The Story of the Post Office in Newry

A new book to be launched early next month will document the history of Newry Post Office taking the reader on a journey, from the 17th century to the present day, tracing the development of the Postal service in Newry and the surrounding area, along the way.

The "Royal" mail created by Charles the First in 1635 did not gain any ground immediately with a succession of wars going on at the time including the 1641 rebellion, the Cromwellian Conquest and the Williamite Wars coupled with the efforts of our local Highwayman Redmond O'Hanlon, all of which contributed to making postal communications difficult to say the least.

The book by Seán McKevitt includes many humorous accounts of curious court appearances involving Post Office officials one being the summonsing in 1855 of a young man named Patrick Murphy for having thrown snowballs at the Postmaster of the time Mr James Wilson!

Seán compiled the book while battling Prostrate Cancer but died before the book could be published. Family members and Michael McKeown have worked together to make sure the book was completed and it's planned to have the book ready for Monday the 8th of December.

The book an Old Newry Publication is entitled The Story of the Post Office in Newry and it can be preordered at www.crashservices.com/postofficebook.asp