Battle site (Ballymacormick)
Who Fought
Jacobites under Richard Hamilton versus Williamite forces
History & Significance
Dromore (from Irish Droim Mór, meaning 'large ridge') is a market town and civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated on the River Lagan. It lies within the local government district of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, about 19 miles (31 km) southwest of Belfast, on the A1 Belfast–Dublin road. The 2021 census recorded a population of 6,492.
The town's centre is Market Square, which has a rare set of stocks. It is in the old linen manufacturing district. Dromore has the remains of a castle and earthworks, although these have modern buildings surrounding them, a large motte and bailey or encampment (known locally as "the Mound"), and an earlier earthwork known as the Priest's Mount on the Maypole Hill.
The name Dromore is an anglicisation of the Irish Druim Mór (modern Irish Droim Mór) meaning "large ridge", with historic anglicisations including Drumore, Drummore and Drummor.
The town features a well-preserved Norman motte and bailey that was constructed by John de Courcy in the early 13th century, shortly after the Norman invasion of Ireland. Known locally as "the Mound", the fort occupies a prominent site to the east of the town centre and has views along the valley of the River Lagan. Dromore remained under Anglo-Norman control until it was captured and destroyed by Edward Bruce during the Irish-Bruce wars of 1315.
It is the traditional seat of the Bishop of Dromore. The diocese grew out of an abbey of Canons Regular attributed to Saint Colman in the 6th century. Since the Reformation, both the Church of Ireland and the Catholic Church in Ireland have claimed to inherit the ancient diocese. The Church of Ireland diocese, which retained the historical cathedral and diocesan property, was united in 1842 with the Diocese of Down and Connor. The Diocese of Connor left the union in 1945, with the Diocese of Down and Dromore remaining united. The bishops of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore moved to Newry no later than 1833, and subsequently built Newry Cathedral.
The town and cathedral were wholly destroyed during the Irish Rebellion of 1641, and the present cathedral was built by Bishop Jeremy Taylor in 1661, who is buried there. Also buried in the cathedral is Thomas Percy, another famous bishop of the diocese, who laid out the fine grounds of the palace. A monument to Thomas Percy stands in the Town Park.
The population at the time of the 1841 census was 2,110 inhabitants.
Jacobites under command of Richard Hamilton, and rival Williamites fought a battle here on 14 March 1689. The battle took place about a mile out of the town on the Milebush Road and was known as the Break of Dromore. The Jacobites routed the Williamites and they fled in disorder, leaving 400 dead. After this Break of Dromore the Jacobites did not meet any resistance while advancing northwards and occupying Belfast.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle site (Ballymacormick) lies on Crawford Group And Moffat Shale Group (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, chert and smectite-claystone.
The Williamite rout at Dromore was so complete that the fleeing forces left some 400 dead upon the field, and the Jacobite victory opened the road northwards entirely: following the Break of Dromore, Hamilton's forces met no further resistance as they advanced and occupied Belfast.
- Approximately 400 Williamite dead
Frequently Asked Questions
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