(www.nitowns.com)
Newry Town , Co Down - Co Armagh
The town of Newry nestles between the scenic Mourne Mountains ( South Down )and the Ring of Gullion (South Armagh). at the head of Carlingford Lough. Newry is around 38 miles south of Belfast and 63 miles north from Dublin, quite close to the North-South border. It is the largest town on the shores of Carlingford lough and at one time was a busy port, with vessels entering the town via the canal. Modern shopping centres, D.I.Y stores etc are continuously expanding to give excellent shopping facilities on the south and west of the town. The town's Hill Street would be the main shopping area should you prefer to shop outdoors away from the inclosed shopping malls. There are a number of Georgian houses and shops. Some of Newry's oldest houses are to be seen in Market Street. There are two good hotels in the town"Canal court Hotel" and the "Francis Court Hotel", another good hotel exists on the Belfast road "Mourne County Hotel" which has been recently refurbished.
The Canal which flows through the town is now closed to traffic. It is a pleasure to stroll along the streets and across the little bridges , ducks and water-fowl are very much at home in the canal. Attractive little nesting/sheltering boxes have been placed in various places along the waterway.
For 700 years a yew tree thrived on the head of Carlingford Strand, planted by St Patrick, it pointed it's dark green fronds towards the heavens. Hence the origin of the towns name, "New Yew". The old name of this place before the arrival of St Patrick was "Ceann Tragha" meaning "The head of the strand". The Monastery founded by St Patrick was burnt along with the yew tree in the year 1162. A castle was built by de Courcy, the Anglo-Norman subjugator of Ualidh, which was afterwards burnt by Edward Bruce in 1315, after being rebuilt, it was distroyed by Shane O'Neill. A Cistercian Abbey was founded in 1157 by Maurice McLoughlin, King of Ireland; it's charter was confirmed by Hugh de Lacy, the successor of de Courcy. After the dissolution, the monastery and it's lands were granted by Edward V1 to Nicholas Bagenal, who adapted the Abbot's House as a residence for himself. This Nicholas Bagenal seems to have been the real founder of the town of Newry; he colonized it, rebuilt the castle, and erected, in 1578, the Parish Church of St Patrick, (C.I.) perhaps the earliest Protestant Church in Ireland. In the entrance porch of the tower of the Church are displayed the Bagenal arms. When the forces of James ll were retreating before William's army under Schomberg, they set fire to the town. St Mary's Parish church ( C.I.)dates from 1819 and has a tower and spire 150 feet high. The Cathedral ( R.C.) on Hill Street is a handsome Perpendicular-style-building with fine stained glass windows.
The first mail coach in Ireland, linking Belfast and Dublin, is said to have been established by an Newry firm in 1790.
*More information on photo pages*
Contact
© Copyright 1999-2000-2001
All Rights Reserved