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Ards Peninsula is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland which
separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea, on
Ireland's northeast coast. A number of towns and villages are located on the
peninsula, such as the seaside town of Donaghadee, with the surrounding area
known as the Ards district. Newtownards, situated at the northern end of the
peninsula, is the largest town in the area, while Portaferry is at the
southern end of the Peninsula. It is largely situated in the Ards Borough
Council area.
County Down, is one of the nine counties that form Ulster and one of six
counties that form Northern Ireland. The estimated population in 1992 was
416,600, a more recent approximation puts it at about 516,000. The county
town is Downpatrick, and the largest town is Bangor. Down contains both the
southernmost point in Northern Ireland (Cranfield Point) and the easternmost
point on the island of Ireland (Burr Point). The county borders County
Antrim to the north, the Irish Sea to the east and County Armagh to the
west.
Down contains two significant peninsulas: Ards Peninsula and Lecale
peninsula. The county has a coastline along Belfast Lough to the north and
Carlingford Lough to the south (both of which have access to the sea).
Strangford Lough lies between the Ards Peninsula and the mainland. Down also
contains part of the shore of Lough Neagh. Smaller loughs include Lough
Island Reavy.
The River Lagan forms most of the border with County Antrim. The River Bann
also flows through the southwestern areas of the county. Other rivers
include the Clanrye and Quoile.
An area of County Down is known as Brontė Homeland (situated between
Rathfriland and Banbridge, where Patrick Brontė had his church), after
Patrick Brontė (originally Prunty) -- father of Anne, Charlotte, and Emily
Brontė -- who was born in this region.
The city of Newry in the south of the county contains St Patrick's (Church
of Ireland, 1578), overlooking the city centre from Church street, on the
east side of the city, which is considered to be Ireland's first ever
Protestant church. Newry is also the home of the first summit-level canal
ever to be built in Ireland or Great Britain. |