Dundrum, County Down

Down Cathedral

Down Cathedral in Downpatrick is roughly 10 miles from Dundrum, County Down.  Down Cathedral is thought to be the final resting place for Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and is sometimes referred to as Saint Patrick's CathedralThe Saint Patrick Centre is close to the cathedral and provides full details of the life of Saint Patrick.

The site of Down Cathedral was recorded in the 12th Century as having a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Down Cathedral itself was built, ruined and then rebuilt a number of times over the following centuries.  An Act of Parliament in 1790 granted £1,000 towards the restoration of the ruined 14th Century Cathedral with the Earl of Hillsborough granting additonal funds.  The work was completed with Down Cathedral ready for use in 1818.

Down Cathedral houses an 11th Century granite font that was found in 1927 when it was in use as a watering trough.  Saint Patrick is thought to have died in 461 but the inscribed slab of Mourne granite marking his grave was only put in place in 1900.