Hillsborough Castle

Hillsborough Castle is a late 18th Century mansion house situated in the heart of Hillsborough village. The Castle and village are named after the Hill family, originally from England, who arrived in Ireland in the late 16th Century. Wills Hill, the first Marquis of Downshire, was the driving force behind the house being built, and Hillsborough Castle remained the seat of the Marquis of Downshire until 1922. In the last 20 years Hillsborough Castle has become a key venue for political events in Northern Ireland,including meetings between the British and Irish governments and the local political parties as part of the current peace process. The Castle has also played a part on the world’s political stage as the venue for talks between President George W Bush and Tony Blair during the Iraq War.

Location:
Approximately 148 km from Dublin on the M1 and A1. Take Donaghcloney exit from A1 and follow B177 to Hillsborough. Situated just off Main Street in Hillsborough village.