Downpatrick (from Irish Dún Pádraig, meaning 'Patrick's fort')[4] is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland.

[7] Archaeological excavations in the 1950s found what was thought to be a Bronze Age hillfort on Cathedral Hill, but further work in the 1980s revealed that this was a much later rampart surrounding an early Christian monastery.

It takes its name from a dún, a medieval royal fort, which stood on a drumlin overlooking the River Quoile.

This may have been the site called Ráth Celtchair (later anglicized Rathkeltair), the 'fort of Celtchar', after a hero in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

[9] In the early 11th century, a much bigger fort with earthen ramparts was built on the northern drumlin, now known as the 'Mound of Down'.

He administered the diocese from Bangor and introduced a community of Augustinians (canons) to Dún da Lethglas dedicated to St John the Evangelist.

[11] In the late 12th century, the area was conquered by Anglo-Normans led by John de Courcy, becoming part of his Earldom of Ulster.

The King of Ulster and Dál Fiatach, Ruaidrí mac Duinn Sléibe (Rory MacDunleavy), tried to retake the town, but was forced to withdraw after a fierce battle.

[12] The Normans began building a motte (fortified mound) inside the older royal fort, but abandoned it when de Courcy made Carrickfergus his capital in 1178.

[15] The death of O'Neill and defeat of the Irish was lamented in a poem by the Cenél nEógain bard Giolla Brighde Mac Con Midhe (1210–1272).

[16] Under orders from King Henry VIII of England, Downpatrick's monastic community was dissolved by the English around 1540, and the Cathedral fell into ruins.

On 21 January 1575, Franciscans John Lochran, Donagh O'Rorke, and Edmund Fitzsimon were hanged by Protestants at Downpatrick.

Down County Infirmary was established in a house in Saul Street in October 1767, where it operated for seven years.

In his role as barrister, Daniel O'Connell, "The Liberator", was called away from London to Downpatrick to attend the County Down Assizes, as counsel in a case heard on 1 April 1829.

On 2 April 1829, O'Connell attended a public dinner at Downpatrick in his honour, along with "upwards of eighty gentlemen, of different religious persuasions".

Four soldiers of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) were killed[22] The cathedral features in the US sitcom "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia".

St Patrick's Day is celebrated in Downpatrick through an annual cross-community parade which goes through the centre of the town.

Newry, Mourne and Down District council in recent years have lengthened the celebrations from one day to the entire week full of history exhibitions and family events.

Downpatrick has had mixed fortunes over the years but has still managed to produce excellent county footballers such as Ray McConville, Conor Deegan, and Barry Breen, all of whom won All-Irelands with Down.

Downpatrick has had a successful handball club since the 1980s when local teacher Martin Murphy established a team.

The club's Strangford Road ground has hosted Ireland international matches, most recently against Australia "A" and South Africa in 1998.

Teams from Downpatrick, Newcastle, Ballynahinch, Crossgar, Drumaness, Ballykinler, Castlewellan, Newtownards and Ballyalton play in the local district.