Newry Tourist Information and Travel Guide

I would like to take this         rebuilt afterwards and became a    opportunity to welcome you      busy trading town. By 1742 its     to Newry, one of Northern       port became the busiest in Ulster  Ireland’s oldest towns.               and as result its canal opened                                           making it the first major canal    Newry lies in the most                in Britain, it ran for 18 miles    south-eastern part of Northern        to Lough Neagh.                    Ireland, in the north-south                                              corridor between Belfast and          Newry is also the home of          Dublin. As such it has developed      Ireland’s highest viaduct,         into one of the most popular          Craighmore Viaduct which lies to   shopping towns in Ireland. Cross      the North of the city and          border trade has increased, which     consists of 18 arches; it was      has meant both the Quays and the      designed by Sir John O Neill and   Buttercrane enjoying high             opened in 1852.                    footfall in their stores.                                                                                      The city has strong links to St    Newry’s recent past has seen it       Patrick, the English               being conferred with city status      interpretation of the name comes   in 2002. One of two cities in        from the Irish (Lur Chinn Tra)     Northern Ireland bestowed with        which means the yew at the head    this honour by the Queen, the         of the strand, which St Patrick    other being Lisburn.                  is said to have planted in the                                           5th Century.                       Newry history shows that it was                                          founded in 1144 alongside a           Ireland’s first protestant church  Cistercian Monastery. It was          is also in the city and bears St   destroyed by fire in 1689 by the      Patrick’s name. It first opened    forces of King James II during        its doors in 1578. Newry’s other   the Williamite war. The city was      main Cathedral is St Patrick’s     and St Colman’s which was built       Newry has a population which has   in 1829, it was designed by           grown steadily and in a census     architect Thomas Duff.                carried out in 2001 its                                                  population numbered 27433 people.  Newry offers some of the finest       Newry house prices have also       scenery in Northern Ireland, with     increased dramatically by 371%     the Ring of Gullion to the            since 1996, topping a poll for     south-west and the Mourne             the whole of the United Kingdom.   Mountains to the east. Both have                                         been designated as areas of           Sport plays a major part in the    outstanding natural beauty. The       fabric of the city with Pairc      river Clanrye runs through the        Esler being the home of Down GAA.  city and historically formed the      The city also boasts a soccer      border between Armagh and Down.       club which play at the             The city’s Town Hall was built on     Showgrounds in the city. There     top of the river.                     are a wide range of activities                                           available in the city, with a      Newry can boast some famous sons      museum, arts centre and a number   with Pat Jennings, former             of art galleries available.        goalkeeper and Northern Ireland’s                                        most capped player born in the        Accommodation in the city can be   city. Mountaineer Terence “Banjo”     found in the magnificent           Bannon is from the city, as is        surroundings of the Canal Court    John Dunlop, prominent                Hotel. Centrally located, the      Presbyterian churchman. John          hotel offers a superb base while   Mitchell, the driving force           staying in the city.               behind the Young Ireland Movement                                        is buried in the Old Meeting          As you can see Newry has a varied  House in the city.                    history and a lot to offer for                                           those tourists looking a short     break away from it all. So come       all the city has to offer.         and stay in Newry and experiences      About the Author: Brendan Garvey Newry and Mourne Newry & Mourne Business Directory Read more articles by: Brendan Garvey Article Source: www.iSnare.com