Visit Newry Places

Welcome to Visit Newry Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Newry

  

Newry Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Newry

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Newry history

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There is strong evidence of continual human habitation in the area from early times, where it is seen during the Bronze Age that Newry had a factory-type community who were producing in abundance very detailed jewellery for garments. Three of these Newry Clasps can be found in the Ulster Museum, and a massive arm clasp from the same period was also found in Newry. In recent times the survey for the new bypass revealed a number of standing stones on a central area down the Omeath Road. These, like many other finds, such as that of an ancient cave at the top of the Dublin Road area, have seemingly been noted and forgotten about. It is estimated that as many as 130 ancient sites were discovered at the top of the Camlough Road. Among them three Neolithic homesteads were discovered. At the time, all were noted and left to be destroyed by the new road. Standing stones were also seen on at least one of these sites, but they stand no more. In AD 820, the Danes made one of their “earliest irruptions at Newry abbey, from whence they proceeded to Armagh, taking it by storm, and plundering and desolating the country around”. In AD 835 the Danes again made a sudden incursion into Newry, with a large body of Danes landing at Inbher-Chin-Tra-gha, or Newry, and raided the area before attacking Armagh, where they set fire to the churches and university, plundering gold and other items from them and killing an estimated one thousand people in the city and surrounding area. The Victorian era historian James Henthorn Todd goes into further detail in his 1867 Volume, (Chronicles and memories of England and Ireland in the Middle Ages) recording that the abbey was attacked in AD 824. A small medieval town was on the site to the north and south of the abbey, which was rebuilt in 1142 (Keating G) by King O Carroll of the Oriel at the request of Saint Malachi (Ibid). The landing stage of the abbey was situated close to the western bank of the Newry River in what is now Kilmorey Street. From these early times, it was the main pier and port of the town; it remained as such until the construction of the new canal took place. The abbey was later converted to a collegiate church in 1543, before being surrendered to the Crown in 1548. The abbey is seen to be giving its earnings to the Crown almost 200 years before this date. It is described as being one of the richest and largest in Ireland. The Vikings attacked the Abbey many times, slaughtering its occupants. The town was granted its first charter between 1157 by High King of Ireland Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn. In 1162 the monastery was attacked and raided by the Chiefs of Irish clans. De Courcy’s lordship ensured a safe spell for the abbey after he had built several castles in and around Newry. These were typical Norman affairs, of motte-and-bailey construction. In 1539 an English mercenary, Nicholas Bagenal, fled to Ireland after murdering a man in Leek, Staffordshire, apparently with the aid of his two brothers. After some time in the employment of the O Neill he reached a high status, was granted a pardon in 1543, and became Marshal of the army. During his early years in the Louth area he lived at Carlingford where his son Henry was born. Lord Bingham is seen sending Oriel labourers to Newry in 1546 at which time Bagenal is seen restoring the castle of Newry, which belonged to Hugh O Neill, being first built by John De Courcy in 1186 (De Arcy McGee See also Lewis 1815). Not long after this the Marshal, in 1552, secured a 21-year lease on the Newry property, which was confiscated from the Cistercians. The castle was then razed to the ground by Shane O’Neill, who banished Bagenal from Newry in 1566. The nearby convent was also part of the Abbey, and is mentioned in the Bagenal patent. A small medieval church can be found in its grounds. The abbey site is mentioned in the rent rolls of 1575, and said to consist of a church, a steeple, a cemetery, a chapterhouse, dormitory and hall, two orchards and one garden, containing one acre, within the precincts of a monastic college. During the 1689 Raid on Newry, Williamite forces under Toby Purcell repulsed an attack by the Jacobites under the Marquis de Boisseleau. At the period of the Battle of the Boyne, the Duke of Berwick set fire to the parts of the town which he had restructured to defend it, (see Berwicks Journal). Schomberg sent troops in during the early hours of the mornings when seeing the flames, they successfully extinguished them. While it is believed that King William may have stayed at a Newry Castle, the story is a far-fetched one. King William took a portable wooden bedroom with him on this campaign, which he called his “coach”. (see The Impartial History by Rev Story) The King refused to sleep in castles or houses, preferring to be amongst his men. One of the main castles of Newry at this date was an ancient abbey building which stood at Mill Street corner, in the northwest end of the abbey complex. Its remains were finally demolished in 1965. The other abbey buildings were once used by Bagenal (30-odd years), as pigsties and stables, according to the O’Neill website. These buildings lay neglected when King William passed through the town. For over 100 years they were nothing more than great massive stores or sheds in the background and not considered as part of the town. Isaac Corry demolished some of them in the early 1800s. Those he did not demolish were turned into homesteads or warehouses. Included were the 140 feet of the great church that was constructed in 1142. He demolished its altar and completely dug up the ancient graveyard beside the church, removing ancient bones by the cartload to St Mary’s at Chapel Street. While there was deep mourning from the Catholics of the town at these actions, no one complained because of Corry’s status. The graveyard is currently a carpark for Lidl and the great church is now a museum: Bagenal Castle. By 1881 the population of Newry had reached 15,590. Newry Urban District Council was unusual in that during the period from the 1920s to the 1960s it was one of only a handful of councils in Northern Ireland which had a majority of councillors from the Catholic/Nationalist community. (The others were Strabane UDC and a handful of rural district councils.) The reason, according to Michael Farrell, was that this community formed such a large majority in the town, around 80% of the population, making it impossible to gerrymander. Also an oddity was that for a time it was controlled by the Irish Labour Party, after the left wing of the Northern Ireland Labour Party defected to them in the 1940s.

The Troubles

Newry saw several violent incidents during the conflict known as the Troubles, including a triple killing in 1971, a bombing in 1972 and a mortar attack in 1985. The British Army withdrew from the area on 25 June 2007 when they closed their final base at Bessbrook.

Newry geography / climate

Newry lies in the most south-eastern part of both Ulster and Northern Ireland. The city sits in a valley, between the Mourne Mountains and the Ring of Gullion. The Clanrye River runs through the centre of the city, parallel to the Newry Canal.

Townlands

Newry is within the civil parishes of Newry and Middle Killeavy. The parishes have long been divided into townlands, which mainly come from the Irish language. The names of townlands in Newry’s urban area are listed below.

You can visit Newry places with Walkfo Newry to hear history at Newry’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Newry has 18 places to visit in our interactive Newry map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Newry, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Newry places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Newry & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 18 audio facts unique to Newry places in an interactive Newry map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Newry Places Map
18 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Newry historic spots	Newry tourist destinations	Newry plaques	Newry geographic features
Walkfo Newry tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Newry

  

Best Newry places to visit

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Newry has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Newry’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Newry’s information audio spots:

Newry Bosco GFC Newry Bosco GFC are a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club from Newry, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The club plays its home games at Jack Mackin Park which is in Co. Armagh. Bosco plays in the South Down league.

Derrymore House Derrymore House is a National Trust property in Bessbrook, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is described by the National Trust as a “late 18th-century thatched house in gentrified vernacular style”

Visit Newry plaques