| Official Name: | Rostrevor |
| Irish Name: | Ros Treabhair |
| Static Image Name: | Rostrevor (elevated view) - geograph.org.uk - 278010.jpg |
| Static Image Caption: | Rostrevor seen from Kilbroney Forest |
| Static Image Width: | 300 |
| Map Type: | Northern Ireland |
| Coordinates: | 54.101°N -6.201°W |
| Label Position: | none |
| Population: | 2,800 |
| Population Ref: | (2011 Census) |
| Unitary Northern Ireland: | Newry, Mourne and Down |
| Country: | Northern Ireland |
| Post Town: | NEWRY |
| Postcode Area: | BT |
| Postcode District: | BT34 |
| Dial Code: | 028 |
| Constituency Westminster: | South Down |
| Constituency Ni Assembly: | South Down |
| Lieutenancy Northern Ireland: | County Down |
| Hide Services: | yes |
Rostrevor [1] is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of Slieve Martin on the coast of Carlingford Lough, near Warrenpoint. The Kilbroney River flows through the village and Rostrevor Forest is nearby. 7.5miles south-east of Newry, the village is within the Newry, Mourne and Down local government district.
Rostrevor had a population of 2,800 in the 2011 Census.[2]
The first part of the name "Rostrevor" comes from the Irish word ros, meaning a wood or wooded headland.[1] [3] The second part of the name comes from Sir Edward Trevor from Denbighshire in Wales, who settled in the area in the early 17th century and was succeeded by his son Marcus Trevor, who later became Viscount Dungannon. Walter Harris, writing in 1744, mistakenly believed that the first part of the name came from Sir Edward Trevor's wife Rose, a daughter of Henry Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh. His etymology was later repeated by some other writers.[3] [4] Before Sir Edward Trevor's renaming of the area it was known as Caisleán Ruaidhrí (English: Rory's castle), anglicised "Castle Rory" or "Castle Roe", after one of the Magennis lords of Iveagh.[3]
Today the spelling Rostrevor is used for the village, while the spelling Rosstrevor is used for the townland.[3]
Nearby Cloughmore is a 50-ton granite boulder perched on the slopes of Slieve Martin, 1,000 ft above the village of Rostrevor, and known locally as 'the big stone'. It was deposited there by retreating glaciers during the Last Glacial Maximum. Local legend states that the stone was thrown by Irish mythological hero and frequent giant Finn McCool from the Cooley Mountains, on the other side of Carlingford Lough, to settle a fight with a local frost-giant named Ruiscairre, burying him underneath the boulder. Walking around the stone seven times will allegedly bring good luck.
The old church, supposedly built on an original site established by St Brónach, stands in the graveyard on the Kilbroney road. It became a listed building in 1983.
In the village's Catholic church is the bell of Brónach, dating from around 900 A.D. There are many stories of how the bell used to scare locals walking past St Bronach's church on stormy nights. All they could hear was a mighty sound and did not know the source; many believed it to be a calling from God. It was said that the ringing of the bell warned of rough water on the lough. In 1885, the bell was found in the fork of an old oak tree, where it had been hidden many years before, probably at the time of the Reformation.[5] [6]
The village has two rivers, the Ghan and the Fairy Glen, so named because many fairies are suspected of living along the banks of the river.
Rostrevor Tram station opened on 1 August 1877 with a horse-drawn tram service to Warrenpoint. It closed in February 1915.[11]
On Census Day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Rostrevor Settlement was 2,800, accounting for 0.15% of the NI total.[2] Of these:
The local Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) club is St Bronagh's. The local association football club is Rossowen F.C.