Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 kilometres (21 mi) south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. The town is one of Ireland's most ancient and traditional towns. It takes its name from a dún (fort), which formerly stood on the hill that looms over the town and on which Down Cathedral was subsequently developed. Its cathedral is said to be the burial place 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 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 per cent were male and 51.5 percent were female. As the largest town in the Lecale region, Downpatrick is an economic, recreational and administrative centre for the locality and provides a hub for the local towns and villages. In an hour drive of Belfast, the location works as a commuter town for a substantial number of people. It is also served by a routine bus service to the city and a railway station. The town has a variety of primary and post-primary schools educating pupils from from all over the east Down area. People have numerous opportunities for participation in leisure and sports activities. Along with a youth club, the town is home to rugby, football, cricket and swimming clubs. For all your home renovations, be sure to find reputable professionals in Downpatrick to make certain of quality.
