Bagenal’s Castle is a sixteenth century fortified house and adjoining nineteenth century warehouse. It houses Newry Tourist Information Centre and Newry & Mourne Museum, opened in 1986.
During restoration work on the Castle many original features were uncovered including fireplaces, windows, doorways, gun loops and a bread oven. These have been interpreted for the visitor and drawings were commissioned to illustrate how the various living quarters of the castle would have functioned in the sixteenth century.
The museum's diverse collections include material relating to prehistory, Newry's Cistercian foundations, Ulster's Gaelic order and the relationship with the English Crown; the building of a merchant town and the first summit level canal in the British Isles. You can also discover the history of the 'Gap of the North', the historic mountain pass between Ulster and Leinster located to the south of Newry. Artefacts on display include a granite cross from Newry’s Cistercian Abbey, a pair of mill shoes from Bessbrook and seaside memorabilia from Warrenpoint. One of the key exhibitions, "A Border Town’s Experience of the 20th Century", examines local attitudes to major political and economic events of the 20th century. There are also permanent exhibitions on farming, fishing and folklore in the Mournes and South Armagh. Farming implements, net-making tools and examples of Carrickmacross lace are among the diverse range of objects in this exhibition.
Other facilities include a café, a temporary exhibition area and a reading room for local and family history research. A conservation workshop and adjoining museum store allow the visitor to view behind-the-scenes museum work such as cataloguing and conservation.
The Tourism Information Centre can provide a comprehensive and quality visitor service, with an excellent range of local crafts and merchandise for sale.
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