Saul (Irish: Sabhall Phádraig) is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland, within the civil parish of Saul and Ballee.[1][2]
The villages lies to the east of Downpatrick and has 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 Mac Trichim,
was converted and gave him a barn (Old Irish saball, hence the placename) for holding services. Allegedly, Saint Patrick died in Saul Monastery 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.
Saul has expanded closer into Downpatrick with new estates being built such as Saul Meadows, Saul Acres and Saul Manor. The village has a soccer club and Gaelic football club St Patrick's GAC, formed in 1928.A recent revival of hurling and comogie in 2022 after 30 years since it was last played in Saul.
- ^ "Saul". IreAtlas Townlands Database. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
- ^ "Townland of Saul". Placenames NI. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2020.