Judge rises from the grave for grisly Downpatrick tour

Judge rises from the grave for grisly Downpatrick tour

2 November 2016

DOWNPATRICK residents, both dead and alive, roamed the streets together on Monday in some of the town’s spookiest ever celebrations.

The veil between the two worlds was particularly thin on English Street this Halloween, 

the historic setting perfect for a guided tour by High Sheriff Bernard Ward.

The former judge died over 300 years ago but was on hand to show revellers around the area’s most bloodcurdling hotspots.

Tales of grave robbing, botched executions, bloody battles, notorious prisoners and cruel punishments covered merely the top half of the street. 

Winding down the hill the High Sheriff invited us to envisage the sea of bodies and makeshift gallows that sprung up following doomed rebellions. And as well as the dead there was the half dead strewn about. Caught pick-pocketing? Vigilante justice 17th-century-style meant were you were drowned to within an inch of your life in the Quoile — and the next time there was no bringing you back to life.

The very bottom of English Street wouldn’t have smelt too good either, apparently. Aside from all the bodies it was a place where rotten vegetables waited to be pelted at the poor miscreant being punished on the pillory.

Even High Sheriff Bernard Ward, brought back from the dead with the help of local tour guide Duane Fitzsimons, couldn’t escape a bloody end on this street. The judge was challenged to a duel in 1690 in row over priests being banished from Ireland and despite mortally wounding his opponent also ended being run through by a sword outside the Petty Sessions.

But English Street wasn’t the only place for frights on Monday night.

Downpatrick Community Collective was busy putting together their biggest programme ever for the town.

In its ‘Haunted Journey Through The Grove’ wooden coffins dotted the spookily lit climb and contained bodies which delighted in coming to life and scaring passersby — some taking it better than others.

Before that the Collective’s ‘Spooktastic Downpatrick 2016’ festival kicked off with a fancy dress parade from Down Museum followed by ghost stories in the St Patrick’s Centre.

St Patrick’s Square was also a focus for some of the more light-hearted Halloween entertainment on offer. Live music in the festival marquee, a bonfire beacon and pumpkin contest all helped keep young and old busy until the evening’s firework finale.