Downpatrick / Dún Pádraig

Pike (1989) mentions a font she "inspected but not catalogued" in the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. [NB: St Patrick's Cathedral (C. of I.) is the name of the church as listed in some other sources]. The Phaidon guide mentions an 11th century Celtic font now found in the 18th century cathedral church; since the other parts of the old church are 13th century, it is possible the font may be dated to that period as well, although the high cross is dated to the 10th century (Mehling, 1985). This same claim, that the font may actually be the foot of an early cross, appears in the County Down web site [www.countydown.com/Down_Heritage_Historical.htm]. A 14 March 2016 article by Michael McHugh in the Belfast Telegraph, Army presents Down Cathedral with ancient font linked to saint [https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/army-presents-down-cathedral-with-ancient-font-linked-to-saint/34536102.html] [accessed 27 April 2023]: "The granite bullaun has a history dating back over 1,000 years to one of the patron saint's earliest landing sites in Ireland, and has since served as a font for holy water […] The stone was once housed in a small church marking one of St Patrick's landing sites near the mouth of Dundrum Bay in Co Down. It had been kept in the garrison church at Ballykinler, but with the transfer of 2nd Battalion The Rifles to Lisburn, the Army decided to gift the stone to Down Cathedral in Downpatrick. A small 12th century church at Killyglinnie marks the spot where St Patrick landed on his mission to Ireland. The church fell into decline and eventually much of the stonework was used for local building work, while the historic bullaun, which was central to pilgrimages, disappeared. After being used as a bird bath in a Downpatrick garden it was placed in the safekeeping of St Martin of the Mournes - the church at Ballykinler - and used as a baptismal font. Following the closure of the church the bullaun is now housed close to the reputed burial site of St Patrick. Dean of Down Cathedral, the Very Rev Henry Hull, said: "The gift from the Army is not only welcome but poignant coming in time for the annual pilgrimage from Saul to the cathedral."