Blog (September 2023) - NMD Museums

Over the coming months, Down County Museum will be sharing an in-depth look at the history of our home, the ‘old’ Gaol of Down.  In this series, we'll explore topics such as the Gaol’s prisoners, their punishments, and the site’s various uses through time.

Our first in the series reveals the Gaol's beginnings, and explains why it had to be closed.

Newry Town Hall has been at the centre of the cultural life of Newry and its hinterland for nearly 130 years. Joanne Cummins, Collections Officer at Newry and Mourne Museum,  references some of the local amateur societies and artistes seen there over the decades.

The Reside Collection at Newry and Mourne Museum contains many fascinating treasures for the local historian. The Curator, Dr Ken Abraham, takes a brief look at one of them, a Report on the Kilmorey Estate, which provides an informative insight into the town of Newry in 1860.