Downpatrick () is a town in

County Down 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 552,261. It borders County Antrim to the ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. It is on the Lecale peninsula, about south of

Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...

. In the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland, which lasted throughout the Middle Ages until their demise in the 13th century at the hands of Normans in Ireland, Normans ...

, the main ruling dynasty of

Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or (Irish language, Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic Provinces of Ireland, over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include , which ...

. Its cathedral is said to be the burial place of Saint Patrick. Today, it is the

county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...

of Down and the joint headquarters of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Downpatrick had a population of 11,545 according to the 2021 Census.

History

Pre-history

An early

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

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: * LAPD Rampart Division, a division of the Los Angeles Police Department ** Rampart scandal, a blanket ter ...

surrounding an early Christian monastery.

Early history

Downpatrick is one of Ireland's oldest towns. It takes its name from a ''dún'', a medieval royal fort, which stood on a drumlin overlooking the River Quoile. 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 The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

. 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 (historiography), Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th to the 10th century. They marked the start o ...

. This may have been the site called ''Ráth Celtchair'' (later anglicized Rathkeltair), the 'fort of Celtchar', after a hero in the

Ulster Cycle The Ulster Cycle (), 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 counties Armagh, Do ...

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths indigenous to the island of Ireland. It was originally Oral tradition, passed down orally in the Prehistoric Ireland, prehistoric era. In the History of Ireland (795–1169), early medieval era, myths were ...

. A small

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

monastic settlement was also built on the neighbouring drumlin to the south, now known as 'Cathedral Hill'. Nearby Saul Monastery 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

, the main ruling dynasty of

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 king ...

Magnus Barefoot Magnus III 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 the King of Norway ...

, 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 ; ) (11th century in Ireland, 1094 – 2 November 1148 in Ireland, 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 t ...

became the Bishop of Down (''Dún da Lethglas'') in 1137. He administered the diocese from Bangor and introduced a community of

Augustinians Augustinians are members of several religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written about 400 A.D. by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...

(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 (, ) were the medieval ruling class in the Kingdom of England following the Norman Conquest. They were primarily a combination of Normans, Bretons, Flemings, French people, Frenchmen, Anglo-Saxons and Celtic Britons. Afte ...

led by John de Courcy, becoming part of his Earldom of Ulster. 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 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 (castle), bailey, surrounded by a protective Rampart (fortificati ...

(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 28,141 at the 2021 census. It is County Antrim's oldest t ...

his capital in 1178. In 1183, de Courcy brought in

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

monks from the abbey of St Werburgh in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

(today Chester Cathedral), 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 or Brigit ( , ; meaning 'exalted one'),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 irlandaise ''B ...

and St Colmcille 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 The Bodley Survey was a 1609 cadastral survey overseen by Josias Bodley which aimed to study the largely unmapped areas of Ulster in the Kingdom of Ireland. It is also referred to as the Ulster Survey of 1609. The survey covered six counties Coun ...

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 High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...

, 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. 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 bard Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe (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.

Reformation and aftermath

Under orders from King Henry VIII of England, Downpatrick's monastic community was dissolved by the English around 1540, and the Cathedral fell into ruins. In 1600, the cathedral was allegedly burnt by English forces led by Edward Cromwell. A painting from 1788 shows the abbey ruins and its round tower. The Archbishop of Armagh, composer of Irish bardic poetry and Christian poetry in the

Classical Gaelic Early Modern Irish () represented a transition between Middle Irish and Irish language, Modern Irish. Its literary form, Classical Gaelic, was used in Ireland and Scotland from the 13th to the 18th century. Classical Gaelic Classical Gaelic or C ...

literary language Literary language is the Register (sociolinguistics), register of a language used when writing in a formal, academic writing, academic, or particularly polite tone; when speaking or writing in such a tone, it can also be known as formal language. ...

, and

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...

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. After his 25 April 1681 assassination by his foster brother, Art McCall O'Hanlon near Hilltown, County Down, rapparee leader Count Redmond O'Hanlon's severed head was displayed spiked upon Downpatrick Gaol. The Count's body was buried in the Roman Catholic cemetery at Ballynabeck, on the road between

Tandragee Tandragee () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is on a hillside above the Cusher River, and is overlooked by Tandragee Castle. The town is in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Ballymore, County Armagh, Ballymore and t ...

and Scarva. 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, Channel 4 from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned in 2022 on online platforms YouTube and Patreon. Created by television produce ...

'' 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 for use as the Infirmary. It was used until the new Infirmary (later known as the Downe Hospital) was opened in 1834. In June 1778,

John Wesley John Wesley ( ; 2 March 1791) was an English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a principal leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The societies ...

, the founder of

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

, 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, formed in the wake of the French Revolution, to secure Representative democracy, representative government in Ireland. Despairing of constitutional reform, and in defiance both of British ...

, Thomas Russell, was hanged outside Downpatrick Gaol for his part in trying to raise local United Irishmen and Defenders 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 who had been hanged in 1798. In his role as barrister, Daniel O'Connell, "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, he had been in London for the parliamentary passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 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 () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...

. The deadliest incident was the Downpatrick landmine attack on 9 April 1990. The

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Provisional IRA), officially known as the Irish Republican Army (IRA; ) and informally known as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary force that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland ...

(IRA) detonated a massive improvised

land mine A land mine, or landmine, is an explosive weapon often concealed under or camouflaged on the ground, and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets as they pass over or near it. Land mines are divided into two types: anti-tank mines, wh ...

under a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

convoy on Ballydugan Road, just outside the town. Four soldiers of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were killed

Places of interest

* Ballyalton Court Cairn 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, a large circle of over 50 closely spaced upright stones, surrounding a mound which, when excavated, was found to contain two cists 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, and 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 II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...

. * Downpatrick and County Down Railway is Ireland's only full-sized heritage railway. Built on the BCDR's former line to Belfast, it links the town with Inch Abbey 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 (locomotive), power source is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is con ...

, three

steam engines A steam engine is a heat engine that performs Work (physics), mechanical work using steam as its working fluid. The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a Cylinder (locomotive), cyl ...

, and several railcars. * Inch Abbey, a large, ruined

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

monastic site featuring early

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...

, is 0.75 miles (1.2 km) north-west of Downpatrick on the north bank of the River Quoile 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 historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

defensive earthwork in the middle of which a Norman

Motte and Bailey 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 ...

was built by John de Courcy after his defeat of Rory Mac Donlevy in 1177. Some believe that it was the residence of Celtchar mac Ulthechair, the legendary Iron Age hero of the Ulster Cycle. It seems to have become the administrative centre of the Kings of

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, to command and defend strategic points ...

, just off the main road from Downpatrick to Strangford, at grid ref: J4963 4701. * Struell Wells is a set of four

holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...

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. *The Eclipse cinema, now an Omniplex, opened in 2009. The first cinema in Downpatrick was the Pavilion on St Patrick's Avenue in 1917, followed by the Grand on Market St in 1935. * Lough Money is about three miles from the town. A

rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributary, tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in North America and Asia. The steelhead (sometimes called steelhead trout) is an Fish migration#Classification, ...

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. The cathedral features in the US sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".

St Patrick's Day Parade

St Patrick's Day 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 17 March. Newry, Mourne and Down District council 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

2021 Census

On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 11,545 people living in Downpatrick. Of these: * 83.6% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic faith and 10.4% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' denominations.

2011 Census

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 and

) road, the A25 (Downpatrick to

Newry Newry (; ) is a City status in Ireland, city in Northern Ireland, standing on the Newry River, Clanrye river in counties County Down, Down and County Armagh, Armagh. It is near Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border, the border with the ...

and

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

) road and the A2 coast road. While there are no rail services in Downpatrick,

Ulsterbus Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink (Northern Ireland), Translink, the brand name for the subsidiary operating companies of the Northern Ireland Transpor ...

provides bus services to and from the Downpatrick Bus Station. * Downpatrick railway station on the Belfast and County Down Railway, 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, 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. * Translink also holds the aforementioned 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 – (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 Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...

*Blackwater Integrated College – Integrated High School *Lecale Trinity Grammar – mixed sex grammar school (St Mary’s high school, St Patrick’s grammar school and De La Salle high school merged to form Lecale Trinity Grammar

Further and higher education

* South Eastern Regional College ( Downpatrick Campus ) – the local campus of the regional further and higher education college

People

See '' :People from Downpatrick'' * Trevor Carson, Northern Ireland international football team goalkeeper. * Maurice Hayes, the former Northern Ireland Ombudsman, Chairman of the Ireland Funds and Taoiseach-appointed Senator in

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

. * Conor Hazard, Northern Ireland international goalkeeper who currently plays for Plymouth Argyle. * 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, 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, custom guitar maker, based in Downpatrick * Aodh Mac Cathmhaoil (1571–1629), poet,

theologian and Archbishop of Armagh * Colin McGrath, South Down SDLP MLA, Chairman and party Chief Whip. * Lynn C. Doyle, pseudonym of Leslie Alexander Montgomery (1873–1961), comic writer and playwright born in Downpatrick. * Colin Murphy, comedian. * The Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick, a former SDLP MP and a former minister in the

Northern Ireland Executive The Northern Ireland Executive (Irish language, Irish: ''Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster Scots: ''Norlin Airlan Executive'') is the devolution, devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branc ...

. * Thomas Russell (1767–1803) United Irishman 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 (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

recipient * Francis Sheehy-Skeffington, writer and radical activist, was raised in Downpatrick. * Tim Wheeler, lead singer of rock band Ash.

Sport and clubs

Gaelic games

Downpatrick is home to Russell Gaelic Union, Downpatrick. 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, and Barry Breen, all of whom won All-Irelands with Down. The club was named in honour of United Irishman, Thomas Russell . Downpatrick has had a successful

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball, Olympic handball or indoor handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of thr ...

club since the 1980s when local teacher Martin Murphy established a team. After a number of years it was incorporated into the RGU family.

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 Northern Cricket Union of Ireland, NCU jurisdiction in Ireland, which covers counties County Antrim, Antrim, County Armagh, Armagh, County Down, Down and so ...

on six occasions and the NCU Challenge Cup on six occasions. The club's Strangford Road ground has hosted

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

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. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

in 1998.

Rugby union

The community of Downpatrick also features two Rugby Clubs. These clubs are Ballynahinch Rugby Football and Dromore Rugby Football.

Association football

Downpatrick's most prominent team is Celtic Bhoys which competes in the Newcastle Premier district League 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 Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...

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, Ballynahinch, Crossgar, Drumaness,

Ballykinler Ballykinler (), often transcribed as Ballykinlar, is a village and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 12 kilometres south west of Downpatrick, in the parish of Tyrella and Dundrum. In the United King ...

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 ...

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 Newtow ...

and Ballyalton play in the local district. The league currently has the Northern Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association 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 Newry, Mourne and 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 St Patrick's Golf Club.

Annalistic references

See

Annals of Inisfallen The ''Annals of Inisfallen'' () are a chronicle of the medieval history of Ireland. Overview There are more than 2,500 entries spanning the years between 433 and 1450. The manuscript is thought to have been compiled in 1092, as the chronic ...

* ''AI1026.5 Mael Petair Ua hAilecáin, lector of Dún dá Lethglas, rested in Christ.''

References

{{Authority control County towns in Northern Ireland Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom Civil parish of Down Towns in County Down