Being one of the four constituent entities of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland has a rich and a captivating history that found its reflection in a great number of Irish heritage sites and various attractions. Annually, millions of tourists visit Northern Ireland in order to delight in its unique landscapes, traditions, and sights. If you plan to go on some Northern Ireland Holidays and still don't know where to go and what to see, then we advise you to visit Down Patrick in Country Down which is one of six countries. You may ask why Down Patrick? What should we pick DownPatrick as a starting point? Well, we have the answers right here.
Down Patrick is one of Ireland's most ancient and historical towns. In Irish, Down Phaing means Patrick's Fort which once stood on the hill that dominates the town and which there is a cathedral. Starting your Northern Ireland Holidays, it will be better to know where Down Patrick is located and of course we will provide you with the answer. It is about 33 kilometers south of Belfast. It is a pleasant place with little more than ten thousand people and its compact size and its proximity of its rich and well preserved historical sights make it an ideal place to start the Northern Ireland Holidays tour.
The history of Down Patrick is really interesting. The old name of the town was Rath Celtair and only in the 13th century was it superseded by the name of Down Patrick. The name is closely connected with the patron saint of Ireland who was Saint Patrick who was supposed to be buried there in 461 on Cathedral Hill and his grave is still a place of pilgrimage on St. Patrick's Day on March 17th. Down Patrick offers its visitors a variety of sights such as The Down Cathedral, Down Patrick and Down Country Road Railway., Inch Abbey, Ballynoe Stone Circle, and much more.
Down Cathedral, The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity is a church of Ireland cathedral that is located on Cathedral Hill that overlooks the town. The hill of Down has been a place of Christian prayer and worship since the time of Saint Patrick in the 5th century. It is hard to say what the church building would have looked like between the death of Saint Patrick until the 11th century. With Saint Malachy becoming Bishop of Down In 1124, the repairing and the enlarging of the cathedral was carried out. However, in 1220, the building was in ruins and was further damaged by an earthquake in 1245. In 1366, during an invasion by Edward Bruce of Scotland, the abbey was destroyed and completely rebuilt in 1512. The whole construction was really amazing and awe inspiring.
Inch Abbey represents the extensive remains of a Christian Abbey founded in 1180, by John de Coucy who was the leader of the 1177 Anglo Norman invasion of East Ulster. He destroyed the Abbey at Erenagh that was south of Down Patrick and in frustration found a Christian Abbey.
Ballystone Circle is a Megalithic monument near Down Patrick. It is a 100 foot circle that is an oval and also has two stone circles which may not be contemporary. Dated at about 2,000 BC, it had believed to have begun in the Stone Age and it was completed in the Bronze Age.
Of course it is only a 'mote' around the great variety of Down Patrick sights and while on the Northern Ireland Holidays, we advise you to visit Down Civic Arts Center, Struell Wells, and Castle Espie. Just one more thing, of course the human imagination is a great too to have; but according to the old saying, one look is worth a thousand words. Therefore, lease enjoy your Northern Ireland Holidays.