In the east of the county isStrangford Lough and theArds Peninsula. The largest settlement isBangor, a city on the northeast coast. Three other large towns and cities are on its border:Newry lies on the western border with County Armagh.Lisburn andBelfast lie on the northern border with County Antrim. Down contains 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 aProtestant majority in the2001 census. The other Protestant-majority County was County Antrim to the north.[7] In the 2021 Census, it was the only county with a Protestant background majority, as Antrim has a Protestant background plurality.[8] In the 2021 census, Ards and North Down had the highest number of "No Religion" responses (30.6%) for Northern Ireland.[9]
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, andStrangford.[10]
The county has two cities:Newry andBangor. Bangor is the more recent, gaining city status in December 2022.[11]
County Down takes its name fromdún, the Irish word fordun or fort, which is a common root in Gaelic place names, such asDundee,Dunfermline andDumbarton in Scotland andDonegal andDundalk in the Republic of Ireland.[12] The fort in question was in the historic town ofDownpatrick, originally known asDún Lethglaise ("fort of the green side" or "fort of the two broken fetters").[13][14] Another word for the county is "Downshire".[15]
In the 2nd century the region was home to the Voluntii tribe, according toPtolemy. From the 400s–1177 County Down formed a central part of the kingdom ofUlaid. Ulaid was a frequent target of Viking raids in the eighth and ninth centuries. Fierce local resistance prevented the Norse from setting up permanent settlements in the region. In 1001, a fleet led bySigtrygg Silkbeard raided much of the region in retribution for the Ulaiden's refusal to offer him sanctuary fromBrian Boru the previous year.
The region wasinvaded by theNormans in 1177. From the 1180s–1600s the region saw 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".[16] In 1570, a commission was issued in pursuance 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,[a] as well this side Blackstafe[b] as the other side, Copelande islands,[c] the Dufferin,[d] Clandeboy,[e] Kilultoghe, the Glynes[f] with the Raughlines,[g] Momerie and Carie,[h] the Rowte M'William (McQuillan)[i] and all lands between lough Coine[j] and lough Eaghe,[k] and the water of Strangforde and the Banne.[l] To certify their proceedings before the 1st August."[17][18]
The county was privately planted during thePlantation period (16th–17th centuries). During theWilliamite War in Ireland (1689–1691) the county was a centre of Protestant rebellion against the rule of the CatholicJames II. After forming a scratch force the Protestants were defeated by theIrish Army at theBreak of Dromore and forced to retreat, leading to the whole of Down falling underJacobite control. Later the same yearMarshal Schomberg's largeWilliamite expedition arrived in Belfast Lough and captured Bangor. After layingsiege to Carrickfergus, Schomberg marched south toDundalk Camp, clearing County Down and much of the rest of East Ulster of Jacobite troops.[citation needed]
The county has a coastline alongBelfast Lough to the north andCarlingford Lough 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 ofLough Neagh. Smaller loughs includeLough Island Reavy and Castlewellan Lake near Castlewellan, Clea Lough near Killyleagh, Lough Money and Loughinisland near Downpatrick and, within theMourne Mountains,Silent Valley Reservoir, Ben Crom Reservoir, Spelga Dam and Lough Shannagh.
TheRiver Lagan forms most of the border with County Antrim. TheRiver Bann also flows through the southwestern areas of the county. Other rivers include theClanrye andQuoile.
There are several islands off the Down coast: Mew Island, Light House Island and theCopeland Islands, all of which lie to the north of the Ards Peninsula. Gunn Island lies off the Lecale coast. There are at least seventy islands, several inhabited, and many islets – or pladdies – in Strangford Lough.[19] Folk tradition says there are 365 islands in Strangford Lough, one for every day of the year.[20]
County Down is where, in the words of the song byPercy French, "The mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea", and the area around thegranite Mourne Mountains continues to be known for its scenery.Slieve Donard, at 849 m (2,785 ft), is the highest peak in the Mournes, in Northern Ireland and in the province of Ulster. Another important peak isSlieve Croob, at 534 m (1,752 ft), the source of the River Lagan.
Saul, County Down (from the Irish: Sabhall meaning "Barn") – where Saint Patrick said his first eucharist in Ireland
The city ofNewry 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 everProtestant church.[22] TheNewry Canal is also the first summit-level canal ever to be built in theBritish Isles.
Cloughmore (The Big Stone), a 30-ton Granite boulder lies on the Slieve Martin Mountain Ridge approximately 1000 ft. aboveRostrevor village inKilbroney Park.
8.04% claimed to have some knowledge of the Irish language. 2.35% claimed to be able to speak, read, write and understand spoken Irish. 1.15% claimed to use Irish daily. 0.13% claimed that Irish is their main language.
9.85% claimed to have some knowledge of Ulster Scots. 1.01% claimed to be able to speak, read, write and understand spoken Ulster Scots. 1.34% claimed to use Ulster Scots daily.
The county was administered byDown County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973.[37] County Down is now served by the followinglocal government districts:
TheDown County Board administersGaelic games in the county. Down is the most successful team north of the border in terms ofAll-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.
The county is named in the lyrics of the song "Around the World", from the filmAround the World in 80 Days, which was an American top ten hit forBing Crosby and UK top ten hit forRonnie Hilton, both in 1957, although it wasMantovani's instrumental version which was actually used in the film.Rihanna's video "We Found Love" was filmed there in 2011, causing complaints when the singer removed her clothes to reveal a bikini.[41]
TheUlster singerVan 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", which names several places and landmarks in the county. Van Morrison also covered "Star of the County Down" withThe Chieftains as a part of their collaboration albumIrish Heartbeat.
Sam Hanna Bell based his novel of Ulster rural life,December Bride (1951) in the Ards peninsula. A film version of the novel, also calledDecember Bride, was produced in 1990 and released in November 1991.
The Academy Award-winning short filmThe 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.[45]
^Northern Ireland General Register Office (1975). "Table 1: Area, Buildings for Habitation and Population, 1971".Census of Population 1971; Summary Tables(PDF). Belfast: HMSO. p. 1.Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved28 August 2019.
^Kearcsadmin (February 2012)."St. Brigid's Day".County Kildare Archaeological Society.Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved6 July 2017.
^Lee, JJ (1981). "On the accuracy of the Pre-famine Irish censuses". In Goldstrom, J. M.; Clarkson, L. A. (eds.).Irish Population, Economy, and Society: Essays in Honour of the Late K. H. Connell. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press.
The Memoirs of John M. Regan, a Catholic Officer in the RIC and RUC, 1909–48, Joost Augusteijn, editor, District Inspector, Co. Down 1930s, 1919,ISBN978-1-84682-069-4.
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