Downpatrick factfile

How to get to Downpatrick
Downpatrick lies 33km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. The town sits at the junction of the A7 (Downpatrick to Saintfield road), the A25 (Downpatrick to Newry) and the A2 coastal road.

How Downpatrick got its name
Downpatrick, one of County Down's most ancient towns, is named after a fort ("dún") that once stood on the hill overlooking the town.

The town was originally called Aras-celtair and then Rath-Celtair, signifying first the house of, and then the castle of, Celtair. It was eventually changed to Dún Phádraig (anglicised as Downpatrick), emphasising the town's link with the Irish patron saint.

Famous landmarks in Downpatrick
Downpatrick is supposedly the final resting place of St Patrick, buried on Cathedral Hill in 461. Downpatrick has commemorated St Patrick with a large Mourne granite boulder in the churchyard, marked with his name and a large sculpture of Slieve Patrick, the hill across the valley. Downpatrick's legendary St Patrick's Day include a week-long St Patrick's Festival.

Famous people from Downpatrick
Downpatrick has produced its fair share of celebrities. One-time Bay City Rollers guitarist Ian Mitchell was born in Downpatrick in 1958. Northern Ireland and Fulham striker David Healy was born in Downpatrick 21 years later.

Comic Colin Murphy hails from Downpatrick, while fellow funny man Patrick Kielty attended Downpatrick's St Patrick's High School. Country singer Ann Breen, often known as "The Star of County Down," is another Downpatrick native.

Things to see and do around Downpatrick
Downpatrick's Down Cathedral was originally built as a Benedictine monastery in 1183. The building underwent major restoration work during the 18th century, and still retains some of its original features.

The Cathedral sits on the Hill of Down, one of the holiest Christian sites in the whole of Ireland. Along with its claims to St Patrick, it's also home to the remains of Saint Bridget and Saint Colmcille.

Downpatrick's town gaol saw its fair share of executions during the 18th century. It now houses the Down County Museum, with its restored prison cells and life-sized figures, and exhibitions about St Patrick and the region's history.

Downpatrick is also home to the Saint Patrick Visitor Centre, the only permanent exhibition in the world dedicated to the patron saint of Ireland. Kitted out with an IMAX theatre and interactive displays, there's also a tourist information centre, art gallery and shop.

Arts and culture in Downpatrick
Housed in the old Town Hall building, Downpatrick's Down Arts Centre hosts a programme of performances, exhibitions and workshops, as well as the annual Opera Fringe Festival each June.