Temple, County Down
Temple, historically called The Temple, is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Carryduff and about from Belfast city centre.
History
One of the earliest references to Temple dates back to 1858, when the name was first applied to a public house in the townland of Carricknaveagh. It was called "The Temple" because it was the meeting place for a freemasons' lodge.The village is within the historic barony of Castlereagh Upper and the civil parish of Killaney.
First held in 1921, the Temple 100 were a series of road races which took place within Temple and the surrounding area. The circuit was updated over the years, but they were predominantly held between Temple and Carryduff, and then ultimately between Temple and Saintfield. The final race took place in 1999. It was the first ever and longest running pure road race in Ireland, and one of the oldest road races in the world.
Places of interest
- Hinch Distillery, a whiskey and gin distillery located on the Killaney Estate.
- Temple Golf Club, a 9 hole course with 18 tee boxes which opened to the public in 1994.
- St. Andrew's Church, the Church of Ireland parish church in Killaney.
Amenities
- Temple Shopping Centre
- SPAR
Infrastructure
A new Park and Share facility was completed in January 2017.