[9] In March 2018, The Sunday Times published its list of Best Places to Live in Britain, including five in Northern Ireland.

Ulaid was a frequent target of Viking raids in the eighth and ninth centuries, however fierce local resistance prevented the Norse from setting up permanent settlements in the region.

In 1001 a fleet led by Sigtrygg Silkbeard raided much of the region in retribution for the Ulaiden's refusal to offer him sanctuary from Brian Boru the previous year.

During the Williamite War in Ireland (1689–1691) the county was a centre of Protestant rebellion against the rule of the Catholic James II.

Later the same year Marshal Schomberg's large Williamite expedition arrived in Belfast Lough and captured Bangor.

After laying siege to Carrickfergus, Schomberg marched south to Dundalk Camp, clearing County Down and much of the rest of East Ulster of Jacobite troops.

Slieve Donard, at 849 m (2,785 ft), is the highest peak in the Mournes, in Northern Ireland and in the province of Ulster.

In association football, the NIFL Premiership, which operates as the top division, has three teams in the county: Newry City F.C., Ards F.C.

Down is the most successful team north of the border in terms of All-Ireland Senior Football Championships won with five (1960, 1961, 1968, 1991 and 1994) in total.

The county is named in the lyrics of the song "Around the World", from the film Around the World in 80 Days, which was an American top ten hit for Bing Crosby and UK top ten hit for Ronnie Hilton, both in 1957, although it was Mantovani's instrumental version which was actually used in the film.

Rihanna's video "We Found Love" was filmed there in 2011, causing complaints when the singer removed her clothes to reveal a bikini.

Van Morrison also covered "Star of the County Down" with The Chieftains as a part of their collaboration album Irish Heartbeat.

[40] Sam Hanna Bell based his novel of Ulster rural life, December Bride (1951) in the Ards peninsula.

Several areas of County Down served as filming locations for the HBO series Game of Thrones including Castle Ward (Winterfell),[41] Inch Abby (Riverlands), and Tollymore Forest Park.