The village of Hillsborough, or more specifically Hillsborough Castle itself, is used as a temporary home to royalty and the British Prime Minister during official visits to the North.
Hillsborough has featured prominently in the peace process during the last few years as the venue for many important talks, and it's an interesting village with lots of pleasant 18th-century buildings.
Hillsborough hosts an
Oyster Festival each September, this attracts thousands of visitors from as far away as Japan, Russia, the United States and Argentina) The festivities include boat racing, parachuting, garden fêtes, oyster eating and Guinness drinking – all in the name of fun, revelry and charity. But its charming streets are wonderful to wander through at any time of the year.
There are many interesting walks and local pubs offering delicacies to enjoy; and is home to a public forest park and lake that form the picturesque setting for the original fort residence of Lord Hillsborough.
Hillsborough is proud of its famous Bistro pubs and Restaurants,
Every Year in May the Village is also host to the
Hillsborough Garden show. Check out the website a fabulous day out for all!
The historic Parish Church dedicated to Saint Malachy is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture. It was built by the 1st Marquis of Downshire between 1760 and 1774, in the hope that the church would become the cathedral of of the diocese of Down. In addition to its imposing setting, it boasts two 18th century organs, a peal of ten bells and a number of works by notable craftsmen of the era, including the Colours of the Co Down Battalion of Carson's Ulster Volunteers. Today it is a vibrant parish in the Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore.
Hillsborough is (in somewhat exaggerated terms) said to be the birthplace of the United States - due to a disastrous meeting that took place between Benjamin Franklin and Lord
Hillsborough (then the acting Secretary of State for the Colonies) in the early 1770s. They are reported to have hated each other at first sight and, on leaving 3 days into a week long visit, Franklin returned home to convince the dissident colonists he represented that there was no alternative but to initiate immediate revolution. The 'Declaration of Independence' in July 1776 followed shortly after Franklin's return.
The composer and conductor Hamilton Harty (whose father William Harty was organist in the Parish Church) was born in the village in 1879.
Hillsborough was also home to TV and radio presenter Gloria Hunniford for a number of years. Her late daughter Caron Keating spent much of her childhood in the village.
Dr. James Francis "Frank" Pantridge, MD, CBE (b. October 3, 1916, Hillsborough, County Down – d. December 26, 2004) was a physician and cardiologist from Northern Ireland who transformed emergency medicine and paramedic services with the invention of the portable defibrillator.
Dromore 2.5 milesDromore is a small market town in the Lagan Valley, in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 19 miles south-west of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast to Dublin road. It had a population of 4,968 people in the 2001 Census.
The town's centre is Market Square, which has a rare set of stocks. It is in the linen manufacturing district. Remains of a castle and earthworks are to be seen, together with a large ráth or encampment known as the Priest's Mount, on the Maypole Hill.
The Cathedral of Christ the Redeemer is situated on a monastic site founded by St Colman in 500 AD. A Celtic High cross stands in the Cathedral grounds. The cross is made of granite and survives from the early monastery.
Dromore also contains the best preserved Anglo-Norman motte-and-bailey castle in Ireland, which dates from the 13th century.