a friend of pioneering ...

(1899– 1996) painter and glider pilot *

Josh Magennis Joshua Brendan David Magennis (born 15 August 1990) is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Wigan Athletic. Having spent the majority of his youth career as a goalkeeper, he switched to striker in 2008 before turning professio ...

, Professional footballer currently for Bolton Wanderers F.C. from Bangor * James Martin, inventor of the ejector seat, from Crossgar *

Robert Blair Mayne Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom), Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne, (11 January 1915 – 14 December 1955) was a British Army officer from Newtownards, capped for Ireland national rugby union team, Ireland and the British and Ir ...

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

and

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

of the 1st

SAS SAS or Sas may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''SAS'' (novel series), a French book series by Gérard de Villiers * ''Shimmer and Shine'', an American animated children's television series * Southern All Stars, a Japanese rock ba ...

Regiment,

Aodh MacCathmhaoil Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil, O.F.M. ( la, Hugo Cavellus; anglicised: Hugh MacCaghwell; 1571 – 22 September 1626), was an Irish Franciscan theologian and Archbishop of Armagh. He was known by Irish speakers at Leuven (Louvain) by the honorary name '' ...

, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland,

* Rhys McClenaghan - International gymnast from

* Edward McGarry, Wisconsin politician *

, major champion golfer, from Holywood *

Deirdre McKay Deirdre McKay (born 1972) is a composer from Northern Ireland. Biography Deirdre McKay was born in County Down. She started violin lessons at an early age and later began to compose with the encouragement of her teacher, Bob Leonard. Followi ...

, composer *

F.E. McWilliam Frederick Edward McWilliam (30 April 1909 – 13 May 1992), was a Northern Irish surrealist sculptor. He worked chiefly in stone, wood and bronze. Biography McWilliam was born in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland, the son of Dr William McWilli ...

, sculptor, Banbridge *

Colin Middleton Colin Middleton (29 January 1910 – 23 December 1983) was a Northern Irish landscape artist, figure painter, and surrealist. Middleton's prolific output in an eclectic variety of modernist styles is characterised by an intense inner visio ...

, Irish artist and surrealist, lived in Bangor * John Mitchel, Irish nationalist, Young Ireland movement, Newry * Colin Murray, sports TV Presenter, is from Dundonald * Richard Murray, Provost of Trinity College Dublin 1795–1799, born in County Down * Kristian Nairn, portrayed Hodor in ''

'' is from

* Lembit Öpik, former Liberal Democrat MP and Shadow Welsh and Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Bangor * Paul Rankin, TV chef, grew up in

Ballywalter Ballywalter ( and ''Walter'') is a village or townland (of 437 acres) and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is on the east (Irish Sea) coast of the Ards Peninsula between Donaghadee and Ballyhalbert. Ballywalter was formerly know ...

, Ards Peninsula * Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Governor-General of India, 1813 - 1823, Moira *

Margaret Ritchie, Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick Margaret Mary Ritchie, Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (born 25 March 1958 in Downpatrick), is an Irish politician who was the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2010 to 2011. She was previously a Member of the Norther ...

, former leader of Social Democratic and Labour Party and MP, Downpatrick * Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen, first Roman Catholic Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Newry * Zöe Salmon, TV presenter and Miss UK contestant is from Bangor *

Neil Shawcross Neil Shawcross , RHA, HRUA(born 15 March 1940) is an artist born in Kearsley, Lancashire, England, and resident in Northern Ireland since 1962. Primarily a portrait painter, his subjects have included Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney, nove ...

, artist, lives in

Hillsborough Hillsborough may refer to: Australia *Hillsborough, New South Wales, a suburb of Lake Macquarie Canada *Hillsborough, New Brunswick *Hillsborough Parish, New Brunswick * Hillsborough, Nova Scotia, in Inverness County *Hillsborough (electoral d ...

* 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 William David Trimble, Baron Trimble, (15 October 1944 – 25 July 2022) was a British politician who was the first First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002, and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) from 1995 to 2005. He was ...

, 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 Newcastle () is a small seaside resort town in County Down, Northern Ireland, which had a population of 7,672 at the 2011 Census. It lies by the Irish Sea at the foot of Slieve Donard, the highest of the Mourne Mountains. Newcastle is known fo ...

Paddy Wallace Patrick Wallace (born 27 August 1979) is an Ireland rugby union player who played for Ireland's national team and played for Ulster. A native of Belfast, he attended Rockport School and Campbell College. He was a member of the Ireland U19 side ...

, rugby union footballer for Ulster and Ireland, 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 Counties of Northern Ireland

Down Down most often refers to: * Down, the relative direction opposed to up * Down (gridiron football), in American/Canadian football, a period when one play takes place * Down feather, a soft bird feather used in bedding and clothing * Downland, a ty ...