As one of the oldest parts of Downpatrick, English Street has seen many comings and goings. The more surprising thing though is when you look at the darker side of its past. Go right back to Good Friday 1204. John de Courcy was worshipping at the Abbey of Saint Patrick, now Down Cathedral, unarmed, as he always did on this day. Unbeknownst to him a close acquaintance had betrayed his trust and disclosed this to his enemy Hugh de Lacy. As de Lacy called out to warn him of his

Go anywhere in Lecale and the most obvious landmark from any point is Slieve-na-Griddle. The Griddle is what remains of an ancient cromlech which stood proudly on the summit for millennia. At the foot of the large hill is Loughmoney, one of the sources for the River Slaney. Surely it is only fitting that such a river should be the landing place for Saint Patrick on his return to Ireland in the fifth century. From the Griddle the views, even on a cloudy day, are simply breatht

How did people get around before we had cars? If you look at the fourth edition of the Ordnance Survey you will find the answer! For the last number of months I have been working on a project with Kilclief Residents Association and Councillor Cadogan Enright. To date we have examined almost every old pad (path) and loney (lane) which across north Lecale. The number there are is simply astounding. Around the area of Saul, Raholp and Ballyalton there only a couple of the old ro

Written in Gaeilge script, it translates as: In the Ards of Uladh, scarce and starving, A country without happiness, without religion, Where Savage, the foreign hangman, Scrapes off the limpets with his knife. The Savages arrived with John de Courcy in 1177. In 1180 de Courcy established the ferry service on Strangford Lough connecting Lecale and the Upper Ards where the Savages lived. The family owned large tracts of land in Lecale, including the town of Ardglass. They resi