1876 – St. Patrick’s Convent of Mercy, Downpatrick, Co. Down

“The subject of our illustration with present No. is the Convent of Mercy lately erected at Mount St. Patrick, Downpatrick. The material used is the local blue stone in rubble masonry, faced with Belfast perforated red bricks. The dressings are of white Scrabo stone, with black bricks in external relieving arches. The design is in the Gothic style of architect, and, together with the new schools attached, form a large and imposing group. Mr. John Murphy, of Belfast, was the builder of the convent, and Messrs. P. and M. Nolan, Belfast, builders of the schools. The buildings were erected from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. Mortimer H. Thomson, architect, Belfast.” Published in The Irish Builder, February 1 1877.

Planning permission was secured, in March 2023, for “a premium residential development” consisting of 39 units, suitable for the over-55 community. After sitting empty and derelict for many years, it was destroyed in an arson attack, suffering a total roof collapse and severe structural damage, in late June 2026.

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