The name Newry is an anglicization of Iúr Cinn Trá (Irish:[ˌuːɾˠˌcɪn̠ʲˈt̪ˠɾˠaː], "yew tree at the head of the strand"), which is the most common Irish name for Newry. This relates to an apocryphal story that Saint Patrick planted a yew tree there in the 5th century.
The Irish name Cathair an Iúir (City of Newry) appears on some bilingual signs around the city.
History
Merchants Quay, Newry, in the late 19th centuryHill Street in the early 1900sTrevor Hill in the early 1900s
There is evidence of continual human habitation in the area from early times. During the Bronze Age, the Newry area had a community that made very detailed jewellery for garments in abundance. 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. Three miles south of Newry is Clontygorra Court Cairn which has large portal stones at its entrance. Excavations revealed pot sherds, hollow scrapers, a polished axe and the cremated remains of one person. Nearby is another, smaller court cairn.
In AD 820, Vikings landed in the Newry area, "from whence they proceeded to Armagh, taking it by storm, and plundering and desolating the country around".
Early history
A Cistercian abbey was founded at Newry in 1144; in 1157 it was granted a charter by Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn, king of Tír Eoghain and High King of Ireland. It might have been a Benedictine monastery before this. Newry Abbey (now the area around Newry Museum) would have been a sprawling complex of buildings and the heart of a monastic settlement. It existed for four centuries. The abbey was dissolved by the English in 1548, when it was recorded to consist 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 the lay community from 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 a fortified house known as Bagenal's Castle on 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 the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Newry was captured by Irish Catholic rebels led by the Magennises and McCartans. In May 1642, a Scottish Covenanter army 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 from killing more.
Newry suffered hunger, poverty and mass emigration during the Great Famine (An Gorta Mór) in the 1840s. The population of the workhouse increased to over a thousand, while ships sailed from nearby Warrenpoint to New York, carrying over 5000 people during the Famine.
The 1841 census gives the combined population of the two halves of the city as 11,972 inhabitants. By 1881 the population of Newry had reached 15,590.
During the Irish War of Independence there were several assassinations and ambushes in Newry. On 12 December 1920, British reinforcements travelling from Newry to Camlough were ambushed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), who opened fire and threw grenades from MacNeill's Egyptian Arch. Three IRA members were fatally wounded in the exchange of fire.
When Ireland was partitioned in 1921, Newry became part of Northern Ireland. From the 1920s to the 1960s, Newry Urban District Council was one of the few councils in Northern Ireland which had a majority of councillors from the Catholic/Irish nationalist community. 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.
See also: The Troubles in Killeen, for information on incidents at the border and customs post at Newry on the border with the Republic of Ireland and close to Newry. In 2003, the British 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 at Bessbrook.
Geography
Newry lies in the most southeastern part of both Ulster and Northern Ireland. About half of the city (the west) lies in County Armagh and the other half (the east) in County Down. The Clanrye River, which runs through the city, from Carnmeen (north of the Carnbane Industrial Estate) until Middlebank (start of Warrenpoint Road), partly forms the historic border between County Armagh and County Down.
Newry is within the civil parishes of Newry and Middle Killeavy. The parishes have long been divided into townlands, the names of which mainly come from the Irish language. The following is a list of townlands in Newry's urban area, alongside their likely etymologies:
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 up Catholic, 8.07% (2,302) belong to or were brought up Protestant (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 to or 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 of Irish (Gaeilge) and 2.64% had some knowledge of Ulster Scots.
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.
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) 1991–2020 normals
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
6.9 (44.4)
7.5 (45.5)
9.3 (48.7)
11.8 (53.2)
14.8 (58.6)
17.2 (63.0)
18.6 (65.5)
18.3 (64.9)
16.1 (61.0)
12.6 (54.7)
9.3 (48.7)
7.1 (44.8)
12.5 (54.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
2.0 (35.6)
2.0 (35.6)
2.8 (37.0)
4.4 (39.9)
6.6 (43.9)
9.4 (48.9)
11.2 (52.2)
11.1 (52.0)
9.4 (48.9)
6.9 (44.4)
4.1 (39.4)
2.3 (36.1)
6.0 (42.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches)
103.6 (4.08)
82.1 (3.23)
78.2 (3.08)
73.0 (2.87)
68.1 (2.68)
69.8 (2.75)
78.9 (3.11)
84.8 (3.34)
77.4 (3.05)
101.8 (4.01)
108.1 (4.26)
107.9 (4.25)
1,033.7 (40.71)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm)
16.0
13.9
13.8
12.6
12.5
12.3
14.0
14.3
12.9
15.0
15.7
15.9
168.9
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 in Northern Ireland, with the Buttercrane Centre and The Quays Newry attracting large numbers of shoppers from as far away as Cork.
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 2008 financial crisis, residents of the Republic of Ireland have increasingly been cross-border shopping to 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 the euro against the pound sterling and VAT reductions 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 as the Newry effect. In December 2008, The New York Times described 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, 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".
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.
The Newry Canal opened 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) to Lough 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.
Newry is served by an Ulsterbus bus station in the city centre. It is situated along The Mall, suspended over the Clanrye 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, rebuilt in 2009, offers cross-border services on the Dublin-Belfast line as 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.
Newry is on the main M1/A1 route from Dublin to Belfast. 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 1996 when 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 from Clogh in County Antrim to Midleton, 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 very heavy traffic with shoppers coming from across the border. Newry is connected with Warrenpoint by a lower quality dual carriageway, some seven miles (eleven kilometres) to the south.
Saint Patrick's Church was 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.
Catholic Cathedral of SS. Patrick and Colman, Newry
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 by Thomas 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 in County Louth, and it is said that he mixed up the plans for both cathedrals and sent Dundalk Cathedral to the builders in Newry, and Newry Cathedral to the builders in Dundalk.[citation needed]
The Craigmore Viaduct lies just north of the city on the Northern Ireland Railways Belfast-Dublin mainline. The bridge was designed by Sir John MacNeill with construction beginning in 1849. The bridge was formally opened in 1852. The viaduct consists of eighteen arches the highest being 126feet, the highest viaduct in Ireland. It is around one-quarter mile (400 metres) long and was constructed from local granite. The Enterprise train link from Belfast to Dublin crosses the bridge.
The Newry Reporter every week highlights a historic building in Newry and the surrounding area, giving a brief outline of its history.
The Northern Ireland Open is held in Bellini's, Merchant's Quay, Newry as the primary venue. It has been running since 2003. The inaugural winner was Gary Anderson for the men's tournament. There are also tournaments for women, boys and girls.
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Down GAA Gaelic Football team has its home ground at Páirc Esler in the city.
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.
12"Newry and Mourne (C. Dunbar)"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 12 December 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2011. Newry (town), County Armagh/County Down. The modern Irish name of Newry is An tIúr 'the yew tree' being an abbreviation of Iúr Cinn Trá 'yew tree at the head of the strand'. The anglicised form comes from An Iúraigh an oblique form of An Iúrach 'the grove of yew trees' (PNI vol. I).
↑Liam Kennedy & Philip Ollerenshaw. Ulster Since 1600: Politics, Economy, and Society. Oxford University Press, 2013. p.29
↑Royle, Trevor (2004), Civil War: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1638–1660, London: Abacus, ISBN0-349-11564-8{{citation}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) p. 142
↑Stevenson, David (1981). Scottish Covenanters and Irish Confederates. Ulster Historical Foundation. p.106.
↑Whelan, Bernadette (2001). "Women and Warfare 1641–1691". In Lenihan, Padraig (ed.). Conquest and Resistance: War in Seventeenth-Century Ireland. Brill Publishers. pp.321–322.
↑The National Cyclopaedia of Useful Knowledge. Vol.V (Firsted.). London: Charles Knight. 1848. p.548.
↑Placenames NI – The Northern Ireland Place-Name Project. "Townland of Commons". Archived from the original on 16 November 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
↑Connolly, Colm (21 September 1995). "Passing Of Much Loved Broadcaster". RTÉ Libraries and Archives. Retrieved 25 August 2026. Frank Hall was born in Newry in 1921, and went from working in a men's outfitters shop to the art department of the Irish Independent and later was a columnist for the Evening Herald.
↑"Novel role". The Irish Times. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2026. Lynch grew up in Corrinshego, outside Newry, and found an escape through acting.
↑Coveney, Michael (28 August 2013). "Gerard Murphy obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2026. The oldest of three children, Murphy was born and raised in Newry, County Down.
↑"Behind the music - The 4 of Us". RTÉ. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2026. Together for over 30 years, the band was formed by brothers Brendan and Declan Murphy from the border town of Newry in Northern Ireland.
↑"Crubeen's Debut Album - "Eagles Whistle""(PDF). Limerick Leader. 21 August 1976. Archived from the original(PDF) on 23 March 2012. The group's new album "Eagles Whistle" (Leaf 7011) contains songs such as "Willie Archer" and "Mourne Maggie", which originated in and around their home town of Newry, County Down, where they are presently based.
↑"Pope accepts resignation of Bishop of Cloyne". RTÉ. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2026. In his statement today Bishop Magee, from Newry, Co Down, said he wanted to sincerely apologise to victims of abuse in Cloyne.
↑Hill, Daniel (30 May 2023). "Banjo looks back twenty years after having conquered Everest". Newry Democrat. Retrieved 24 August 2026. Twenty years ago, Terence "Banjo" Bannon made history by becoming the first man from Newry and the second man from Northern Ireland to overcome the arduous 29'000-foot ascent up the north side of Mount Everest and sit proud a top the summit of the world's tallest mountain.
↑Granville, Brian (5 May 2025). "Peter McParland obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2026. Born in Newry, County Down, on leaving school McParland became an apprentice in the rail works at Dundalk, just across the border in the Republic of Ireland.
↑Evans, Alun (October 2010). "William Hare the murderer". International Journal of Epidemiology. 39 (5): 1190–1192. doi:10.1093/ije/dyq181. Hare came from County Armagh, perhaps from the parish of Newry.(subscription required)
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