Ballynahinch (Baile na hInse in Irish, meaning "Townland of the Island") is a market town in County Down, Northern Ireland and with Newcastle and Downpatrick one of the three largest towns of Down District. The market town is a medieval phenomenon. ... County Down, (An Dún in Irish) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, covering an area of 2,448 km² (945 square miles). ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1... Newcastle (An Caislean Nua in Irish) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. ... Downpatrick (Dún Phádraig in Irish, meaning Fort of Patrick) is a town in County Down in Northern Ireland with about 10,113 inhabitants. ... Down District Council is a Local Council in County Down in Northern Ireland. ...

The town lies on the main A24 Belfast to Newcastle road 15 miles south of Belfast. It is well known for its heavy congestion. A long-running campaign to provide a bypass for the town has so far been unsuccessful. Geological surveys were conducted over twenty years ago to determine the route of the bypass but money has never been allocated by the Department of the Environment. In the 1990s various traffic control measures were introduced including the present one way system, however all have failed to cope with the sheer volume of traffic which passes through the town daily. The establishment of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998 led to reports that a bypass may commence sooner than the 6 to 15 year projection of the DoE, supposing that a coalition of County Down MLAs could push the executive to approve the project faster than Northern Ireland Office ministers would. However the stop-start status of devolution has made such a move impossible and the NIO's Parliamentary Under Secretary of State has continued to be responsible for infrastructure decisions. The A24 is a major road in Northern Ireland; running from Belfast, through Carryduff and Ballynahinch to Clough, near Newcastle where it meets the A2. ... Belfast (Béal Feirste in Irish) is the second-largest city in Ireland. ... A typical Irish road sign in Mullingar, County Westmeath Ireland, both north and south of the border, has an extensive network of roads. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly is a six flowered linen or flax plant, chosen for the plants historical economic importance to the region. ... A Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, in the United Kingdom government structure, is a minister who is junior to a Minister of State who is then junior to a Secretary of State. ...

History

Ballynahinch was founded by Sir George Rawdon in the 1600s and remained in the family's hands until the time of the rebellion of 1798. The Battle of Ballynahinch in 1798 ended the United Irishmen movement which was formed in 1791 with the aim of Irish independence from Great Britain. The Irish Rebellion of 1798 or 1798 rebellion as it is known locally, was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against the British establishment in Ireland. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The Society of the United Irishmen was a political organisation in eighteenth century Ireland that sought independence from Great Britain. ...

In January 1997 three off-duty British soldiers narrowly escaped injury after being targeted by the IRA. One of the soldiers was checking underneath his car for any devices when he activated the bomb's mercury tilt switch. The fact that the bomb exploded up, rather than out, saved his life. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... This article primarily deals with the Irish Republican Army up to 1922. ...

Recent events

In recent years a regeneration committee has been formed for the development of the town and the surrounding Spa and Drumaness areas.

See also

• List of towns in Northern Ireland