Newry, NIR - Postcode - BT34 4JD

Description of Newry

The city of Newry is located in the province of Northern Ireland, between the counties of Armagh and Down, and is approximately 34 miles (55 km) from Belfast and 67 miles (108 km) from Dublin. There were 26,967 people living there as of 2011. 

Although there is evidence of habitation in the area before to 1144, Newry may claim to be one of Ireland's oldest cities thanks to its association with a Cistercian monastery. There is a gateway to the "Gap of the North" in this city, which is located just eight kilometers (five miles) from the border with the Republic of Ireland. Market town and military outpost that expanded to port status in 1742, when the first summit-level canal in Ireland or Great Britain was completed, thanks to its proximity to Lough Neagh. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore has its cathedral in this city. Newry and Lisburn both received city status in 2002 as part of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee festivities.

Geographical Description of Newry

If you're looking for the most southerly point in Ulster and all of Northern Ireland, look no farther than Newry. Approximately half of the city is in County Armagh, and the other half is in County Down. The city's Clanrye River is the traditional dividing line between Armagh County and Down County.

Situated in a valley between two areas of outstanding natural beauty—the Mourne Mountains to the east and the Ring of Gullion to the south and west—the city is a popular tourist destination. You can find the Cooley Mountains to the southeast. In the middle of town, the Clanrye River flows alongside the Newry Canal. Moreover, Victoria Locks, where the canal meets the sea, is located in the city, making it the northernmost point of Carlingford Lough.

Economy of Newry

The Buttercrane Centre and The Quays Newry have helped Newry earn a reputation as one of the top provincial shopping-towns in Northern Ireland, bringing in many visitors from neighboring cities like Cork.

House prices in Newry soared by 371% between 1996 and 2006, making it the city with the highest 10-year price growth in the whole country. The city's economy as a whole has flourished in recent decades. The unemployment rate has dropped dramatically, from over 26% in 1991 to just 2% in 2008. 

Cross-border shopping from the Republic of Ireland to Newry for cheaper items due to the difference in currency has increased since the start of the global financial crisis in 2008-2009. Among the causes include the Republic of Ireland's severe budget in October 2008, the strengthening of the euro versus the pound, and the lowering of VAT in the United Kingdom, in contrast to hikes in the Republic of Ireland. This phenomenal growth in international trade is so pervasive that it has been given a generic name: the Newry effect. Newry was called "the hottest shopping location within the free frontiers of the European Union" by The New York Times in December 2008. 

However, because of this influx of business, there are now traffic jams on the routes leading up from the south that sometimes stretch for miles. Because of this, driving and parking in Newry and the surrounding area have become major hassles. A number of politicians in the Republic of Ireland have labeled cross-border shopping as "unpatriotic," adding fuel to the political fire.