Lecale Heritage Hub

28/08/2026

🏰 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐦 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 🏰

Planning a visit this Bank Holiday weekend?

Dundrum Castle will be open on 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟗.𝟑𝟎𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝟓.𝟎𝟎𝐩𝐦, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝟒.𝟑𝟎𝐩𝐦.

On 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, the castle grounds will remain accessible to visitors. However, the Visitor Centre, The Keep and toilet facilities will be closed.

27/08/2026

FROM DOWNPATRICK TO BELFAST:
THE STORY OF ROBB’S DEPARTMENT STORE

Many of us remember the iconic Robb’s Department Store at Castle Place in Belfast. It was famous for high-end silks, textiles, and those magical Christmas window displays that brought the city to life.

But did you know that one of Belfast’s greatest retail empires actually started right here in Downpatrick?

The Irish Street Beginnings
The mastermind behind the store, John Robb, was born in Downpatrick around 1829. Long before he conquered the Belfast shopping scene, he was a local tradesman running a modest drapery business on Irish Street, one of Downpatrick's most historic medieval thoroughfares.

A £200 Gamble
In 1857, looking for better business prospects, John decided to take a massive gamble. He left County Down for the bustling industrial city of Belfast with just £200 in his pocket. He partnered with Alexander Orr Reid and opened a small "wholesale and retail woollen drapers" at 15 Castle Place in 1858. By 1861, it officially became John Robb & Co.

Building a Retail Empire
John’s eye for business was unmatched. Over the next few decades, the store swallowed up the entire block:
1861: Started at No. 15 Castle Place
1870: Expanded down to No. 11
1890: Stretched all the way to No. 1, becoming a massive, multi-storey Victorian shopping arcade.

The Robb family influence even stretched global - John eventually sent his brother, James Robb, across the Atlantic to open a sister "Robb's" store in Toronto, Canada!

Locally, the family name also lives on through the Gardner Robb ward at Belfast City Hospital, named after the Reverend Robb.

The End of an Era
Sadly, the store faced severe disruptions during the Troubles and permanently closed its doors in 1973. Despite fierce protests from conservationists who loved its beautiful architecture, the building was demolished in 1991. Today, the Donegall Arcade stands in its place. It all started with a local Downpatrick man, a shop on Irish Street, and a dream.

Did you or your family ever shop at Robb’s? Do you remember the window displays, or have any old family stories about the Robb family in Downpatrick? Share your memories in the comments below! 👇

Robb's Department Store. Castle Place, Belfast. c1937.
https://www.facebook.com/share/12JeLcotfvu/?mibextid=wwXIfr

25/08/2026

Heartbreaking news just in 💔

The legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton has passed away.

Her nephew confirmed the news in an Instagram post explaining: “My name is Brin Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.

“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”

He added: “It is an honor, an honor that is mixed with absolute pride and great sadness. But sadness lies with us, not with Dolly. Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens.”

One of the true greats. RIP.

25/08/2026

From The Irish Builder, 1st February 1877 :-

"The subject of our illustration with present No. is the Convent of Mercy lately erected at Mount St Patrick, Downpatrick. The material used is the local blue stone in rubble masonry, faced with Belfast perforated red bricks. the dressings are of white Scrabo stone, with black bricks in external relieving arches. The design is in the Gothic style of architect, and, together with the new schools attached, form a large and imposing group. Mr John Murphy, of Belfast, was the builder of the convent, and Messrs. P. and M. Nolan, Belfast, builders of the schools. the buildings were erected from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr Mortimer H. Thomson, architect, Belfast."

24/08/2026

Fantastic!
Paul Moane Photographer 👍👍👍

When the light, clouds, landscape and timing all align. This was the scene in Downpatrick earlier, a temperature inversion with the low level cloud breaking, showing the Down Cathedral and distant Mournes……a magical moment!
Pic by Paul Moane Photographer


Barra Best

24/08/2026

Jehovah's Witnesses building their Kingdom Hall in Downpatrick; off the Irish Street carpark, 1985.

Jehovah’s Witness history in Downpatrick

The Downpatrick congregation has been around for decades. One particularly notable event was in June 1985, when Jehovah's Witnesses built a new Kingdom Hall in Downpatrick using their then-new rapid construction method, pictured here.

According to the Witnesses' own historical account, more than 600 volunteers took part. At the time, the local congregation had only 19 publishers (their term for active members), but the hall was completed extremely quickly with help from Witnesses and skilled volunteers from elsewhere in Britain and Northern Ireland. It was described as the first quickly built Kingdom Hall in Northern Ireland.

The project was significant enough to be photographed by Bobbie Hanvey, whose archive contains photographs of Jehovah's Witnesses building their Kingdom Hall in Downpatrick during the 1980s.

What they believe

Jehovah's Witnesses are a Christian denomination with some beliefs that differ substantially from Catholic, Presbyterian and other mainstream Christian churches. Among other things, they:

• worship Jehovah as God;

• regard the Bible as the authoritative basis for their beliefs;

• reject the Trinity;

• believe Jesus is God's Son but not Almighty God;

• emphasise God's Kingdom as the solution to humanity's problems;

• generally remain politically neutral and don't participate in elections or military service;

• are particularly well known for preaching from door to door and distributing Bible literature.

Their meetings are held at Kingdom Halls and are generally open to the public.

Their presence is particularly interesting historically because 1985 was still during the Troubles. Jehovah's Witnesses have traditionally taken a position of political neutrality in Northern Ireland, which sometimes put them in a distinctive position within communities divided along nationalist/unionist and Catholic/Protestant lines. Contemporary Witness accounts specifically discuss the difficulties of maintaining neutrality during the Troubles.

22/08/2026

fans
Have you got your copy of our first publication, the Annals of Downpatrick?

This is the perfect choice for someone interested in the history and heritage of the County Town, whether you're new to local history or not.

A quality hardback production, it is available from Amazon with free delivery.

J.T. Cleland's Annals of Downpatrick is a valuable contribution to the local history of County Down and an impressive resurrection of a nineteenth-century historical work that might otherwise have remained known only to specialist researchers. Originally written by John Thompson Cleland – who began compiling the history of his native town while still a teenager – the book preserves a remarkable record of Downpatrick's people, landmarks, traditions, and civic life.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its authenticity. Rather than presenting a modern reinterpretation of the town's past, it gives readers direct access to Cleland's observations and historical investigations. The result is a vivid portrait of Downpatrick as it was understood by a nineteenth-century local historian. For anyone with family connections to the area, an interest in Irish local history, or a passion for antiquarian writing, the book provides a fascinating window into a bygone world.

The volume also serves a wider purpose. Downpatrick occupies a central place in Irish ecclesiastical and cultural history, particularly through its association with Saint Patrick. Cleland's work captures not only major historical events and places but also the everyday civic memory that is often lost over time. In doing so, it helps preserve the character and identity of the town for modern readers.
Editor Philip S. Blair and the Lecale Heritage Hub deserve credit for making this work available to contemporary audiences. The publication aligns with the Hub's mission to preserve and promote the heritage of Lecale and County Down, ensuring that important local historical sources remain accessible rather than disappearing into archives and private collections.

The book's main limitation is also inherent in its appeal: it is a historical source rather than a modern narrative history. Readers seeking a fast-paced account or contemporary academic analysis may find the style more documentary and descriptive than interpretive. However, those willing to engage with the text on its own terms will discover a rich repository of local knowledge and historical detail.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

J.T. Cleland's Annals of Downpatrick is an engaging and significant work of local history. Rich in detail, rooted in community memory, and lovingly preserved for a new generation, it stands as both a historical document and a tribute to one man's determination to ensure that the story of Downpatrick would not be forgotten.

21/08/2026

European Heritage Open Days
Down Cathedral
12 & 13 September 2026

Join us at Down Cathedral for European Heritage Open Day.
We are delighted to have Dr. Finbar Mccormick and Mrs Shirley Lennon on hand all weekend to offer an insight into this most wonderful cathedral.

20/08/2026

Ballyhornan, 1960s

19/08/2026

A previous home of J.T. Cleland, who wrote our latest publication, the Annals of Downpatrick.
Available via Amazon.