Museums

The Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion has a rich and varied history dating back several thousand years. From Neolithic sites, all the way up to the 20th century, our museums and heritage sites tell the story of local people’s lives over the centuries.

The Power of the Railways

The coming of the railways shaped towns and villages around the area for over 200 years. Take a journey through the golden age of steam travel at the Downpatrick and County Down Railway Museum.

The only full sized heritage railway in Ireland, it takes in four miles of rail line through the County Down Countryside. Feel the heat from the furnace on a footplate experience as you hurtle through the open countryside.

Maritime History in Kilkeel

The fishing industry has played a huge role in the local economy for centuries. Nowhere is this clearer than in the village of Kilkeel, home to Northern Ireland’s largest working fishing fleet.

The Nautilus Centre tells the story of life in a fishing village through the centuries. Home to the Mourne Maritime Visitors Centre, it maps out the impact of the open sea on community life in Northern Ireland. International visitors will love getting to know their Irish ancestors at the Trace Your Roots exhibition.

Centuries of Rebellions and Uprisings

The story of the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion has a varied history. Over the years, the region has seen countless rebellions, insurrections and uprisings. Learn more about this turbulent past at Down County Museum.

Originally built as the Down County Gaol, the building housed captured rebels from the United Irishmen uprising of 1798. Today, most of its interior is unrecognisable, except for the ground floor of the original cell block, which has been restored to its original character.

A 19th Century Thatched House of International Importance

Derrymore House was built as a family home in the 1780s in the vernacular style, complete with a thatched roof. Despite unassuming appearances, it has played a major role in international history. Sources say that the Act of Union of 1801, which incorporated Ireland into the United Kingdom was drafted here.

Years later, Derrymore also played its part in the Second World War. From 1943 to 1944, it hosted a US Army Quartermaster’s Depot, playing a vital role in the supply chain for the Western European Front.

Newry and Mourne Museum at Bagenal’s Castle

Housed in the former warehouse of Bagenal’s Castle, Newry and Mourne Museum tells the story of city life throughout the ages. Built in the 16th century on the site of an abbey dating back to the 1100s, the museum spans Newry’s entire history.

Hear local stories of life on the Irish border at the ‘Border Town’s Experience of the 20th Century’ exhibition, and learn how Newry came to be the thriving commercial and cultural centre that it is today.