Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km (21 mi) south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. The town is among Ireland's uttermost ancient and cultural towns. It takes its name from a dún (fort), which once stood on the hill that overlooks the town and on which Down Cathedral was later developed. Its cathedral is said to be the grave of Saint Patrick. Today, it is the county town of Down and the joint headquarters of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. Downpatrick is characterised by the rolling drumlins that are a characteristic of the Lecale area and a legacy of glaciation in the course of the Pleistocene, the Down drumlins themselves are underlaid by Ordovician and Silurian shales and grits. Its floor lies within the marshland surrounding the north east of the town, registered as being 1.3 foot below sea level. According to the 2001 Census, the town has a permanent population of around 10316 people. Within this population, 48.5 percent were male and 51.5 percent were female. As the largest town in the Lecale region, Downpatrick is a business, recreational and administrative centre for the region and acts as a hub for the local towns and hamlets. In just an hour drive of Belfast, the area provides a commuter town for a a great deal of people. It is also served by a regular bus service to the city and a train station. The town has a variety of primary and post-primary schools educating students from around the east Down region. People have numerous opportunities for involvement in leisure and sports activities. Together with a youth club, the town is home to rugby, football, cricket and swimming clubs. For all of your home refurbishments, be sure to identify dependable professionals in Downpatrick to make certain of quality.
