Downpatrick

From Freepedia

Downpatrick (Dún Phádraig in Irish, meaning Fort of Patrick) is a town in County Down in Northern Ireland with about 10,113 inhabitants. It is situated about 33km south of Belfast.

Many of the town's inhabitants work in Belfast. The town has suffered higher than average unemployment rates over the years. There has been under investment in the town in terms of industry. The town has a number of primary and post-primary schools. Children come in from all over east Down to these schools. Downpatrick is home to the Russell Gaelic Union (Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club) and Downpatrick Cricket Club.

Downpatrick is where the local council, Down District Council is headquartered.

History

Downpatrick is one of Ireland's most ancient and historic towns. It takes its name from a dún (fort), which once stood on the hill that dominates the town and on which the cathedral stands. Ptolemy about the year AD 130 includes it as "Dunum" in his list of towns of Ireland. The old name of the town was "Rath Celtair". It was superseded by the name "Dun-leth-glas" which in turn gave way in the 13th century to the present name of Downpatrick - from the town's connection with the patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick was reputedly buried here in 461 on Cathedral Hill, within the grounds of Down Cathedral. His grave is still a place of pilgrimage on St Patricks Day (17 March). The St Patrick's Centre [1] in Downpatrick is purpose-built to tell the story of St Patrick.

Places of Interest

Down County Museum [2] is located in the restored 18th century County Gaol of Down, the museum's exhibitions tell the story of the people of County Down from earliest times to today.

Close to the museum is Down Cathedral which began as a Benedictine monastery built in 1183. Major restoration was carried out in the 18th century and it still contains many of the original features. The Cathedral is built on the Hill of Down, one of the holiest Christian sites in ireland. It's graveyard contains the traditional burial place of St Patrick.

Nearby is the Down Civic Arts Centre [3] which is also run by Down District Council.

Downpatrick is also the home of the Downpatrick & County Down Railway (formerly known as the Downpatrick Railway Museum), which is the only Irish Standard Gauge heritage railway (i.e., it possesses its own line) in Ireland, and continues to run steam trains on restored tracks.

Close to Downpatrick is Ballynoe Stone circle, a Megalithic monument where a 100ft stone circle encloses an ellipse of stones and a prehistoric burial mound. Dated to around 2000 BC. It is thought Ballynoe was begun in the Stone Age.

Struell Wells near Downpatrick is strongly associated with St Patrick but with no documented history until 1306. It consists of a group of healing wells and bath houses in a secluded rocky valley.

Inch Abbey was a substantial Cistercian Abbey and is now in ruins, but the east end of the church, with its early English lancet windows, chapter house and refrectory remains. It is situated near Downpatrick, off the A7 road to Crossgar.