County Down, A Tourist's Delight

Picturesque scenery and leisurely activities galore, come see what County Down has to offer in this Tourist Board film.

As this delightful footage suggests, County Down has long appealed to holidaymakers. The luminous and varied landscapes are but part of its allure, for there are all manner of other attractions on offer. Sheepdog trials at Bangor’s Castle Gardens, the galloping excitement of horse-racing at Down Royal or – for those who prefer a more leisurely pace – a stroll in the idyllic Tollymore Forest Park.

These rushes come from the collection of National Museums Northern Ireland and were originally produced by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. This government department had their own staff that documented the region through stills and moving images and the films they created capture various facets of life in Northern Ireland. The department was particularly busy in the mid-1950s to late 1960s, creating films that aimed to sell Northern Ireland as a holiday destination. This material captures Northern Ireland at an intriguing time, post-World War Two and pre-Troubles.