Situated along the main A24 road from Belfast to Clough, Ballynahinch is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland.
Ballynahinch is about fifteen miles south of Belfast, and falls within the Newry, Mourne, and Down district.
Before the 17th century, the lands around Ballynahinch were held by the McCartan clan. After the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Colonel Sir George Rawdon acquired the estate, built two gristmills, and founded the market town. In 1683, King Charles II granted a patent for weekly markets and biannual fairs, cementing the town's status as a trading hub for livestock, grain, potatoes, and flax.
In June 1798, the Society of United Irishmen rose in rebellion here. Government forces bombarded some 4,000 insurgents under General George Nugent. After a full day of cannon fire, the United Irishmen retreated, and government troops burned sixty-three houses. Rebel leader Henry Munro was later captured and executed, leaving a lasting mark on local memory.
In 1802, David Ker developed medicinal spa wells two miles south of the square.
As occurred in many other localities in Northern Ireland, conflict visited the town during the 20th century. In 1920, there was an IRA bomb attack on the RIC barracks. In 1986, two Catholic civilians were killed at their home by the Ulster Freedom Fighters.
Significant buildings in Ballynahinch include Market House, erected in 1795 by the Earl of Moira, now a community centre. The remains of a historic Flax Mill and Corn Mill are on the outskirts of the town, although the area is slated for redevelopment. The Montalto Estate encompasses Montalto House and the Carriage Rooms, the latter of which is featured in Disney's The Lodge. Ballynahinch Orange Hall is a focal point for local lodge activities and community events.
Local schools include Drumlins Integrated Primary School, Ballynahinch Primary School, Saint Patrick's Primary School, Spa Primary School, Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch High School, Saint Colman's High and Sixth Form College, and the South Eastern Regional College has a main campus building in Ballynahinch.
Churches include the First Presbyterian Church, Edengrove Presbyterian Church, Ballynahinch Congregational Church, Ballynahinch Baptist Church, Ballynahinch Free Presbyterian Church, New Testament Pentecostal Church, and Saint Patrick's Roman Catholic Church.
Local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, libraries, museums, historical places, entertainment venues, organisations, recreational and sporting facilities and programmes, attractions, and events, are appropriate for this category.
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Assumption Grammar School is a Catholic voluntary grammar school for girls aged 11 to 19, located on an elevated site on Belfast Road in Ballynahinch, County Down, Northern Ireland. Its address, phone number, and email address are posted on the school's website, which includes an overview of its history. Founded in 1933 by the Missionary Sisters of the Assumption, the school became Northern Ireland's first post-primary Specialist School for Music with Physical Education as a subsidiary subject.
http://assumptiongrammar.org.uk/
Set on an 18-acre rewilded estate with trees, ponds, pathways, and bridges, this nature-based destination is located less than 30 minutes from Belfast. It blends adventure, relaxation, and sustainability in one location. Key experiences include scenic alpaca trekking on a stoned trail with nine bridges and a coffee trailer on a small island, picnic tables for couples or families, two-hour forest sessions for children, adult foraging practices, and a trail for parents with babies or toddlers.
https://www.ballyburren.com/
The paint-your-own studio in Ballynahinch, County Down, Northern Ireland, offers a creative atmosphere where painters of all ages can design and decorate pottery, canvas art, and foam clay pieces. A mobile workshop option is available for schools, corporate events, and community groups. Founded in 2018, it has its hours of operation, telephone number, and email address posted on the website, which highlights its services and hours of operation, offers a gallery of photographs, and gift vouchers.
https://www.colourspotteryni.com/
Situated on ten acres of landscaped gardens in the heart of County Down, Millbrook Lodge is a historic country house hotel built in the 1800s as a Church of Ireland rectory. The Maguire family has owned the building for over four decades, and currently offers sixteen individually styled bedrooms, the Gilmore Restaurant, the Orangerie, two grand function suites, courtyards, and flexible meeting rooms. The accommodations are pictured and described, and online bookings are enabled.
https://www.millbrooklodge.co.uk/
The controlled, co-educational post-primary school serves students aged 11 to 16. Operating under the Education Authority Northern Ireland, the school's rural setting on Belfast Road provides easy access from surrounding areas in County Down. The school opened in 1955 and has grown steadily within the market town of Ballynahinch, becoming a flourishing community institution. Its leadership, office staff, and contact details are offered, and its academic performance is outlined on the site.
https://thehighschoolballynahinch.co.uk/
