The Newry Heritage Trail - Discover Northern Ireland

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Catholic Emancipation. The tower and
transept were added in 1888 and the
nave extended in 1904. The interior
marble work and mosaics took five
years to complete with craftsmen
coming from Italy to undertake the
work. Opposite, the Classically styled
bank was built for the Provincial Bank
of Ireland in 1905. The very best
granite was used for the façade as
these banks were built to reflect the
optimism of the Edwardian age.
continue along Hill Street and into
John Mitchel Place
The Short Trail
} See description overleaf - Long Trail no. 1.
The Sean Hollywood Arts Centre
See Long Trail no. 2.
Teach Éigse Sheáin Uí Chuilleannáin }
turn left into Sugar Island,
turn right at end of street
Sugar House Quay
Cé Theach an tSiúcra
4
This stretch of the canal retains a strong sense of the town’s trading past in
the warehouses lining the sides of the quay. These streets take their name
from the lucrative trade of importing sugar from the West Indies.
across the canal can be seen:
Clanrye Mills
See Long Trail no. 6.
Muilte Ghleann Rí
turn right into Basin Quay
}
Basin Quay
Cé an Duga
5
} See Long Trail no. 8.
Riverside Presbyterian Church
Eaglais Phreispitéireach cois abhann
Bank of Ireland
Banc na hEireann
3
}
}
See Long Trail no. 7.
cross river by footbridge
8
1
See Long Trail no. 9.
turn right
Trevor Hill
Treabhar Hill
9
These elegant 19th
century buildings are
amongst the finest in
Newry. They are part of
the residential development of this period
which continue along
the Downshire Road and Sandys Street. John Mitchel served
his legal apprenticeship in No. 8. Further along is the
Northern Bank, built in 1923. The province wide Northern
Bank was taken over in 1987 by the National Bank of
Australia, which was founded by William Hill Irvine
when the family emigrated from Newry.
cross into Kildare Street, turn left into Hill Street
9.
10
14.
Not surprisingly, as Newry’s main street, Hill
Street has associations with its most notable
characters. Prior to 1760 it was known as ‘the
Low Ground’. The street was elegantly laid out
by the Marquis of Downshire, whose family was
called Hill. The streets and the squares in the
area derive their names from members of the Hill
family. In 1792, Wolfe Tone founded the local
branch of the United Irishmen
at No 108 (the corner house
on the right). Nos 71-73, a
fine four storey building, with
Corinthian pilasters over Doric
columned shop fronts, is the
site of the Theatre Royal built
in 1783. Julia Glover, daughter
of Thomas Betterton who first owned the theatre, performed
here as a young girl and later became a star on the West End
stage. Next door, the library is the site of the Shakespeare Inn
where the audience would have discussed the performances.
Among them was the writer William Drennan, founding
philosopher of the United Irishmen and Newry resident in
the 1780s. He initiated Newry’s first book-society.
11
15.
12
13
14
15
This is the first of Hill Street’s two squares. The Ulster Bank occupies
the site of the King’s Arms Hotel where the stagecoaches departed for
Dublin.In 1857, Maria Theresa Longworth and Captain Yelverton stayed
here before their disputed marriage in Killowen the following day.
Yelverton claimed that they shared a room here and the marriage was
illegal. He then married a General’s daughter but a Dublin court found in
favour of Theresa and thousands cheered her along Sackville Street.
Opposite, the Golden Teapot has been a Newry landmark for many years
and has survived the business it once advertised. In 1978 Hill Street, south
of Margaret Square, was designated the first pedestrian area in Northern Ireland. Between the
squares, a coat of arms adorns a building on the left. A photographer, who worked here in the early
1900s, received the royal warrant. This building was
also a coachworks in the 1870s and the Irish State
Coach is rumoured to have been built here.
Marcus Square
Cearnóg Mharcais
At the north end of the square are two beautiful
buildings. The Northern Bank was designed by W.J.
Watson in the mid 19th century. It is a three storey
building with attics and is heavily embellished in the Gothic manner. Opposite is an early 20th
century Classical style building with a corner tower. John Mitchel’s
wife, Jenny Verner, went to Miss Bryden’s school at No. 6 next to
the bank. Dr. Samuel Black, a pioneering cardiologist, lived at No.
7. The east side of the square was demolished to open up views
of the cathedral. The sculpture, ‘Proud People’ by Paddy McElroy,
was erected in 1994 to celebrate Newry’s 850th anniversary. The
panels depict the story of Newry through the ages. Close to where
the sculpture now stands was the home of John Kells Ingram,
who wrote the ballad ‘Who Fears to Speak of ’98?’
12.
17
16
Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Colman
Ardeaglais Naomh Pádraig & Naomh Colmán
This is the most commanding building in Hill Street, and arguably
the most important work executed by Newry’s greatest architect
Thomas Duff. Built in 1829 of local granite to a cost of £8,000, it
was the first Catholic Cathedral opened after the granting of
John Mitchel Place & St. Colman’s Park
Plás Sheáin Mistéil & Páirc Cholmáin
The statue was erected in memory of John Mitchel (1815 1875), who, more than any other writer or politician, shaped
the nationalist perception of the famine. His revolutionary
call to arms led to the passing of the Treason Felony Act
under which he was tried and sentenced to 14 years penal
transportation. His ‘Jail Journal’ is a masterpiece in prison
literature. When in exile, he wrote ’It is deep in the night . .
. we are not far from the meridian of Newry, though six
thousand miles to the South and I know that this white disc
struggling through Atlantic storm clouds is the very globe of
silver that hangs tonight between the branches of the
laurels of Dromalane’. John Mitchel spent his early life in a
house at Dromalane, close to the town centre, and returned
there to die in 1875. There are still laurels around the house.
18
Margaret Square
Cearnóg Mháiréid
11.
St. Mary’s Parish Church
Eaglais Paróiste Naomh Muire
Work began on this church in 1810 but it wasn’t completed until 1819. It was supposed
to replace St. Patrick’s (on the hill), but the loyalty of part of the congregation to the older
place of worship led to a schism within the Church of Ireland in Newry. This was not healed
until 1866, when St. Patrick’s was completely rebuilt. The memorial tablets within the church
record the lives and work of many of Newry’s prominent citizens. There is a tribute to a Dr.
Davis, the medical superintendent of the workhouse, who
survived cholera during the famine. The Corry family is
represented including Sir Trevor, Baron of Poland, who died
in 1781 leaving £3,000 to the poor of Newry. He also left
£1,000 for the building of St. Marys.
Hill Street
Sráid Hill
10.
No 8, once McManus Pawnbrokers, with its three balls hanging sign,
was also the site of Dr. Henderson’s school which John Mitchel, John
Martin and John Kells Ingram attended. Further along is Newry Variety
Market. The origins of a market in Newry probably date back to
Cistercian times, but the first documented mention is in a charter of
1550 which gave Nicholas
Bagenal ‘the customs and tolls
of the market held at the
Newrie on every Thursday’. In
bygone days there were eight
weekly markets in Newry, and
today’s variety market is a unique
example of past shopping habits. The
market was refurbished in 2001 by the
local Council and is open for business on
Thursdays and Saturdays.
6
7
2
The Market
Clós an Mhargaidh
Mitchel’s
house at
Dromalane
The elegant neo-Georgian, three storey granite town houses on the left side of St. Colman’s
Park were completed in the mid 19th century for the new middle classes. This group of
buildings, communal pleasure gardens and their formal relationship to St. Mary’s form an intimate
piece of small scale town planning. Known locally as Hyde Market, this reminds us that tanning
was once a major activity in Newry.
16.
First Presbyterian Church (non-subscribing)
An Chéad Eaglais Phreispitéireach (neamhaontaitheach)
The building was completed in 1853. It follows the traditions developed by
the Episcopal churches, in contrast to the plainer Meeting Houses of earlier
years. This well proportioned Gothic style church was to influence a new
style of architecture for Presbyterian Churches. The architect was Newry
man William J. Barre, a pupil of Thomas Duff, who also designed
the Riverside Church. Barre’s best known work is the Ulster Hall in
Belfast. The organ in the church is said to have been played by
George Frederick Handel in St. Georges Chapel, Windsor,
before coming to Newry. Handel also came to Newry himself
in 1742 to perform his work ‘Alexander’s Feast’.
turn left up William Street and cross the road
at the top of the hill, cross to Abbey Yard and turn left
17.
18.
Victoria Bakery and Bagenals Castle
Bacús Victoria agus Caisleán Uí Bheigléinn
} See Long Trail no. 15.
Can you spot?
For children of all ages . . . . as you walk along the short trail, can you spot the details below?
1
2
3
6
7
Did you spot?
4
8
9
5
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The Bagenal Dynasty - 16th to 18th Century
The Abbey was dissolved in 1545 and the English adventurer Nicholas Bagenal,
who rose to be Marshal of the Army, occupied the Abbot’s House and fortified
the town. The seventeenth century was a period of political and military flux
with the town falling briefly to Con Magennis in 1641, surrendering to
Cromwell’s Colonel Venables in 1649 and being burned by Berwick in the
Williamite wars of September 1689. The last of the Bagenals died in 1712.
Nicholas Bagenal
A Town Rebuilt - 18th Century Newry
A new town plan was laid out by the Earls of Hillsborough, later Marquis of Downshire, which
reorientated the town away from the hillsides down to the valley floor and marshlands. Hill Street
formed the central spine and was punctuated by two well proportioned squares, named Margaret
Square and Marcus Square. A proposed third square evolved into what became known as the Hyde
Market and is now St. Colman’s Park. The tall elegant buildings erected along Hill Street and around the
squares were in contrast to the more rugged warehouses built along the river and canal quays.
Newry Canal - 1742
In 1742 the inland canal to Lough Neagh, the first in the British Isles, was completed bringing with it
a period of commercial success as Newry traded the produce of a large hinterland. Many of the
private, public and commercial buildings which expressed the wealth of this era are still standing and
can be enjoyed on the trail. By 1777, Newry ranked as the fourth largest port in Ireland. Its linen trade
flourished and fine glassware was manufactured. There was a thriving printing industry which served,
not only local need, but European writers also. Voltaire and Jean Jacques Rousseau had their works
printed in Newry.
Industrial Newry - 19th Century
The coming of the railways to Ulster favoured the development of Belfast as a major port and this led
to the decline of traffic on Newry’s inland canal. Deepening of the ship canal and the building of the
Albert Basin, however, allowed Newry to attract trade. particularly in coal, across the sea. In the mid
19th century, Newry and Bessbrook were able to develop a flax spinning industry due to a dramatic
slump in cotton production caused by the American Civil War.
Newry - 20th Century
By 1881 the population of Newry had reached its 19th century zenith of 15,590 but from the turn of
the century until the 1960s there was a period of decline as the inland canal, the mills, the tramway
and the railways all closed. After the 1970s, and despite the Troubles, an injection of public capital
greatly improved communications, health and education facilities and ignited flames of individual
initiative which have produced international successes like Norbrook Laboratories and Glen Dimplex.
Outside the Town Hall, a crowd of 15,000 greeted the New Millennium with hope and confidence.
Newry - Today
The Newry of today, with a population of 25,000, and with modern vibrant streets, shopping centres,
hotels and a skilled innovative people, continues to grow. City status, conferred in 2002, is a sign of
an exciting regeneration as new technologies and ideas have enabled Newry to position itself at the
heart of Ireland’s economic core.
Stair an Iúir
An Chéad Chónaí - an 12ú go dtí an 16ú céad
Is é Naomh Pá́draig an chéad duine a bhfuil iomrá air i scéal an Iúir. De réir an tseanchais, b’é a chuir
an crann iúir ag ceann na trá i nGleann Rí, agus b’as sin a tháinig seanainm an bhaile, “Iúr Cinn Trá”.
Téann fianaise na staire siar go dtí 1144 nuair a bunaíodh an Mhainistir Chistéirseach. Sa bhliain 1157
fuair an Mhainistir cairt ó Mhuircheartach Mac Lochlainn, Ardrí Éireann, an t-aon chairt dá cineál a
bhfuil cóip di ar marthain go dtí an lá inniu.
Teaghlach Bagnal - an 16ú go dtí an 18ú céad
Scaoileadh an Mhainistir sa bhliain 1545. Fuair Nicholas Bagnal, gallóglach Sasanach, seilbh ar Theach
an Aba, agus dhaingnigh sé an baile. Marascal na hÉireann a bheadh in Bagnal ar ball. Ba chorrach
an tréimhse é réimeas Mhuintir Bagnal san Iúr, ó chogadh agus ó pholaitíocht. Thit an baile le Conn
Mag Aonghusa i 1641, ghéill sé don Choirnéal Venables d’arm Chromail i 1649, agus i 1689 loisceadh
é le Diúc Berwick le linn Chogadh an Dá Rí. Fuair an duine deireanach de Mhuintir Bagnal bás i 1712.
Canáil an Iúir - 1742
I 1742 a cuireadh críoch ar an chanáil intíre go Loch nEathach, agus leis sin tháinig an ráthúnas ar an
Iúr mar a díoladh is a ceannaíodh na hearraí ó chúltír fhorleitheadach an bhaile. Comhartha ar
rathúnas na haimsire is ea na tithe príobháideacha, poiblí agus tráchtála a tógadh sa tréimhse seo. Tá
cuid mhaith acu ina seasamh go fóill, agus is féidir taitneamh a bhaint astu ar an turas seo. Faoi 1777
bhí an tIúr ar an cheathrú port ba mhó in Éirinn. Bhí borradh faoi thionscal an lín agus bhí mínearraí
gloine is gloine ghearrtha dá ndéanamh ann. Bhí tionscal rathúil clódóireachta ann a riar ar riachtanais
ó chian is ó chóngar. Clóbhualadh ar an Iúr saothar le Voltaire, agus le Jean Jacques Rousseau.
} See Long Trail no. 16.
The Master’s House
Teach na Máistrí
The First Settlement - 12th to 16th Century
The first recorded footsteps in the Clanrye Valley were those of St.
Patrick who is reputed to have planted a ‘yew tree at the head of the
strand’. Translated into Gaelic this reads ‘Iubhair Cinn Tragh’ and is how
the town derives its name. The town traces its historical origins to the
Cistercian Abbey founded in 1144 and confirmed by a charter granted
by the High King, Murtagh McLoughlin, in 1157.
15th century carving (EHS)
Atógáil an Bhaile - an tIúr san 18ú céad
B’é an ceantar seo an príomhbhealach isteach i gCúige Uladh, agus dá bharr sin atógadh an baile. Leag
Iarla Hillsborough plean úr amach don bhaile, plean a thug croí an bhaile ó shleasa na gcnoc, síos go
dtí urlár riascach an ghleanna. B’í Sráid Hill cnámh droma an bhaile, agus bhí trí chearnóg chruthacha sa
phlean. Dhá chearnóg acu a tógadh de réir an phlean: Cearnóg Mháiréid agus Cearnóg Marcais;
Margadh na Seithí a bhí sa tríú cearnóg, nó Páirc Cholmáin an lae inniu. Tógadh tithe arda taibhseacha
ar Shráid Hill agus tithe stóir a bhí ní ba ghairbhe cois na habhann is ar chéanna na canála.
11
On the Long Trail: 1, On the bridge at the Town Hall (1). 2, Iron wall tie, Clanrye Mills (4). 3, Detail from Linen Hall Arch (6).
4, Swans are often to be seen along Canal Quay (5). 5, Door hinge, Riverside Presbyterian Church (7). 6, Hiring Fair plaque at
the bottom of High Street (14). 7, Stone corbel, Bagenal’s Castle (15). 8, Window from the Masters House (16). 9, Detail from
façade of building on River Street (near 17). 10. Boot scraper, 31 Dominic Street (20). 11, Iron wall tie, Clanrye Mills (29).
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
13.
On the Short Trail: 1, On the bridge at the Town Hall (1). 2, Column from 71 Hill Street (9). 3, Golden Teapot, Margaret Square
(10). 4, Window, 63 Hill Street (9). 5, Coat of Arms, 61 Hill Street (9). 3, Corner building, Marcus Square (9). 5, Northern Bank,
Marcus Square (11). 6, Viking ship detail from sculpture, Marcus Square (11). 9, Milestone, 28 Hill Street (9). 10. Detail from
St. Mary’s Parish Church (14). 11, Detail from First Presbyterian Church (16).
1.
2.
3.
The Town Hall
Halla an Bhaile
NEWRY - A Short History
(Philip Anley)
NewryHeritageTrail-Feb10
An tIúr - an 19ú céad
Ní forbairt ach ísliú céime a thug na bealaí iarainn don Iúr; thit an trácht ar an chanáil go mór, agus
thug Béal Feirste an báire léi i gceannasaíocht Chúige Uladh. Mar sin féin bhí forbairt ann: rinneadh
longchanáil nua ó Dhuga Albert amach chun na farraige; le linn Chogadh Cathartha Mheiricea bhí
ganntanas cadáis ar an mhargadh domhanda, agus thapaigh an tIúr agus an Sruthán an deis agus
d’fhorbair tionscal sníofa líon; tógadh trambhealach tionscantach idir an Sruthán agus an tIúr. Bhí
Muilte an Iúir ar an taobh thiar den bhaile.
An tIúr - an 20ú céad
Le 1881 bhí daonra an Iúir den mhéid ceanna a bhí ann sa 19ú céad - 15,590 - ach le tús an chéid
bhí treimhse ann agus druideadh an chanáil intíre, na muilte, an trambhealach agus an Iarnród,
maraon. Le deireadh na 1970í agus in ainneoin na dTrioblóidí chuir infheistíocht caipitil poiblí anfheabhas ar chumarsáid, ar áiseanna shláinte agus oideachais agus spreag sé seo díograis i bhfiontair
aonaireacha a d’éirigh leo go hidirnáisiúnta mar Saotharlanna Norbrook agus Glen Dimplex. Bhí
scaifte de 15,000 i láthair ag tús na Mílaoise Úire taobh amuigh de halla an Bhaile agus spiorad an
dóchais fiall fairsingeach ann.
An tIúr - Inniu
Tá an tIúr ag fás fós agus daonra de 25,000 duine ann. Tá sé lán de sráideanna nua-aimseartha, ionaid
siopadóireachta, óstáin agus pobal oilte féinsmaointeach. Comhartha den bhorradh seo stádas
Cathrach, a bronnadh ar an Iúr i 2002, agus de thairbhe nua-theicneolaíochta agus smaointe nuaaimseartha tá an t-Iúr chun tosaigh i gcroílár eacnamaíoch na hÉireann.
BAGENAL’S CASTLE
Newry and Mourne Museum and Newry Tourist Information Centre moved to new premises at
Bagenal’s Castle, a restored 16th-century fortified house and adjoining 19th-century warehouse,
in March 2007. In late 2007 the Museum was awarded Accreditation status by the Museums,
Libraries and Archives Council. Exhibitions at the new Museum trace the social and political
history of the Newry and Mourne area from the prehistoric period up to the early 21st century.
Many of the artefacts on show highlight local achievements such as the ecclesiastical importance
of the area, trade and industry and the region's rich maritime heritage. A major part of the
exhibitions is devoted to exploring the impact of national and international political events on the
Newry and Mourne area in the 20th century.
Collecting Policy
Collection Care and Education
As an Accredited Museum, Newry and Mourne
The Museum collects material from Newry,
Museum is continually
south Armagh and south
improving standards in caring
Down, reflecting the rich
for the artefacts in its care and
cultural heritage of the
making these accessible to the
area. A wide variety of
public. Our curatorial staff have
items are regularly offered
specialist training in preventive
to the Museum by the
conservation including
public. Additions to the
environmental control,
Collection over the years
cleaning, storage of artefacts
have included an 18thand display methods, which will
century long case clock,
ensure our artefacts are
robes of the Order of St.
preserved for future
Patrick and the charter
generations.
granting city status to
Newry in 2002. A wide
This work is complemented by
range of household
our education programme
objects illustrate nearly
Elevation of Bagenal’s Castle, c. 1568
which provides curriculum300 years of domestic life
(Public Records Office, London)
linked lessons for local
in the area and displays in
schools, seasonal arts and
our costume case are
crafts workshops for families, tours of
periodically changed to show items from our
Bagenal’s Castle and a lecture programme.
costume collection.
Handling collections of artefacts are also
available for hire as part of our reminiscence
The Museum also holds The Reside Collection
project.
which contains original estate records, maps,
newspaper cuttings, architectural plans and
Newry Tourist Information Centre is located in
miscellaneous material relating to the history of
the foyer at Bagenal’s Castle and the building
the Newry and Mourne area. Donated in 2002,
is also home to the Copper Café which offers
this material dates from 1715 - c.1990, and
a varied menu including breakfast, lunch and
was built up by Major G.W. Reside, an architect
a wide selection of teas, coffees and homeand engineer in Newry, and his wife, Margaret,
baked pastries.
who was a solicitor in the town. Major Reside
also collected much of the material due to his
Newry and Mourne Museum is open to the
keen interest in local history.
public from 10.00 am – 4.30pm Monday to
Saturday and from 1.00pm – 4.30 pm on
The Collection has been catalogued with the
Sunday. For information on events and
help of cross-border funding and the
exhibitions, other services and bookings please
catalogue is available online at
phone 028 3031 3178 or visit
www.louthnewryarchives.ie and
www.bagenalscastle.com
www.bagenalscastle.com
Further Reading
Bassett, G.H.
Beausang, B. (ed)
Bell, F.H.
Camblin, G.
Canavan, T.
Clarke, R.S.J. (ed)
Cunningham, N.
Day, A. & McWilliams, P. (ed)
Green, E.R.R.
Moffett, C. (ed)
Russell, A.
Small, J. F.
Co. Down Guide and Directory, 1886
Proud People - A Newry Anthology - Newry 850, 1994
Newry, Warrenpoint and Rostrevor - Friar’s Bush Press
The Town in Ulster, 1951
Frontier Town - Blackstaff Press, 1989
Old Families of Newry & District - Ulster Historical Foundation, 1998
Bagenal’s Castle - Newry & Mourne District Council, 2002
O.S. Memoirs Co. Down 1834-6 - Institute of Irish Studies
The Industrial Archaeology of Co. Down - HMSO, 1963
Newry’s War Dead - Newry & Mourne District Council, 2002
Beyond the Battle, 1798 - Newry & Mourne District Council, 1998
‘Newriensis’, Historical Sketch of Newry, 1876
NEWRY IS THE GATEWAY TO THE NORTH,
TO THE MOURNES AND SLIEVE GULLION.
Its attractive setting between the mountains
is further enhanced by its location
at the head of Carlingford Lough.
Acknowledgements
Research and text by Anthony Russell with contributions by Noreen Cunningham, Kieran Murphy and Della Varilly.
Thanks also to Dr. Geraldine Carville, Anne Garvey, Sean Patterson and Maolcholaim Scott who contributed to the
first edition of this guide; and Philip Anley, Environment and Heritage Service, and the Public Records Office, London
and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast, for permission to reproduce photographs.
Photography by William McAlpine · Produced by Della Varilly Design
Newry has a rich heritage and many fine buildings and public spaces. The twin waterways, the canal and
the Clanrye river, flow through the town along parallel channels. Heather Park, on the edge of the city
centre, provides a tranquil oasis in contrast to the bustling shopping and commercial areas of Hill Street,
Sugar Island, Monaghan Street and The Old Creamery, Buttercrane and Quays retail centres.
For further information, please contact:
Newry Tourist Information Centre
Bagenal's Castle, Castle Street, Newry BT34 2DA
Telephone (028) 3031 3170 Fax (028) 3026 8833
www.visitnewryandmourne.com
This Heritage Trail takes you through the many attractions of the city. The Long Trail lasts about one
hour and three quarters and the Short Trail approximately three quarters of an hour without stops .
Ideally you should spend a day wandering through Newry and visiting the many shops, restaurants and
public houses along the way. The short trail, in particular, is suitable for everyone. A gentle pace with
regular stops is recommended. Enjoy your walk.
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NEWRY HERITAGE TRAIL
12.
How to use this guide
The steep climb through Heather Park is rewarded
with one of the best viewpoints in Newry. The park
is named after James Heather, a captain of Newry
Volunteer Fire Brigade, who was awarded the Police
Medal in 1930 for ‘39 years of exemplary service
distinguished by special merit and ability’. From
the top right hand corner of the park you can see
Camlough Mountain with its disused quarry, one of
several around the town. This hilltop was also the
site of a gallows and it is claimed that a tunnel (the
entrance of which is fenced off beside the wall) led back down the hill to the old gaol where the Bank
of Ireland now stands. In 1798 George Cochrane, a United Irishman, was hanged here. Ironically he
lies across the road in St. Patrick’s Church graveyard only feet away from his enemy Isaac Corry.
leave by the left gate, St. Patrick’s is directly opposite
The Long Trail is a circular walk beginning and ending at the Town Hall. It is
colour coded in blue. Each stop is marked with a number which corresponds to
a number in the text. The length of this walk is approximately 11/2 - 2 hours.
The Short Trail is colour coded in red. It is described overleaf. Some of the
stops are common to both trails in which case the text appears under the long
trail below. The length of this walk is approximately 3/4 hour.
If you wish to combine both trails together, we suggest that you follow the long
trail from 1 to 29, and then join the short trail at number 8 (Trevor Hill).
The Long Trail
The Town Hall
Halla an Bhaile
13.
Newry Town Hall, designed by William Batt, was constructed in 1893. It
was one of the last works of the old Newry Town Commissioners whose
crest, dated 1891, can still be seen on the bridge. The style of the
building is broadly Classical. Reputed rivalry, between counties Armagh
and Down, over its location led to the Town Hall being built on a three
arched bridge astride the Clanrye river, the county boundary. On the
bridge is The Russian Trophy, a 19th century cannon captured during
the Crimean War. This was given to the town in recognition of the men
from Newry who volunteered to fight in the War. The Russian Eagle can
be seen on the barrel of the gun.
2.
The Arts Centre was originally the Newry Savings Bank, built in 1840,
Town Hall interior
later Newry Technical School. The Classical style façade was retained
when the building was rebuilt as an Arts Centre by the Council in 1980. Also in Bank Parade is the
Memorial to the World Wars, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1938 within months
of the Second World War.
turn left into Sugar Island
3.
14.
Canal Street
Sráid na Canála
4.
On the corner of New Street and Canal Quay is one of Newry’s
most imposing buildings. Clanrye Mill was built in 1873, at a cost
of £10,000, and its entire machinery was supplied by the Newry
Foundry Company. Designed by William Watson, it’s style is
Venetian and complements the nearby Riverside Presbyterian Church.
turn left along the Canal
The Inland Canal
An Chanáil Intíre
The inland canal played a major part in
Newry’s prosperity in the late 18th
century. Completed in 1742, it was
the first summit level canal in the
British Isles. The Newry Canal
facilitated trade with most of Ulster
and the merchants of Newry grew
wealthy. Their prosperity was expressed
in fine buildings and warehouses,
some of which remain along the
quays of the canal.
6.
Basin Quay
Cé an Duga
4
20.
3
21.
12
7
9
2
1
Dominic Street (Formerly Queen St.)
Sráid Dhoiminic (Sráid na Ríona roimhe seo)
Dominic Street is on Roque’s 1760 map of Newry. In the 19th century the street was a mix of
workers terraces, three story houses, breweries and mills. A few of the older houses survive from
this period, but many have been demolished including Nos 50 - 54, built by Arthur Russell, a
brewery owner. His son, Charles, (later Lord Russell of Killowen), became the first Catholic Lord
Chief Justice of England since the Reformation. In 1888 he successfully defended Parnell against
the charge that he had condoned the Phoenix Park murders of the Chief Secretary, Lord Cavendish
and Thomas Henry Burke. Number 52 was rented by Arthur Russell to a Captain Verner, whose
family was associated with the founding of the Orange Order. From here his step-daughter Jenny
Verner attempted to elope with John Mitchel. Although initially foiled, Jenny and John eventually
married in Drumcree Church, Portadown in 1837.
10
8
Bridge Street
Sráid an Droichid
In 1760 Bridge Street was known as the Dublin Road. The row of houses on the left were built to
accommodate the ships’ officers of the Fisher Fleet. Opposite this row a stabling sign and coach
entrance survive beside the public house. At the top of the street, the stump of an old distillery
chimney can be seen at the junction with the Dromalane Road. The railway to Omeath and
Greenore used to cross Bridge Street, where the two shopping centres are now, but closed to
passenger traffic in 1952. For a short time the line continued as an occasional link between the
port at the Albert Basin with the goods yard at Edward Street.
turn right into Dominic Street
11
13
The Dominican Church
Eaglais Dhoiminiceach
Of the Dominican Church, ‘justice requires it to be said that a more
beautiful and symmetrical edifice is not to be found in Ireland.’ (Bassett
1886). Built of Newry granite, St. Catherine’s was begun in 1871 and
completed in 1875. A good view of the church is had from the park
opposite it. The construction of one of the side altars was
carried out by the father of Padraig and William Pearse,
who were executed following the 1916 Easter Rising.
The Dominican Fathers have had a long association
with Newry and many of the people of Ballybot still
describe themselves as ‘Dominican Catholics’.
proceed towards the junction with Patrick Street
22.
29
On the left is the Riverside
Presbyterian Church, built in
1866 and designed by
William Barre. This Lombardo Venetian style of design is
particularly suitable for this
site as it was originally
surrounded by the river and
canal basin. This fine red brick
building has a large circular
window in each of the east
and west gables, which
exhibit elaborate tracery. The
tower is 90 ft. high with a
pyramidal roof of diamond
shaped slates.
cross the river by the
footbridge to Trevor Hill
26
23.
14
25
22
24.
15
24
Ballybot
An Baile Bocht
This area, Ballybot or ‘poor town’, is shown on maps of the mid
1700s. In the 1830s it was the site of Newry’s brewing and
distilling industries. Ballybot developed rapidly, in the 1860s1890s, as an industrial area dependent upon the port and the
railways. As part of County Armagh, Ballybot had its own court
and bridewell but the 1898 Local Government Act placed it, for
administrative purposes, in County Down and it was integrated
into the Newry urban district.
Site of
‘Hiring Fairs’
until the1950s
16
Newry Canal and the Buttercrane
Canáil an Iúir agus Crann an Ime
The 1837 OS map records a brewery on part of the site of the shopping centre. Until 1987 this site
was J. S. Fisher’s sawmill and timber yard. In 1808 Lord Kilmorey had a buttercrane erected here at
the side of the canal. In 1834 it weighed 31,673 casks of butter - a reflection of Newry’s growing
dominance of the Ulster butter market and an indication of how important the inland canal was
to Newry. Carville Brothers, who were successful shipping agents at the time of the famine, had a
small shipyard on the middle bank, now a car park, between the Clanrye River and the canal.
turn left into Cornmarket
Cornmarket and Linen Mill
Margadh Arbhair agus Muilleann Línéadaigh
25.
Nos 50-54 Dominic Street
now demolished
At the corner of Cornmarket is the remains of Robert Dempster’s flax and spinning mill, one of
three in Newry which flourished following the expansion of the linen industry. Built in 1867, the
mill employed 500 people up until the middle of the last century. It became Stark’s clothing factory
and later part of Haldane Shiells timber yard. These mills relied on the railways and ship canal for
exports. The Confederation of Community Groups restored and renovated the building in 1997 as
a community resource centre.
turn towards the canal, then proceed left
along it
(Public Records Office, Belfast)
21
20
18
19
9.
17
The Bank of Ireland
Banc na hÉireann
This three storey building with ashlar façade and a
Doric portico is one of Newry’s most elegant, with
its delicate proportions and finely executed
stonework. It was the first Bank of Ireland in the
north of Ireland, built in 1826 and designed by
Francis Johnston. The 1821 Irish Banking Act gave
the Bank of Ireland a monopoly within 50 Irish
miles of Dublin. Newry fell within this area and this
monopoly ‘most seriously crippled the merchants
of Newry’ (Newriensis 1876), at a time when
Belfast was rapidly expanding.
turn left
Newry Court House
Teach na Cúirte
The original County Down Court House was in
Margaret Square but was demolished in order to
open up communications with Monaghan Street.
The present Court House, built in 1843, was
designed by Newry architect Thomas Duff, a man
who has been described as ‘the most important
figure in the early development of the architectural
profession in Ulster’. This building, of stucco and
granite construction, topped with a handsome
domed cupola is generally recognised as his finest
Classical work and noted by one architectural
historian as a building of ‘compact elegance’. The
building was recently refurbished and extended.
cross the road into Sandy’s Street
11.
Patrick Street
Sráid Phádraig
On your left, the triangle of land between Patrick Street and Kiln Street
was the site of Newry’s Co. Armagh bridewell and courthouse. Until 1898,
Counties Armagh and Down each had a separate administration in Newry.
The old seal
On the hill above, Barcroft Park is named after Henry Barcroft, who
of the Cistercian abbey
invented a machine for Richardson’s linen mill in 1869. This was a major
depicted an abbot on a throne
development in damask weaving, known throughout the home and foreign
between two yew trees. This
was adopted by the Town
linen trade as the ‘Bessbrook’ machine. At the far end of Patrick Street was a
Commissioners as their official
livestock market. Herds of cattle and pigs being driven to the boats in the Albert
insignia in 1871 and remains
Basin were a common sight on the streets of Newry up until the 1960s.
symbolic of the city of Newry.
turn right into Francis Street
Riverside Presbyterian Church
Eaglais Phreispitéireach cois abhann
10.
19.
23
It is hard to imagine that this car park was formerly a water filled dock - the
site of the turning basin, shown on a 1761 map of Newry. Here ships, which
had unloaded at Merchant’s Quay or Sugar Island, swung round before heading
down the ship canal to the sea. On the right stands a two storey granite
warehouse, which dates from the early 19th century.
8.
High Street
An tSráid Ard
The Linen Hall Arch
Áirse Theach an Línéadaigh
The archway is all that remains of a White Linen Hall built in
1783 at a cost of £14,000. The White linen venture was not
a success and, after the 1798 rebellion, it was used to hold
local citizens suspected of having United Irish sympathies.
One of the last acts of the Dublin Parliament was to buy
the Linen Hall for use as a military barracks. Willie Maley,
longest serving manager of Glasgow Celtic F.C., was
born in the barracks in 1868, when his father was stationed
here. Throughout the 19th century the officers and
soldiers were part of the social fabric of the town.
retrace the route along the canal
and cross the bridge into Basin Quay
7.
St. Patrick’s Church
Eaglais Naomh Pádraig
5
High Street is one of Newry’s oldest
streets and appears on the map of 1568.
At the foot of High Street is St. Clare’s
Convent, built on the site of the 1769
New Theatre and the Pope’s Head
Tavern. Behind the coach arch are the
remains of the 1722 Presbyterian
Meeting House. This is the
second oldest church in Newry
and John Wesley, the founder
of Methodism, was invited to
preach here in 1756. The
father of John Mitchel, the
renowned nationalist writer, was
minister here from 1823 - 1840.
Mitchel is buried beside his father
in the graveyard which can be
visited by arrangement. At the
bottom of the street, now
demolished, were the
birthplaces of both Isaac
Corry, the Chancellor,
and John O’Hagan,
the Young
27
Irelander who
became a High
28
Court judge.
turn left into
Castle Street
One of the oldest streets in Newry, Canal Street still retains its 18th century dimensions and much
of its fine traditional architecture. Nos. 10 and 12 Canal Street were originally the RIC Barracks. In
1924, Eamonn de Valera was taken here after being arrested when attending a meeting in Newry.
turn right into New Street
Clanrye Mills
Muilte Ghleann Rí
5.
The Albert Basin completed in 1850, improved
Newry’s port facilities by accommodating ships
of over 500 tons. This enabled a textile industry
to flourish in Newry. Four large mills were built
in the area. Dromalane Mill, complete with
chimney, can be seen behind the Quays
shopping centre. It was opened in 1866 by
William Hill Irvine, a brother in law of John
Mitchel. After the linen boom passed, the Hill
Irvines emigrated to political and banking success in Australia. William’s son, also William Hill
Irvine, became Premier of Victoria. At the Albert Basin Joseph Fisher and Sons Ltd built and
expanded a ship owning and coal merchant business. Fishers were one of the better-known minor
cargo lines trading in coal across the Irish Sea during the last decade of the nineteenth and
throughout the first half of the twentieth century. But life for the dockers was tough. Trimming
out (removing all the remaining coal from around the hold of the ship) was a particularly unhealthy
job. By the time the ship canal closed in March 1974 trade had been reduced to the odd oil or
timber boat, container vessels and a few colliers. Albert Basin provides a deep water quay for
visiting leisure craft. To gain access to Albert Basin please contact Newry TIC on 028 3031 3170
E: newrytic@newryandmourne.gov.uk
go straight ahead into Bridge Street
St. Patrick’s Church was the first Protestant church
built in Ireland and commands a panoramic view of
the town below. The earliest part of the building was
built by Sir Nicholas Bagenal in 1578.
The church was almost destroyed in
1641 and not fully restored until 1866.
It is one of the oldest churches in
Ireland
still
used for worship. Dean Jonathan Swift is said to have
6
preached in this church during visits to Newry.
The headstones in the graveyard provide a fascinating insight
into the characters of the 18th and 19th century town.
The Bagenal Coat of Arms
To stroll among its headstones is to witness the stories of
in St. Patrick’s Church
merchants, soldiers, sailors, rebels and the poor.
proceed down the hill
The Sean Hollywood Arts Centre
Teach Éigse Sheáin Uí Chuilleannáin
Albert Basin
Duga Albert
The Corry Monument
Leacht Mhuintir Corry
This obelisk was erected in 1877, in memory of Trevor Corry, a
magistrate in the town for 35 years, and reflects a fashionable, mid
19th century interest in ancient Egypt. The Corry family had
considerable commercial and political influence in Newry over several
generations. Trevor’s cousin, Isaac Corry (1755 - 1815) was elected to
the Irish Parliament in 1776 and was the last Chancellor of that body.
In his house at Derrymore (one mile west of Newry) the Act of Union
was prepared and he led the parliamentary debate in favour of union.
When the Act was passed, he sat at Westminster as the MP for Newry
and Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. Reputedly he became so
unpopular that he built a new road directly from his home to the
Dublin Road to avoid the town and the wrath of Newry’s citizens. It is
still called the Chancellor’s Road. Despite his support for Catholic
emancipation, he lost his seat in 1806.
opposite the Monument is a cul-de-sac with a gate to Heather Park
15.
Victoria Bakery & Bagenal’s Castle / Museum / Tourist Information Centre
Bacús Victoria / Iarsmalann / Oifig Turasóireachta
The Cistercian Abbey in Newry was dissolved in 1545 and the rights and lands of the abbey in Newry
where granted in 1550 to an English adventurer, Nicholas Bagenal. Written accounts relate that when
Bagenal first came to Newry he lived in the Abbot’s House, soon after he built a castle – ‘The New
Castell’ the one that can now be seen today. This Castle has had a wide range of functions over its
long history which mirrors the growth and development of the city. Most local people remember the
Castle and adjoining warehouse as being occupied by McCann’s Bakery. The bakery was established
in 1837 and its closure in the late 1990s ended a 160-year association with Newry.
Newry and Mourne District Council have restored the Castle and the Victoria Bakery Warehouse as
the new venue for Newry & Mourne Museum, Tourist Information Centre and Café.
16.
The Masters’ House
Teach na Máistrí
The site of the Abbey extended from the castle southwards to
Abbey Yard. Here the large houses on the left were built by
the successful merchant branch of the Corry family. The first
Isaac (grandfather of the Chancellor) came to Newry in the
1700s and his son Isaac lived in the first of these houses, the
Masters’ House (circa 1815). He was the father of Trevor,
commemorated by the obelisk. The ‘Masters’ were the
Christian Brothers who, on this site after 1851, provided
education for the sons of the poor in the town. The renovation
of these properties by Clanrye Abbey Developments merited
an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1987.
On the left at Abbey Yard is Courtney Hill, named after a family
who went to America in 1781, and founded a cotton spinning
mill in Charlestown, South Carolina. They called the town, which
grew up around the mill, Newry in honour of their birthplace.
passing Abbey Yard, go straight ahead into Boat St, pass Quay Street and turn right, down the
steps, by the high wall
26.
Merchants’ Quay
Cé na gCeannaithe
Merchants’
Quay,
stretching
from
Buttercrane Quay to Sugar Island, has some
surviving 19th century warehouses. To the
right as you leave Cornmarket is McMahon’s
warehouse with the date 1845 still visible
on the wall. During the famine, agents like McMahon, provided passage from Warrenpoint (the
canal was being modernised) for thousands of emigrants to New York, Canada and England.
Cargoes of lime, grain, timber, spirits, beer, slate, sugar and much more were unloaded from
lighters and ships all along this section of the canal until it closed in 1956. Another reminder of
Newry’s trading past is the weighbridge on the road alongside the canal.
follow the canal towards the Town Hall, turning right across the next bridge
27.
Monaghan Street
Sráid Mhuineacháin
This long street was once dominated by Alderdice’s Distillery whose whiskey was famous all over
Ireland. In 1830 it ‘consumed annually 25,000 barrels of grain’. The only remnant of this distillery is
the granite building now occupied by the Armaghdown Bar. Other industries associated with this
street were a wheelbarrow factory and the Armaghdown Creamery.
28.
Needham Bridge
Droichead Needham
The first bridge, over the canal, is the modern Godfrey
Bridge. This was formerly a swing bridge, the
foundations of which can still be seen in the water, but
it was removed when the road was widened in recent
years. This and similar reconstructions prohibit the reopening of the canal. Crossing the river, the stone
bridge was built by private subscription in 1831. The
bridge was named after the Needham family, who
inherited the Bagenal estates.
turn left, into the Mall, towards the Town Hall
29.
Late 19th Century Warehouse
Teach Stóir de dheireadh an 19ú Céad
On the right is a four storey brick canal warehouse with an attractive, elegant façade. It was
designed by W. J. Watson and built in the late 19th century as a tea warehouse.
Can you spot?
For children of all ages . . . as you walk along the long trail, can you spot the details below?
17.
Boat Street, Quay Street and Custom House Avenue
Sráid na Cé
These streets mark the site of the old port of Newry and the original point of entry to the inland canal.
The only surviving reminders are the place names such as Boat Street, Quay Street and Custom House
Avenue. A sign of the increasing prosperity of Newry was the transfer of the Customs House from
Carlingford to this site in 1726. The high stone wall on the left was part of Newry’s County Down
bridewell (gaol). The town gasworks, established in 1822, later occupied this site. Visible to your left
along the river bank is the remains of the old railway swing bridge that carried the line from
Warrenpoint. Turning back towards the centre, there is a Victorian terrace with attractive detailing on
Kilmorey Street, known as Brown’s Row. The anchor is a reminder of Newry’s maritime heritage.
at the end of River Street cross left over the bridge
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3
8
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6
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answers overleaf
1.
18.
Heather Park / Gallows Hill
Páirc Heather / Cnoc na Croiche