Newry & Mourne Museum

Our rich cultural heritage

Established in 1986, Newry and Mourne Museum aims to provide a dynamic and inclusive recreational and educational resource reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the local area.

The museum's diverse collections currently include material relating to prehistory; Newry's Cistercian foundations; Ulster's Gaelic Order and its relationship with the English Crown; the building of a merchant town and the first summit level canal in the British Isles; the working life and folk traditions of rural and mountain areas; fishing, trade and migration by sea; renowned local personalities and businesses; folklore, storytelling and music; and modern experiences of a Border area. All these aspects of local heritage are explored at through a varied programme of exhibitions, educational events and activities.

OBJECT OF THE MONTH This is one of the six paintings by a Northern Ireland artist Jasper McKinney. The museum was only able to purchase the paintings due to grant-aid of 100% from the Art Fund in London. We would like to thank them for their support. Jasper has based the paintings on the 1568 map of Newry and the plans of Bagenal’s Castle. He describes the works as ‘my excavations; the remains of images and thoughts hidden within time and later exposed’.