Downpatrick

Downpatrick is a town in County Down in Northern Ireland. It's claimed to be the site of one of the first churches founded by Saint Patrick, at nearby Saul; this was also the place of his death and he was brought to Downpatrick for burial. The area is dotted with prehistoric and early Christian sites, while Downpatrick itself is a small market town. Belfast is only 21 miles to the north so it's become a commuter town, with a population in 2011 of 10,822.

Visitor information
The Tourist Information Centre is at 53A Market Street, open M-F 9AM-5PM. For other local info read The Down Recorder or Down News.

Get in
Goldline Express 215 / 515 runs from Belfast Europa bus station via Carryduff to Downpatrick, taking an hour. These run M-F every 30 min, Sa hourly and roughly every couple of hours on Sunday.

Goldline Express 240 runs from Newry via Newcastle to Downpatrick, taking 90 min. There are five M-F and 3 Sa Su.

Bus 16 runs four or five times M-Sa between Downpatrick and Strangford, for the ferry to Portaferry and buses from Belfast via Newtownards and the Ards Peninsula.

Bus 17 runs five or six times M-Sa between Downpatrick, Castlewellan and Newcastle, 35 min.

Bus 19 runs five times M-F to Ballynahinch, 30 min, for buses to Lisburn, Hillsborough and Belfast.

Downpatrick is on A25 Market Street, 200 yards south of town centre.

By road from Belfast, take A24 south to Carryduff then A7 into Downpatrick. From Dublin leave A1 at the first exit after the border near Newry, to follow A25 east via Castlewellan.

Get around
You can walk to many of the sights including Inch Abbey, and Rowallane Garden is on the bus route from Belfast. You need wheels for the outlying attractions.

National Cycleway 99 runs from Bangor down the peninsula to Portaferry, Strangford and Downpatrick, continuing to Newcastle. It's all on-road. From Belfast follow the traffic-free Comber cycleway, then hug the west bank of Strangford Lough to Downpatrick.

See

 * Town centre has many pleasant Georgian buildings along English St and Irish St.
 * is the shell of a 16th century tower house, along A25 a mile or so northeast of town. The riverbank is a wetland wildlife reserve.
 * was built in 1933, with a replica Round Tower, and incorporating fragments of a medieval abbey. Saul derives from sabhall, barn, where St Patrick is said to have sheltered and preached after the Strangford Lough currents spat him ashore nearby. His colossal statue on the hill is also modern.
 * is a fishing village ringed by medieval turrets in various stages of decay. Jordan's Castle, south end of Quay Street by the golf club, is the only one you can visit within. Isabella's Tower to the west however is a Victorian folly. Ardtole church is a 15th-century ruin on the hill north of the village.
 * Legananny Dolmen: see Newcastle (Down) for this impressive 5000 year-old megalithic tripod, and for Finnis Souterrain nearby.
 * is a fishing village ringed by medieval turrets in various stages of decay. Jordan's Castle, south end of Quay Street by the golf club, is the only one you can visit within. Isabella's Tower to the west however is a Victorian folly. Ardtole church is a 15th-century ruin on the hill north of the village.
 * Legananny Dolmen: see Newcastle (Down) for this impressive 5000 year-old megalithic tripod, and for Finnis Souterrain nearby.
 * is a fishing village ringed by medieval turrets in various stages of decay. Jordan's Castle, south end of Quay Street by the golf club, is the only one you can visit within. Isabella's Tower to the west however is a Victorian folly. Ardtole church is a 15th-century ruin on the hill north of the village.
 * Legananny Dolmen: see Newcastle (Down) for this impressive 5000 year-old megalithic tripod, and for Finnis Souterrain nearby.
 * Legananny Dolmen: see Newcastle (Down) for this impressive 5000 year-old megalithic tripod, and for Finnis Souterrain nearby.

Do

 * Omniplex Cinema is on Owenbeg Ave.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.
 * Beaches: most of County Down's beaches are rocky. The best sandy stretches are south of Downpatrick around Tyrella.

Buy

 * Grove Shopping Centre, Market Street, is by the bus station.
 * Downpatrick Retail Park is quarter of a mile further south along Ballydugan Road. Asda is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 1-6PM and has a filling station.

Drink

 * Distillery: Shortcross makes gin and whiskey at Crossgar 10 miles north on A7, and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Shortcross makes gin and whiskey at Crossgar 10 miles north on A7, and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Shortcross makes gin and whiskey at Crossgar 10 miles north on A7, and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Shortcross makes gin and whiskey at Crossgar 10 miles north on A7, and offers tours.
 * Distillery: Shortcross makes gin and whiskey at Crossgar 10 miles north on A7, and offers tours.

Sleep

 * B&Bs in town are Dunleath House and Number Nine.
 * Buckshill camping and caravan site, on A25 towards Strangford, is open to CCC members only but you can sign up online.
 * Buckshill camping and caravan site, on A25 towards Strangford, is open to CCC members only but you can sign up online.
 * Buckshill camping and caravan site, on A25 towards Strangford, is open to CCC members only but you can sign up online.

Connect
As of Oct 2020, Downpatrick has a 4G signal from Vodafone, Three and O2; with EE you'll probably manage a mobile call. Lots of dead spots in the countryside around. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Go next

 * Strangford has a grand mansion, a couple of ruined castles and a neolithic tomb. It was Winterfell in Game of Thrones.
 * Ards Peninsula is reached by ferry from Strangford. Top sights are Mount Stewart and Grey Abbey.
 * Newcastle is a coastal town. The castle is long gone, but it's a good base for the Mourne Mountains.