Lecale (leh-KAHL, from Irish Leath Cathail 'Cathal's half')[1] is a peninsula in the east of County Down, Northern Ireland.

In the Middle Ages it was a district or túath in the Gaelic Irish kingdom of Ulaid, then became a county in the Anglo-Norman Earldom of Ulster.

[4] More anciently Leath Cathail was known as Magh Inis, meaning the "island plain", with the name "Isle Lecale" still used in the area.

[4] According to the Annals of the Four Masters, on the day of the Festival of Paul and Peter (29 June) in 1147, the Ulaid gave battle to the Cenél nEógain of Tír Eoghain who had pursued them to the shores of Dún Droma (Dundrum Bay), Leath Cathail.

The Ulaid suffered a heavy defeat, including the death of Árchú Ua Flathraoi, "lord of Leath-Chathail", with the victorious Cenél nEógain plundering Lecale and taking off with Ulidian hostages.

[7] Dundrum Castle, which now occupies the original dún or earthen fort, is said to have been built for the Knights Templar by John de Courcy, and they are said to have held it until 1313 when their order was suppressed.

Accounts have given record that the tomb was vandalised and the relics were scattered over the abbey yard prompting the Downpatrick people to hurriedly bury them at their present site.

[11] The Earls of Kildare formerly held control of the customs of Strangford and Ardglass, both in Lecale Lower, of which it is noted that:[8] "The port offered excellent sea communications and the fertile area of Lecale was prosperous, so de Courcey incorporated the whole as part of the Pale and rewarded his followers with grants of land.

The association of the Kildare family with Ardglass continued for three centuries"Lecale is also recorded under the name of "Ladcathel" as one of the five counties of the Earldom of Ulster in 1226, the other four being Antrim, Carrickfergus, 'del Art' (Ards) and 'Blathewyc' (Newtownards).