Saul, County Down

Saul and Ballee Placenames NI] Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine</ref> is the name of a village (of 488 acres) and a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland.[1]

Saul church

Saint Patrick's statue

The villages lie to the east of Downpatrick and have strong links with Saint Patrick. It is claimed that when Saint Patrick arrived in Ireland in 432, strong currents swept his boat through the Strangford Lough tidal narrows and he landed where the Slaney River flows into the lough. The local chieftain, Dichu, was quickly converted and gave him a barn for holding services. Allegedly, Saint Patrick died in Saul on 17 March 461 and is buried in nearby Downpatrick. The modern "Saint Patrick's Memorial Church" is built on the reputed spot of this building and includes a replica round tower. Despite, its original Catholicism, the Saint Patrick's church celebrates the Protestant Anglican faith now. To the east of the parish is Saint Patrick's Catholic Church and graveyard. In the nearby Townland of Ballee, which shares a civil parish with Saul, there is a Non-Subscribing Presbyterian church and another Anglican Church. The Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church Hall is also often used for cross-community youth groups such as Cappa Autism.

Close by, on the crest of Slieve Patrick is a massive statue of Saint Patrick with bronze panels showing scenes from his life. Many local families are named on crosses leading towards the statue who have donated to the cause, both Catholic and Protestant.

There is considerable urban sprawl encroaching from nearby towns and villages. Consequently, the population of the parish is now more diverse. Some long established families still maintain a significant presence in the village, including the Fitzsimons family, the Black family, the Hayes family, the McMullan family and the Quayle family. There is a long established pub and restaurant which has had a number of owners and names. Formerly the Countryside Inn and Saul Tavern it is currently called The Barn.

Over recent years Saul has expanded closer into Downpatrick with new estates being built such as Saul Meadows, Saul Acres and Saul Manor. The village boasts both a soccer and GAA club. Ballynagross was formed recently while St Patrick's GAC was formed in 1928. They both have grounds overlooked by the impressive statue of Ireland's national saint, Patrick himself and many people from the area enjoy being active members of both.