WELCOME
The Saint Patrick Centre is the only Exhibition in the World about Ireland's Patron Saint and a great stop on the way from Dublin to Belfast.

Visit our Imax and Exhibition, Cafe, Gift Shop and Art Gallery.

The Centre is a registered charity promoting tourism to Northern Ireland, encouraging reconciliation through Education Programmes and we have supporting Chapters who endorse our work throughout North America.

Press Here for sites along Saint Patrick's Trail.
 
Press Here for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's listing of events in our area.
  • The German-Irish society in Bavaria (DIF Bayern e. V.) planned the  first Saint Patrick's Parade in Munich in 1996 and it was expected that 300 people might attend. In fact more than 3000 people came and during the years since then has grown to become the biggest St. Patrick´s Day parade on the European continent. The parade is followed by an open air party on the Odeonsplace with lots o
    ...READ MORE
  • The 2013 Young Ambassador search is on and thanks to the support of our Arizona, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Albany and Toronto Chapters we will be selecting young people from these cities to come to Northern Ireland from 7th - 21st June this year. We will announce the finalist candidates soon. Thanks to our selection committees, the generous support of Sceptre Tours for helping sponsor the event, the U...READ MORE
  • Politicians from all traditions came together with our local clergy to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement on the 29th March. A special thanks to Canon Sean Rogan and Dean Henry Hull.
  • The Saint Patrick Centre will hold a cross community service of thanksgiving to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on Friday 29th March at 11am. Canon Sean Rogan and Dean Henry Hull will lead the service with local politicians and they will be joined by the New York branch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, who help fund the education program at the Centre ...READ MORE
  • The Saint Patrick Centre had its second Saint Patrick's Cross Community Dinner at Monalto House on Tuesday. Guests included politicians, business people and community leaders from all traditions as well as the Secretary of State and Irish Minister Alan Kelly.
  • Thanks to all of our Friends of Saint Patrick who have spread our message - to Tim in Tampa working today with the Salvation Army, the Milwaukee Team at the Bluemound and Milwaukee Parades collecting for Hunger Task Force, to the Minnesota Friends in the Landmark Building, the Arizona Friends in the parade yesterday (90 degrees sounds like the way to celebrate) and to Eithne and the Toronto Parade...READ MORE
  • RTE Documentary 'There's Something about Patrick' with comedian Neill Delamare which showed on RTE 1 on the 14th March featured Downpatrick and the Centre. Tune in to hear it again at this LINK. 
  • Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Trinity Church on Saturday, March 16th with a traditional Irish meal hosted by Trinity’s Men’s Spirituality Group.
    The evening’s festivities will begin at 6:00 pm.
    Dinner will be served at about 6:30 pm.
    Suggested donation: $20 per person.
    ...READ MORE
  • The Spirit of the Wildflowers will be appearing in the Centre on Friday 15th March at 8pm. All proceeds to the Down Residential Partnership Charity.
  • Song of a Wandering Man art exhibition will be in the Centre this month - artwork by Ann Mills, illustrations by Dominic Burns

  • The Saint Patrick Centre is offering an exciting free programme to accompany our new Archaeology Road Show. Book our team of archaeologists to come out to your school with an array of original and replica archaeological artefacts and give you a taster of our new workshops. Our Road Shows last between 15 and 20 minutes and are designed to address a large group of pupils and teach

    ...READ MORE
  • Young Ambassadors Reception at the Centre Garden with Dean Hull, Canon Rogan, Margaret Ritchie MP, Chairman John Carson and Vice Chair Cuan King. Our 2012 Young Ambassadors have come from Arizona, New York, Minnesota and Wisconsin to learn about the Centre and promote our work. 
  • Young Ambassadors meet First and Deputy First Ministers at Stormont - June 2012.
  • Terry George and Oorlagh George dropped in to the Centre in March with their Oscars for best Short Motion Picture which was based locally in Saint Patrick's Country. Terry was making a promotional video for the Centre with Tourism Ireland.
  • The Friends of Saint Patrick launched the first cross community Saint Patrick's Dinner in Northern Ireland on the run up to Saint Patrick's Day in March 2012. Guests included the First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the President of Ireland and the Deputy First Minister.
  • Dean Henry Hull, Canon Sean Rogan and Margaret Ritchie MP bless Saint Brigid's Day Crosses in Down Cathedral. Happy Saint Brigid's Day!
  • The Magnus Vikings held an information night at the Saint Patrick
  • Celebrity Chefs Paul Rankin and Nick Nairn are taking time out from their famous Michelin star restaurants to cook dinner for me and seven friends tonight at the Centre. Just finished our interview for the TV program they are doing about it. Its such lovely weather we might well eat out in the Cathedral Garden this evening.
  • Young Ambassadors visit Irish Parliament and have lunch in the Members Dining Room with Eamon O'Cuiv TD.
  • Friends of Saint Patrick Milwaukee collected for Hunger task Force in two parades this year and doubled the amounts raised. They collected 1000 lbs downtown, 400 lbs on Bluemound and over 650 lbs at the stores, where collection barrels were placed. Well Done!
  • The Friends of St Patrick in Milwaukee collected at the Bluemound Parade.
  • First Minister Peter Robinson visited the Centre in April and explored the new exhibition spaces.
  • Watch this Tourism Ireland Video narrated by the Centre Director by scrolling along the bottom of the following Page.
  • This Christmas the Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick is once again paying tribute to the wonderful legacy of C. S. Lewis by transforming it's entire exhibition space into scenes from his beloved series of children's books, 'The Chronicles of Narnia' - Children will be taken on an exciting journey through this mythical land and on the way they will visit the lamp post in the snowy wood, hear extracts...READ MORE
THE FRIENDS OF SAINT PATRICK

Join us for our Friends of Saint Patrick Tour of Ireland following in the legacy of Saint Patrick from 4th - 13th October 2013 - find out more HERE.

BOOK TODAY!
...READ MORE
BECOME A YOUNG AMBASSADOR...
The Young Ambassador Program is organised through the Friends of Saint Patrick organisation and the Saint Patrick Centre. It is designed to promote a greater understanding of the shared cultural heritage of Northern Ireland in North America amongst those aged 20-25. Based on the Application on this website and following an interview process Young Ambassadors will be selected to travel to Downpatrick and County Down... READ MORE
TOURIST INFORMATION
Why not make that day trip into a long weekend? Take a look at fabulous accommodation in Down District close to the Saint Patrick Centre.
Would you like to see what we have to offer at the Saint Patrick Centre? Take our guided tour through some of the exhibits we have at the only permanent exhibition in the world about Ireland's Patron Saint.