Doreen McBride 
The Little Book of County Down 

Did you know?

– The world’s worst novelist, Amanda Mc Kittrick Ros, was born near Ballynahinch.
– The entire Kilkeel fishing fleet was sunk by a German U-boat on 30 May 1918 without the loss of a single life.
– Sir Hans Sloane, whose collection formed the foundation of the British Museum, was born in Killyleagh. The Little Book of County Downis a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about this ancient county of Northern Ireland. Here you will find out about Co. Down’s history, its literary heritage, its churches and castles, its festivals and fairs, and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women.
A reliable and quirky guide, this little reference book can be dipped into time and again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of this fascinating county.

About the author

DOREEN Mc BRIDE is a retired biology teacher with an interest in the environment, folklore, local history and storytelling. She spent a year seconded to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to develop materials for schools using the grounds from a scientific point of view. The museum published those materials and asked her to write a guide for children, which was published by Longmans in 1988. She had a career change in 1991 and became an international, award-winning professional storyteller. She served for 12 years on the then Southern Education and Library Board and was President of Association of Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards (2004-2005). She is a prolific author of local history books, including seven for The History Press and contributes to local periodicals. She has had three plays broadcast on Radio Ulster and she lives in Banbridge, Co. Down.