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 north, the Irish Sea to the east, County Armagh to the west, and County Louth across Carlingford Lough to the southwest.
In the east of the county is Strangford Lough and the Ards Peninsula. The largest settlement is Bangor, 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 and Belfast lie on the northern border with County Antrim. Down contains the southernmost point of Northern Ireland and the easternmost point of Ireland.
It was one of two counties of Northern Ireland to have a Protestant majority in the 2001 census. The other Protestant-majority County was County Antrim to the north. In the 2021 Census, it was the only county with a Protestant background majority, as Antrim has a Protestant background plurality. In the 2021 census, Ards and North Down had the highest number of "No Religion" responses for Northern Ireland.
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, and Strangford.
The county has two cities: Newry and Bangor. Bangor is the more recent, gaining city status in December 2022.

Toponymy

County Down takes its name from dún, the Irish word for dun or fort, which is a common root in Gaelic place names, such as Dundee, Dunfermline and Dumbarton in Scotland and Donegal and Dundalk in the Republic of Ireland. The fort in question was in the historic town of Downpatrick, originally known as Dún Lethglaise. Another word for the county is "Downshire".

History

In the 2nd century the region was home to the Voluntii tribe, according to Ptolemy. From the 400s–1177 County Down formed a central part of the kingdom of Ulaid. 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 by Sigtrygg Silkbeard raided much of the region in retribution for the Ulaiden's refusal to offer him sanctuary from Brian Boru the previous year.
The region was invaded by the Normans 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". 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, as well this side Blackstafe as the other side, Copelande islands, the Dufferin, Clandeboy, Kilultoghe, the Glynes with the Raughlines, Momerie and Carie, the Rowte M'William and all lands between lough Coine and lough Eaghe, and the water of Strangforde and the Banne. To certify their proceedings before the 1st August."
The county was privately planted during the Plantation period. During the Williamite War in Ireland the county was a centre of Protestant rebellion against the rule of the Catholic James II. After forming a scratch force the Protestants were defeated by the Irish Army at the Break of Dromore and forced to retreat, leading to the whole of Down falling under Jacobite control. Later the same year Marshal Schomberg's large Williamite expedition arrived in Belfast Lough and captured Bangor. After laying siege to Carrickfergus, Schomberg marched south to Dundalk Camp, clearing County Down and much of the rest of East Ulster of Jacobite troops.

Geography

Down contains two significant peninsulas: Ards Peninsula and Lecale peninsula.
The county has a coastline along Belfast Lough to the north and Carlingford Lough to the south. Strangford Lough lies between the Ards Peninsula and the mainland. Down also contains part of the shore of Lough Neagh. Smaller loughs include Lough Island Reavy and Castlewellan Lake near Castlewellan, Clea Lough near Killyleagh, Lough Money and Loughinisland near Downpatrick and, within the Mourne Mountains, Silent Valley Reservoir, Ben Crom Reservoir, Spelga Dam and Lough Shannagh.
The River Lagan forms most of the border with County Antrim. The River Bann also flows through the southwestern areas of the county. Other rivers include the Clanrye and Quoile.
There are several islands off the Down coast: Mew Island, Light House Island and the Copeland 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. Folk tradition says there are 365 islands in Strangford Lough, one for every day of the year.
County Down is where, in the words of the song by Percy French, "The mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea", and the area around the granite Mourne Mountains continues to be known for its scenery. Slieve Donard, at, is the highest peak in the Mournes, in Northern Ireland and in the province of Ulster. Another important peak is Slieve Croob, at, the source of the River Lagan.

Places of interest

Baronies
Parishes
'''Townlands'''

Settlements

Cities

  • Bangor
  • Belfast – the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in County Antrim
  • Lisburn – the eastern suburbs of the city lie partly in County Down but mainly in County Antrim
  • Newry – in counties Armagh and Down, divided by the Clanrye River

    Large towns

  • Dundonald
  • Newtownards

    Medium towns

Small towns

Intermediate settlements

Villages

Small villages or hamlets

Demography

In the 2021 census, County Down had a population of 552,261, making it the second most populous county in Northern Ireland.

Community background and religion

National identity

Irish language and Ulster Scots

In the 2021 UK census in County Down:
  • 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.

    Administration

The county was administered by Down County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. County Down is now served by the following local government districts:

Railways

Former railways within the county include the Great Northern Railway of Ireland and Belfast and County Down Railway, both of which were formed in the 19th century and were closed or amalgamated in the 1950s. The Downpatrick and County Down Railway operates a short section of the former Belfast and County Down line as a heritage railway between Downpatrick and Inch Abbey. The disused railway station at Ballynoe was part of the Belfast and County Down Railway, which connected Downpatrick to Ardglass in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Railways operates the area's modern rail network.