| Official Name: | Crossgar |
| Irish Name: | an Chrois Ghearr |
| Static Image Name: | Crossgar, Shops in Downpatrick Street.jpg |
| Map Type: | Northern Ireland |
| Label Position: | none |
| Coordinates: | 54.3981°N -5.7647°W |
| Population: | 1,997 |
| Population Ref: | (2021 Census) |
| Lieutenancy Northern Ireland: | County Down |
| Constituency Westminster: | mostly South Down (and Strangford) |
| Constituency Ni Assembly: | mostly South Down (and Strangford) |
| Country: | Northern Ireland |
| Post Town: | DOWNPATRICK |
| Postcode Area: | BT |
| Postcode District: | BT30 |
| Dial Code: | 028 |
| Unitary Northern Ireland: | Newry, Mourne and Down |
Crossgar [1] [2] is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is about south of Belfast – between Saintfield and Downpatrick. Crossgar had a population 1,997 people in the 2021 UK Census.
Crossgar has had an interesting and varied past, dating from the establishment of ancient Gaelic royal and ecclesiastical sites, the settlement of Anglo-Norman invaders, to Scots settlers, to the St. Patrick's Day riots in the 1800s. According to a history of Down and Connor by a Fr. O'Laverty, the parish of Kilmore, in which Crossgar lies, was likely to have been established around 800 AD and was the ecclesiastical centre of this part of County Down. It was thought that the area had seven chapels and these can be reasonably evident by the remains of burial grounds. But the seventh cannot be traced to a burial ground and is referred to as the "lost chapel of Cill Glaise". O'Laverty says that by tradition this chapel was built by Saint Patrick and left in the care of his disciples Glasicus and Liberius.
The name Crossgar comes from the Irish An Chrois Ghearr meaning "the short cross". There is a holy well known as St. Mary's Well (Tobar Mhuire) which suggests that in this case crois (cross) is likely to refer to an ecclesiastical cross, no trace of which now remains. The adjective gearr (short) may suggest that the cross was damaged or in some way defective. The parish of Kilmore comes from the Irish Cill Mhór meaning "big church" or another possible meaning is An Choill Mhór meaning "the big forest", which suggests that the area was covered by a large forest. Another location of one of the seven chapels is the townland of Killinchy (Cill Duinsí) meaning "Duinseach's Church".
Another early name derived from the bridge in the village named after Éimhear Óg Uí Néill was Ever Oque or Everogue Bridge.[3]
In June 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, Irish Republican Army volunteers attacked the Royal Irish Constabulary barracks in Crossgar. They opened fire on the building, wounding two officers, and attempted to breach the walls with explosives before withdrawing.[4]
Crossgar is on the main A7 road, 5 miles (8 km) north of Downpatrick and 16 miles (26 km) south of Belfast, and on the B7 minor road between Ballynahinch and Killyleagh.
The village is served by Ulsterbus route 15 and 215 Downpatrick to Belfast.
Crossgar railway station opened on 23 March 1859, but finally closed on 16 January 1950.[5]
Parts of it from Downpatrick to Inch abbey then opened as a tourist attraction in late 2009 to celebrate the closing of the line 60 years ago.
Crossgar is classified as a village by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 1,000 and 2,250 people). On Census day (25 March 2011) there were 1,872 people living in Crossgar, making it the 2643rd UK largest town. Of these:
In 2001 there were 1,539 people living in Crossgar. Of these:
Crossgar is home of Kilmore Rec. Football Club, which plays at Robert Adams Park. It is the club at which Andrew Waterworth started his career.
Crossgar hosts the badminton team and club, 'Lisara Badminton Club'. Their place of play is in Lisara Presbyterian Church Hall.
Crossgar is home to an outdoor Winter Seasonal Icehockey team called the 'Crossgar Hawks' Established in 2021.
Crossgar is also home to East Down Amateur Boxing Club Established in 2010.
Crossgar also has its own 9 hole Par 64 Golf Course, Crossgar Golf Club, located on the Derryboy Road and founded in 1993.[12]