Dromore, County Down

Dromore () is a small market town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies within the local government district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon. It is southwest of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast–Dublin road. The 2011 census recorded a population of 6,395.

The town's centre is Market Square, which has a rare set of stocks. It is in the old linen manufacturing district. Dromore has the remains of a castle and earthworks, although these have modern buildings surrounding them, a large motte and bailey or encampment (known locally as "the Mound"), and an earlier earthwork known as the Priest's Mount on the Maypole Hill.

History

The name Dromore is an anglicisation of the Irish ''Druim Mór'' (modern Irish ''Droim Mór'') meaning "large ridge", with historic anglicisations including Drumore, Drummore and Drummor.

The town features a well-preserved Norman motte and bailey that was constructed by John de Courcy in the early 13th century, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland. Known locally as "the Mound", the fort occupies a prominent site to the east of the town centre and has views along the valley of the River Lagan. Dromore remained under Anglo-Norman control until it was captured and destroyed by Edward Bruce during the Irish-Bruce wars of 1315.

It was the seat of the diocese of Dromore, which grew out of an abbey of Canons Regular attributed to Saint Colman in the 6th century. This was united in 1842 to the Diocese of Down and Connor. The diocese was then divided in 1945, with the Diocese of Connor being independent, and the Diocese of Down and Dromore remaining united.

The town and cathedral were wholly destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and the present church was built by Bishop Jeremy Taylor in 1661, who is buried there. Also buried in the cathedral is Thomas Percy, another famous bishop of the diocese, who laid out the fine grounds of the palace. A monument to Thomas Percy stands in the Town Park.

Jacobites under command of Richard Hamilton, and rival Williamites fought a battle here on 14 March 1689. The battle took place about a mile out of the town on the Milebush Road and was known as the Break of Dromore. The Jacobites routed the Williamites and they fled in disorder, leaving 400 dead. After this Break of Dromore the Jacobites did not meet any resistance while advancing northwards and occupying Belfast.

Dromore had its own railway station from 1863 to 1956. The Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Junction Railway (BLB) through Dromore opened in 1863.Hajducki, 1974, map 9 Its line was a branch that joined the Ulster Railway main line Knockmore Junction, giving Dromore a direct link to and . In 1876 the Ulster Railway became part of the new Great Northern Railway, which took over the BLB company in 1877. In 1953 the railway was nationalised as the GNR Board, which closed the line through Dromore on 29 April 1956.

On 23 July 1920, sectarian motivated riots occurred in Dromore. An estimated crowd of 500 attacked Catholic homes, businesses and the Catholic parochial house. During the rioting, one member of the Orange Order was shot dead, it was determined that the bullet had been fired by the police.

The Troubles

1976

7 April 1976 – William Herron (64), Elizabeth Herron (58) and their daughter, Noleen Herron (26), all Protestant civilians, were killed during a Provisional Irish Republican Army incendiary bomb attack on their drapery shop on Market Square, Dromore. They lived in the flat above the shop.

1988

6 July 1988 – Terence Delaney (31), a Catholic civilian, was shot dead by the Ulster Freedom Fighters, a cover name used by the Ulster Defence Association, while waiting for a lift to work.

Today

The Dromore Town Centre Development Plan, published in July 2003, outlined that of the 190 units within Dromore Town Centre, over one quarter were vacant. This is in spite of recent population growth in the town; a result of the proximity to the A1 road and resultant commuting access to Greater Belfast.

The green-field development in recent years has mostly been around the edges of the town, and the doughnut effect has led to these houses being disconnected from the town centre. The population of Dromore tends to travel to nearby Banbridge or Sprucefield to shop, which has caused the high levels of obvious dereliction however more local shops are opening thus the number of people travelling beyond the town to shop is decreasing.

The plan highlights the under use of the River Lagan as a resource in the town, as well as the poorly used public space around Dromore Town Hall in the Market Square. The square's 18th Century layout is protected, however it is identified as a traffic problem, which is exacerbated by poor parking provision and enforcement of parking restrictions. In 2008, some of the buildings in the Market Square were cleared to facilitate the construction of leisure space.

Demography

2021 census

On census day (21 March 2021) there were 6,395 people living in Dromore. Of these:

* 68.9% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion and 16.51% belong to or were brought up in the Christian Catholic denomination
* 62.47% indicated that they had a British national identity, 42.05% had a Northern Irish national identity and 10.34% had an Irish national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity)

2011 census

On census day (27 March 2011) there were 6,003 people living in Dromore (2,439 households), accounting for 0.33% of the NI total. The population increased 20.8% from the 2001 census figure of 4,968. Of these:

* 23.37% were aged under 16 years and 13.88% were aged 65 and over
* 52.17% of the usually resident population were female and 47.83% were male
* 75.81% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion and 15.89% belong to or were brought up in the Christian Catholic denomination
* 70.10% indicated that they had a British national identity, 31.53% had a Northern Irish national identity and 7.08% had an Irish national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity)
* 36 years was the average (median) age of the population
* 7.37% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots and 3.18% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaelic).

Transport

Road

Dromore is well served by the Translink Goldline Express bus service 238, running between Belfast and Newry. Translink Ulsterbus service 38 links the town with Belfast, Banbridge and Lisburn (bypassed by express services). However the 38 can stop at all urban and rural bus stops, adding roughly an extra thirty minutes to the Belfast bound journey.

It is a short drive from Dromore to Belfast (about 20–25 minutes off-peak), Lisburn and Banbridge due to the high-quality A1 road/M1 motorway. Belfast International Airport is about 40 minutes away using the A26 ( Moira- Antrim road) while Dublin Airport is around seventy to eighty minutes away using the A1/M1. The town, which has been on the main Belfast to Dublin route for centuries, was bypassed in 1972.

The area is also linked with Lurgan and Ballynahinch by the B2 Lurgan Road and B2 Ballynahinch Road respectively. Surrounding villages, such as Kinallen, Dromara