Is Dundrum the best place to live in Northern Ireland?

BBC News

23-03-2025

Nestled between the Mourne Mountains and the Dromara Hills, this sleepy village is awakening to the news of being crowned the best place to live in Northern Ireland.Topping a list in the Sunday Times, Dundrum in County Down has plenty to offer.Not just for the outstanding scenery and views from every window, but having spent a day here, it's evident how the people and the strong sense of community have won over critics.As is the case in many rural towns and villages, the local pub is the focal point, and the manager of the Dundrum Inn, Tom Doak, said the village's success is a reflection of its people.
"It's the locals, that make this place so special," he said."It's a very close-knit community, everybody knows everybody and that's sometimes good and sometimes bad."The business was recently taken over, and he said, "everyone has been so supportive and accepting of us. We're blow-ins as they say, and it has been such a success."
Amanda Kirkpatrick moved to the village five years ago."I moved here because I wanted to live by the sea, and I didn't know anybody, not having any friends, or family. But, it feels like home, I was just welcomed into the community," she told BBC News NI.The natural environment hasn't been lost on Ms Kirkpatrick.She said: "It has so much to offer. My pill was the sea, the mountains, the nature reserve, it has that wow-factor that you could quite easily miss if you were just driving through on your way to Newcastle or somewhere else.""But whenever you take the time to actually stop and have a walk around, then it's like a wee hidden treasure."
This isn't the first award to be given to Dundrum, the coastal rowing club has a few rosettes to its name.As Coastal Skiffie World Champions, the village pulls well beyond its weight.Former chairman Andrew Boyd said the club's success is down to local support."When you get a community that comes together and you get a passion to do something, the desire to help all of the people and you get support for that, that's pretty unstoppable," he said.
Mr Boyd was born and bred in the village and said it has been a fantastic place to grow up."There is a great sense of community now, especially the past five or six years. That's because people are giving up their own time to help other people to achieve things and be creative."He added: "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."
'We believe in this area'
Michelin stars are hard to come by, but Dundrum has more than one.Chef Alex Greene has returned to his roots and invested in the village he grew up in.After taking over the restaurant that gave him his first job, The Buck's Head, he has come full circle after travelling the world."Dundrum, and Northern Ireland as a whole, is a special place," he said. "To be crowned the best village, I think it's a great reflection of the people."Mr Greene said the village is on an upward spiral."I go back 20 years to when I was a bit younger, the same buildings that were derelict then are turning around, I see a lot of change."He said the real charm of Dundrum is its location."It will be nice for this coast to be a bit more of a spectacle, it is not just the north coast of Northern Ireland that is beautiful," he added.Business partner, Bronagh McCormick said: "It's very, exciting and you can see why as well. It's such a beautiful part of the world and obviously, we've invested here, we believe in this area."
The local produce available is important to Mourne Seafood Bar's Chris McCann."We are right on the footstep of the biggest fishing port in Northern Ireland," he said, "It is a big advantage to us."Having grown up in the village, he took over the restaurant 10 years ago.He said the people make the village thrive."The people that live here have pride in it. So we do our best to maintain our old building here, it is probably one of the oldest buildings on the street."It's our responsibility to make sure it's in good nick and part of the picture of Dundrum."
'An international flavour'
The Dundrum Village Association said it aims to improve the quality of life for everyone living there.Alan Cooley, the committee treasurer, said that living there all his life may make him underplay how great the village is."It's beautiful scenery, I can't say any more than that, and the people of course," he said.Mr Cooley added that young and old people benefit from groups across the village."The work of the development association has improved the village so much, for example the cricket club facilities would make anyone envious, there are very few negatives to being here."
Lifelong resident Marty Cardwell said he feels proud of his home, with its new recognition."I feel very privileged to live here," he said, "it's great to see the passion within the community again."Mr Cardwell reminisced: "Years ago we used to have a regatta every summer and there was a great sense of community pride and, seeing the summer festival taking place again now, has brought that sense of pride back."Marcus Orsi moved to the village with his wife after spending the past 40 years in Switzerland, now he feels "as local as these guys"."I felt welcome... It's also cosmopolitan, my wife and I are part of a French-speaking group with locals in the area."It just shows you it's not just locals, it's got an international flavour."