Newry

For other uses, seeNewry (disambiguation).

Newry Irish:Iúr Cinn Trá/An tIúr Scots:Newrie
Top:Newry skyline,Middle:The Buttercrane,The Quays,Newry Town Hall,Bottom:Drumalane Mill,Newry Cathedral
Newry Location withinNorthern Ireland
Population	27,913 (2021 Census)
Irish grid reference	J085265
District	Newry, Mourne and Down
County	County ArmaghandCounty Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWRY
Postcode district	BT34, BT35
Dialling code	028
Police	Northern Ireland
Fire	Northern Ireland
Ambulance	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	Newry and Armagh
Website	newrymournedown.org

Newry(/ˈnjʊəri/;fromIrishAn Iúraigh) is acityinNorthern Ireland,standing on theClanrye riverin countiesDownandArmagh.It is nearthe borderwith theRepublic of Ireland,on the main route betweenBelfast(34 miles/55 km away) andDublin(67 miles/108 km away). The population was 27,913 in 2021.

Newry was founded in 1157 as asettlementaround aCistercianabbey. In the 16th century the English dissolved theabbeyand builtBagenal's Castleon the site. Newry grew as amarket townand agarrison,and became a port in 1742 when theNewry Canalwas opened, the firstsummit-level canalin Ireland. A cathedral city, it is the episcopal seat of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Dromore.In 2002, as part of theGolden Jubilee of Elizabeth II,Newry was grantedcity statusalong withLisburn.

Name

The name Newry is an anglicization ofAn Iúraigh,an oblique form ofAn Iúrach,which means "the grove ofyewtrees ".

The modern Irish name for Newry isAn tIúr(pronounced[ənʲˈtʲuːɾˠ]), which means "the yew tree".An tIúris a shortening ofIúr Cinn Trá,"yew tree at the head of the strand", which was formerly the most common Irish name for Newry.This relates to anapocryphalstory thatSaint Patrickplanted a yew tree there in the 5th century.

The Irish nameCathair an Iúir(City of Newry) appears on some bilingual signs around the city.

History

Merchants Quay, Newry, in the late 19th century

Hill Street in the early 1900s

Trevor Hill in the early 1900s

There is evidence of continual human habitation in the area from early times. During theBronze Age,the Newry area had a community who were making in abundance very detailed jewellery for garments. Three of these Newry Clasps can be found in theUlster Museum,and a massive arm clasp from the same period was also found in Newry.

In AD 820,Vikingslanded in the Newry area, "from whence they proceeded toArmagh,taking it by storm, and plundering and desolating the country around ".

Early history

ACistercianabbey was founded at Newry in 1157, when it was granted a charter byMuirchertach Mac Lochlainn,king ofTír EoghainandHigh King of Ireland.It might have been aBenedictinemonastery before this.Newry Abbey (now the area around Newry Museum) would have been a sprawling complex of buildings and the heart of amonastic settlement.It existed for four centuries. Theabbeywasdissolved by the Englishin 1548, when it was recorded that it consisted of a church, steeple, college, chapter house, dormitory, a hall, a graveyard, two orchards and one garden.Modern archaeologists unearthed thirty-three burials from part of the former graveyard, and further bones were found in charnel pits. They included remains of men, women, and several youths, and some of the individuals suffered violent deaths.It is believed this was a graveyard for thelay communityfrom when the abbey was still in existence.

In April 1552,Nicholas Bagenal,Marshal of the English army in Ireland,was granted ownership of the former abbey lands.He built afortified houseknown asBagenal's Castleon the site of the abbey and its graveyard, re-using some of the abbey buildings.Bagenal also had an earthen rampart built around his Castle and the small town of Newry.

During theIrish Rebellion of 1641,Newry was captured by Irish Catholic rebels led by theMagennisesandMcCartans.In May 1642, a ScottishCovenanterarmy landed in Ulster and seized Newry from the rebels.James Turner,one of the Scottish officers, recounted that Catholic rebels and civilians were taken to the bridge over the Newry River and "butchered to death... some by shooting, some by hanging... without any legal process".The Scottish general,Robert Monro,said that sixty townsmen and two priests were summarily executed.Turner also said that Scottish soldiers drowned and shot about a dozen Irishwomen before he stopped them killing more.

During the 1689Raid on Newry,Williamiteforces underToby Purcellrepulsed an attack by theJacobitesunder theMarquis de Boisseleau.At the period of theBattle of the Boyne,the Duke of Berwick set fire to the parts of the town which he had restructured to defend it.

Modern era

Further information:The Troubles in Newry

By 1881 the population of Newry had reached 15,590.

During theIrish War of Independencethere were several assassinations and ambushes in Newry. On 12 December 1920, British reinforcements travelling from Newry to Camlough were ambushed by theIrish Republican Army(IRA), who opened fire and threw grenades fromMacNeill's Egyptian Arch.Three IRA members were fatally wounded in the exchange of fire.

WhenIreland was partitionedin 1921, Newry became part of Northern Ireland. From the 1920s to the 1960s, NewryUrban District Councilwas one of the few councils in Northern Ireland which had a majority of councillors from the Catholic/Irish nationalist community. The reason, according toMichael Farrell,was that this community formed such a large majority in the town, around 80% of the population, making it impossible togerrymander.Also an oddity was that for a time it was controlled by theIrish Labour Party,after the left wing of theNorthern Ireland Labour Partydefected to them in the 1940s.

Newry saw severalviolent incidentsduring the conflict known asthe Troubles,includinga triple killingin 1971,a bombingin 1972, and amortar attackin 1985. These continued into the late 1990s and evenin 2010– such asbomb scaresandcar bombs.

See also:The Troubles in Killeen,for information on incidents at the border and customs post at Newry on the border with theRepublic of Irelandand close to Newry. In 2003, theBritish Army's hilltop watchtowers overlooking Newry were taken down. The British Army withdrew from the area on 25 June 2007 when they closed their final base atBessbrook.

Geography

Newry lies in the most south-eastern part of bothUlsterandNorthern Ireland.About half of the city (the west) lies inCounty Armaghand the other half (the east) inCounty Down.TheClanrye River,which runs through the city, forms the historic border between County Armagh and County Down.

The city sits in avalley,between theMourne Mountainsto the east and theRing of Gullionto the south-west, both of which are designatedAreas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.TheCooley Mountainslie to the south east. The Clanrye River runs through the centre of town, parallel to theNewry Canal.The city also lies at the northernmost end ofCarlingford Lough,where the canal enters the sea at Victoria Locks.

Townlands

Newry is within the civil parishes of Newry and Middle Killeavy. The parishes have long been divided intotownlands,the names of which mainly come from theIrish language.The following is a list of townlands in Newry's urban area,alongside their likely etymologies:

County Armagh (west of the River Clanrye)

Townland	Origin (Irish unless stated)	Translation
Altnaveigh Aghnaveigh (alternate local name)	Alt na bhFiach Achadh na bhFiach	glen of theravens field of the ravens
Ballinlare	Baile na Ladhaire	townland of the fork/gap
Carnagat	Carn na gCat	cairnof the cats
Carnbane	Carn Bán	white cairn
Derry Beg	Doire Beag	little oak wood
Drumalane	An Droim Leathan	broad ridge
Lisdrumgullion	Lios Droim gCuilinn	fortof thehollyridge
Lisdrumliska	Lios Druim Loiscthe	fortof the burnt ridge

County Down (east of the River Clanrye)

Townland	Origin (Irish unless stated)	Translation
Ballynacraig	Baile na gCreag	townland of thecrags
Carneyhough	origin unclear	—
Cloghanramer	Clochán Ramhar	thick stone structure/causeway
Commons	an English name that first appeared in 1810	—
Creeve	Craobh	tree/bush
Damolly	probablyDamh Maoile	house of the round hill
Drumcashellone	probablyDroim Caisil Eoghain	the ridge of Eoghan's cashel
Greenan	Grianán	eminent or sunny place

Demography

National Identity of Newry residents (2021)
Nationality			Per cent
Irish			61.3%
Northern Irish			22.8%
British			9.1%

2011 Census

On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 26,967 people living in Newry, accounting for 1.49% of the NI total.Of these:

• 21.46% were aged under 16 years and 12.74% were aged 65 and over.
• 51.02% of the usually resident population were female and 48.98% were male.
• 88.27% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 8.47% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion.
• 56.12% had an Irish national identity, 27.27% had a Northern Irish national identity and 12.65% indicated that they had a British national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity).
• 35 years was the average (median) age of the population.
• 19.60% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge) and 2.37% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.

2021 Census

On Census day (21 March 2021) there were 28,530 people living in Newry.Of these:

• 21.32% were aged under 16, 29.12% were aged between 16 and 65, and 14.51% were aged 66 and over.
• 50.87% of the usually resident population were female and 49.13% were male.
• 86.52% (24,685) belong to or were brought upCatholic,8.07% (2,302) belong to or were brought upProtestant(including other Christian-related denominations), 1.24% (353) belong to or were brought up in an 'other' religion, and 4.17% (1,190)did not adhere toor weren't brought up in any religion.
• 61.29% indicated they had an Irish national identity,22.76% indicated they had a Northern Irish national identity,and 9.13% indicated they had a British national identity,and 13.30% indicated they had an 'other' national identity.(respondents could indicate more than one national identity)
• 20.50% had some knowledge ofIrish(Gaeilge) and 2.64% had some knowledge ofUlster Scots.

Climate

As with the rest of Northern Ireland, Newry has a temperate climate, with a narrow range of temperatures, regular windy conditions, and rainfall throughout the year.

Climate data for Newry, United Kingdom (Glenanne climate station at 161m elevation) 1981–2010 normals
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.8 (44.2)	7.1 (44.8)	9.2 (48.6)	11.5 (52.7)	14.5 (58.1)	17.0 (62.6)	18.7 (65.7)	18.3 (64.9)	15.9 (60.6)	12.4 (54.3)	9.1 (48.4)	6.9 (44.4)	12.3 (54.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	1.7 (35.1)	1.8 (35.2)	2.8 (37.0)	4.2 (39.6)	6.5 (43.7)	9.3 (48.7)	11.2 (52.2)	11.1 (52.0)	9.2 (48.6)	6.7 (44.1)	4.0 (39.2)	2.2 (36.0)	5.9 (42.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	108.9 (4.29)	74.9 (2.95)	84.5 (3.33)	74.5 (2.93)	68.3 (2.69)	64.6 (2.54)	74.7 (2.94)	82.7 (3.26)	77.5 (3.05)	104.8 (4.13)	100.0 (3.94)	103.2 (4.06)	1,018.7 (40.11)
Average rainy days(≥ 1.0 mm)	16.2	12.4	15.4	13.0	12.4	12.0	12.8	13.2	12.5	15.8	15.8	15.2	166.6
Source: metoffice.gov.uk

Economy

Newry has traditionally been considered a merchant's town, and has maintained a reputation as one of the best provincial shopping-towns inNorthern Ireland,with the Buttercrane Centre andThe Quays Newryattracting large numbers of shoppers from as far away asCork.

In 2006 Newry house prices grew the most across the whole United Kingdom over the previous decade, as prices in the city had increased by 371% since 1996.The city itself has become markedly more prosperous in recent years. Unemployment has reduced from over 26% in 1991 to scarcely 2% in 2008.

Since the inception of theglobal financial crisis of 2008–2009,residents of theRepublic of Irelandhave increasingly beencross-border shoppingto Newry to buy cheaper goods due to the difference in currency. The harsh budget in the Republic of Ireland in October 2008, and the growing strength of theeuroagainst thepound sterlingandVATreductions in the United Kingdom, compared with increases in the Republic of Ireland, are among the reasons. This remarkable increase in cross-border trade has become so widespread that it has lent its name to a general phenomenon known asthe Newry effect.In December 2008,The New York Timesdescribed Newry as "the hottest shopping spot within the European Union's open borders, a place where consumers armed with euros enjoy a currency discount averaging 30 percent or more".

However the increased flow of trade has led to resultant tailbacks, sometimes several miles long (many kilometres), on approach roads from the south. This has created huge traffic and parking problems in Newry and the surrounding area. It has also become a political issue, with some politicians in the Republic of Ireland claiming that such cross-border shopping is "unpatriotic".

Newry is the globalHQof First Derivatives Plc.

Governance

Local government

The city of Newry is part ofNewry, Mourne and Down District Council.The2019 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council electionresulted in 3Sinn Féin,2SDLPand 1 Independent councillors being elected in the Newry electoral area, only change from the2014 resultwas Kevin McAteer who went from SDLP to Independent in 2015 stood down in 2017 to be replaced by Michael Savage. Individually Roisín Mulgrew replaced her party colleague Liz Kimmens, while independent Davy Hyland was replaced by another independent, Gavin Malone.

Council members from2023 election
District electoral area	Name	Party
Newry	Geraldine Kearns		Sinn Féin
	Cathal King		Sinn Féin
	Michael Savage		SDLP
	Aidan Mathers		Sinn Féin
	Valerie Harte		Sinn Féin
	Doire Finn		SDLP

Council members from2019 election
District electoral area	Name	Party
Newry	Gavin Malone		Independent
	Roisin Mulgrew†		Sinn Féin
	Michael Savage		SDLP
	Charlie Casey		Sinn Féin
	Valerie Harte		Sinn Féin
	Gary Stokes		SDLP

Council members from2014 election
District electoral area	Name	Party
Newry	Charlie Casey		Sinn Féin
	Liz Kimmins		Sinn Féin
	Valerie Harte		Sinn Féin
	Davy Hyland		Independent
	Gary Stokes		SDLP
	Kevin McAteer		SDLP

Northern Ireland assembly

Newry is part of the Assembly constituency ofNewry and Armagh.In the 2017 elections, the following were elected to theNorthern Ireland Assembly:Megan Fearon,Cathal Boylan,Conor Murphy(all members ofSinn Féin),Justin McNultyof theSDLPandWilliam Irwinof theDUP.

Election	MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)		MLA (Party)
1996 Forum election		Maria Caraher (Sinn Féin)		Patrick McNamee (Sinn Féin)		Frank Feeley (SDLP)		Seamus Mallon (SDLP)		Jim Speers (UUP)	5 seats 1996–1998
1998		Conor Murphy (Sinn Féin)				John Fee (SDLP)				Danny Kennedy (UUP)		Paul Berry (DUP)
2003				Davy Hyland (Sinn Féin)		Pat O'Rawe (Sinn Féin)		Dominic Bradley (SDLP)
2007				Cathal Boylan (Sinn Féin)		Mickey Brady (Sinn Féin)						William Irwin (DUP)
2011
July 2012 co-option		Megan Fearon (Sinn Féin)
June 2015 co-option						Conor Murphy (Sinn Féin)
2016								Justin McNulty (SDLP)
2017									5 seats 2017-present
January 2020 co-option		Liz Kimmins (Sinn Féin)

Note:The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.

Westminster

Together with part of the district ofNewry, Mourne and Down,Newry forms the constituency ofNewry and Armaghfor elections to theWestminster Parliament.The Member of Parliament isMickey BradyofSinn Féin.He won the seat in the2015 United Kingdom general election.

Transport

• TheNewry Canalopened in 1742. It is the oldest Canal in Ireland or Britain and when functioning as an inland transport waterway, it ran for 18 miles (29 kilometres) toLough Neagh.In 1777, Newry was ranked the fourth largest port in Ireland.Some surviving 18th and 19th century warehouses still line the canal, and now many houses, shops and restaurants.
• In 1885 anelectric tramway was opened between Newry and Bessbrook.
• MacNeill's Egyptian Archis a railway bridge located near Newry. It was selected for the design of theBritish one pound cointo represent Northern Ireland for 2006.
• Newry is served by anUlsterbusbus station, located in the city centre. The bus station is situation along The Mall, suspended over theClanrye River.Services in Newry include local, regional and cross-border transport with a free shuttle bus service to the local train station and services to local schools around Newry and Mourne.
• Newry railway station,just off theCamloughroad, offers cross border services on theDublin-Belfast lineas well as some regional services around areas of County Armagh and County Down. Transport to other places generally requires a change in either Belfast or Dublin. Planning permission for the construction of a new station to the east of the current station, was granted in May 2006 and the new station opened on 7 September 2009 byNorthern Ireland Railways.
• Newry is on the main M1/A1 route fromDublintoBelfast.Originally the route passed through the town centre, but in the 60s was bypassed by the Abbey Link. This remained the sole relief road until 1996when it was superseded by a single carriageway bypass round the western side of the town. By 2008 the road on either side of the town had been upgraded to motorway/high quality dual carriageway standard (southwards from Cloghogue) and low quality dual carriageway (northwards from Beechill). In July 2010 a new high quality dual carriageway with motorway characteristics was opened to bridge the gap, thus connecting Dublin with Belfast by motorway/dual carriageway for the first time. The opening of this section of road meant that motorists could travel fromCloghin County Antrim toMidleton,County Cork by dual carriageway/motorway. Part of this older bypass is still in use between the Camlough Road (A25) and the Belfast Road (A1). Newry suffers from veryheavy trafficwith shoppers coming from across the border.Newry is connected withWarrenpointby a lower quality dual carriageway, some seven miles (eleven kilometres) to the south.
• Newry is linked to Belfast viaNational Cycle Route 9,viaPortadown,LisburnandCraigavon.The route is planned to eventually extend to Dublin.

Notable buildings

Catholic Cathedral of SS. Patrick and Colman, Newry

Saint Patrick's Churchwas built in 1578 on the instructions of Nicholas Bagenal, who was granted the monastery lands by Edward VI, and is considered to be the first Protestant church in Ireland. The Cathedral of SS Patrick and Colman on Hill Street was built in 1829 at a cost of £8,000. The structure, which consists of local granite, was designed and built byThomas Duff,arguably Newry's greatest architect to date.

Incidentally, Thomas Duff also was the architect for the Cathedral in Dundalk, a town just over the border inCounty Louth,and it is said that he mixed up the plans for both cathedrals and sentDundalkCathedral to the builders in Newry, and Newry Cathedral to the builders in Dundalk.

Newry Town Hallis notable for being built over theRiver Clanryewhich is the historic boundary between the counties ofArmaghandDown.

The impressiveCraigmore Viaductlies just north of the city on theNorthern Ireland RailwaysBelfast-Dublin mainline. The bridge was designed bySir John MacNeillwith construction beginning in 1849. The bridge was formally opened in 1852. The viaduct consists of eighteen arches the highest being 126 feet, the highest viaduct in Ireland. It is around one-quarter mile (400 metres) long and was constructed from local granite. TheEnterprise trainlink from Belfast toDublincrosses the bridge.

The Newry Reporterevery week highlights a historic building in Newry and the surrounding area, giving a brief outline of its history.

Hospitals

• Daisy Hill Hospital

Churches

Roman Catholic

• Cathedral of Saints Patrick and Colman,Hill Street (1825–29)
• Church of the Sacred Heart and St Catherine, Dominic Street (1875)
• St Brigid's, Derrybeg (1970)
• St Mary's, Chapel Street (1789; formerly Newry Cathedral)
• Church of the Sacred Heart, Cloghogue (1916)
• Church of the Assumption, Drumalane (1954)
• Church of the Immaculate Conception (Parochial House), 44 Barrack Street

Protestant

• St Patrick's Church of Ireland(1578) -- possibly the first Protestant church ever built in Ireland. It was destroyed by fire and rebuilt.
• St Mary's Church of Ireland (1819)

Methodist Church, Sandy's Street

Newry Baptist Church, Downshire Place

First Presbyterian Church (Non-Subscribing), John Mitchel Place

Downshire Road Presbyterian Church, Downshire Road (1843)

Sandy's Street Presbyterian Church, Sandy's Street

Riverside Reformed Presbyterian Church, Basin Walk

The Salvation Army, Trevor Hill

Metropolitan Church, Edward Street

Other

• Kingdom Hall ofJehovah's Witnesses,Belfast Road

Notable people

Arts and media

• Christine Bleakley,television host
• Margaret Clarke(1884–1961), portrait painter
• Thomas Duff(1792–1848), architect
• Julia Glover,18th and 19th century actress
• Frank Hall(1921–1995), broadcaster and satirist
• Seán Hillen,photographer and artist
• Valene Kane,actress
• Michael Legge,actor
• JohnandSusan Lynch,actor siblings
• Tomm Moore,filmmaker
• Gerard Murphy,actor

Groups

• The 4 of Us,rock band
• Luv Bug,pop group
• Crubeen,1970s folk band

Religion

• John Dunlop,Presbyterian churchman
• John Magee,Roman CatholicBishop of Cloyne

Academia and science

• Leonard Abrahamson(1896–1961), cardiologist
• Joseph Barcroft(1872–1947), respiratory physiologist
• W. J. Barre(1830–1867), architect
• Elizabeth Gould Bell(1862–1934), doctor

Politics and diplomacy

• SirTrevor Corry(1724–1780), British diplomat
• Isaac Corry(1753–1813), Member of Parliament for Newry (1776), Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer (1799–1802)
• Sir William Hill Irvine(1858–1943), Australian politician
• Alfred Ludlam(1810–1877), New Zealand politician and philanthropist
• John Martin(1812–1875), Irish nationalist
• John Mitchel,Irish patriot
• Pádraig Ó Cuinn(1898–1974), Irish Republican Army
• Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen(1832–1900), Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Sport

• Shay McCartan,footballer
• Michael Cusack(1847–1906), founder of the Gaelic Athletic Association
• Pat Jennings,football goalkeeper
• Willie Maley(1868–1958), football manager
• Danny McAlinden,heavyweight boxer
• Ryan McGivern,footballer
• Terence Bannon,mountaineer
• Peter McParland,footballer
• Seán O'Neill,Gaelic footballer
• Ronan Rafferty,golfer
• Charlie Smyth,NFL kicker and former Gaelic footballer

Other

• James Heather(1867–1958) 19th century firefighter
• Jackie McClelland(1923–1981) 20th century firefighter
• John McClelland(1951–2022) Former Chief Fire Officer of Northern Ireland.

Sport

Football

Until 2012,Newry City F.C.played at theShowgroundsbefore being liquidated. Aphoenix clubnamedNewry City AFCwas formed to play in amateur leagues in 2013, and was promoted to theNIFL Premiershipin 2018.

Gaelic Athletic Association

TheDown GAAteam has its home ground atPáirc Eslerin the city.

Local clubs are:

inDown GAA:

• Newry Bosco GFC,
• Newry Shamrocks GAC,
• John Mitchel GFC

inArmagh GAA:

• Thomas Davis GFC, Corrinshego
• Killeavy St Moninna's GAC

Rugby Union

Newry RFC(also known as Newry Rugby Club, Newry RFU or Newry) is an Irish amateur rugby union club, founded in 1925. The club is a member of the Irish Rugby Football Union's Ulster branch. The club currently fields three senior teams and several junior teams ranging from under-12 to under-18 and a women's team for the first time in 2010–2011 season. The club's home ground is known as Telford Park. The team currently has two playing fields located at this ground along with the clubhouse on the outskirts of Newry.

Education

Primary Schools

• Cloughoge Primary School
• Killean Primary School
• St Clare's Convent Primary School
• St. Colman's Abbey Christian Brothers' Primary School
• St Joseph's Convent Primary School
• St Malachy's Primary School
• St. Patrick's Primary School, Newry|St Patrick's Primary School
• Windsor Hill Primary School
• St Ronan's Primary School

Post-Primary Schools

• Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School
• Newry High School
• Our Lady's Grammar School
• Sacred Heart Grammar School
• St Colman's College
• St Joseph's Boys' High School
• St. Mary's High School
• St. Paul's High School, Bessbrook

Further Education

• Southern Regional College

See also

• Newry (civil parish)
• List of localities in Northern Ireland by population

External links

• Newry City