Hamrun (Maltese: Ħamrun; [ħamˈruːn]) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 9,244 as of March 2014.

[3][4] This appellation could stem from the fact that a considerable number of Ħamruniżi used to work as stevedores on the docks and thus carried a knife at all times.

[5] Although born in Valletta, George Preca (founder of the Society of Christian Doctrine) lived most of his life in Hamrun.

It is the home town of former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and of Presidents Anton Buttigieg and Guido de Marco.

The founder of the Malta Workers' Union (UHM), Salvino Spiteri, was born and lived here.

Notable persons from Hamrun are the actor and lyrical singer Oreste Kirkop, who is remembered mostly for his role in the 1956 Hollywood film The Vagabond King,[6] and Maltese poet and theatre director Mario Azzopardi (born in 1944), who has a strong reputation for introducing new, radical poetry in Malta in the Sixties and who became the artistic director of the Malta Drama Centre (est.

[7] Joe Zammit Cordina (Josephine's brother in-law) was also a well-known actor and TV personality.

Mario Philip settled in Canada and has many commercial film titles and TV serials to his credit.

The other Mario Azzopardi is a well-known poet and animator, accredited with introducing new forms of literature to the island.

Joseph Buttigieg, distinguished literary scholar at the University of Notre Dame and father of South Bend, Indiana mayor and United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, was born in Hamrun.

Hamrun has also been the home for a number of years of Bjorn Formosa M.Q.R, the ALS Malta founder, who in 2017 was also honoured with Ġieħ il-Ħamrun.

Due to the prominence of the St. Cajetan Parish Church, many residents carry the name of the patron saint, generally in Maltese or in Italian.

It was built in the early 17th century by a merchant trader who brought the painting of the Madonna from Atocha in Spain.

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church is the Motherhouse of the Society of Christian Doctrine founded by Saint George Preca.

On a Wednesday, in Passiontide, a Procession of Christ the Redeemer walks through Strada Rjali (Hamrun Main Road).

The Procession starts adjacent to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church and ends when the Statue of Jesus Christ is inside Saint Cajetan Sanctuary.

Immaculate Conception Parish Church was built in the 1960s to cater for the large population of Hamrun.

The statue of St Cajetan is the work of eminent Maltese sculptor Charles Darmanin and was completed in 1885.

Locals and visitors walk back and forth along the main street under colourful lights and banners.

Volunteers carrying the statue of the Patron Saint take a "ġirja" (run) up the stairs under the watchful eyes of parishioners, visitors and tourists.

The run is usually accompanied by an equally spectacular and noisy fire works display and loud cheers and clapping from the crowds.

The titular statue of the Immaculate Conception is held with great esteem due to the admiration it drew from the great pontiff Leo XIII who on seeing its magnificence bestowed on it the honour of serving as a tangible means for grace through the distribution of an indulgence to whoever expresses devotion towards it.

During World War I, the Hamrun Group served the country by helping in doing air-raid demonstrations and doing coast-guard watching around the island.

This was a big step forward for the Hamrun Group, especially for its band, that now was honoured to wear the Clan Campbell tartan.

Several historic transport services used to pass through Hamrun, including the Malta Railway, known in Maltese as il-vapur tal-art.

St. Joseph High Road (Maltese: Triq il-Kbira San Ġużepp) is the main street of Hamrun and one of the most important commercial areas of Malta.

Dun Guzepp Zammit Brighella Boys' Junior Lyceum traces its origins in the 1590s.