Newry in the 1970s

Newry and Mourne Museum continue their series of articles on the contents of some of the display cases in the Museum by looking at artefacts on display which focus on the Newry area in the 1970s. 

Newry and its surrounding area went through a turbulent time during the 1970’s.  ‘The Troubles’ is the name given to the period of community and sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, which began in 1969 and lasted until the late 1990s.  The scale of the violence in the Newry area led to a negative portrayal of the region in the media.  The people of Newry, south Armagh and south Down suffered greatly, with the third highest rate of violence and deaths in Northern Ireland. 

Local businesses were also targeted, with many bombed or burned and, despite repeated attempts at regeneration, Newry had the third highest rate of unemployment in Northern Ireland.  When the Rickett and Colman Factory in the town closed, it was purchased through a campaign known as Work in Newry (W.I.N.).  The building became WIN Business Centre and became a centre for local businesses with the renting of office and workshop space by a variety of tenants.  Decimalisation also took place in February 1971.  Many shops and businesses often produced their own conversion tables and purchased large decimal calculators to make the transition easier.

The Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association emerged to campaign for equality including fair allocation of housing and no discrimination by public authorities.  Though established according to non-sectarian principles, many of the Civil Rights marches faced hostility from those who felt threatened.  A number of demonstrations organized by the Civil Rights Association took place in Newry in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 

At the height of The Troubles, local Trade Unions launched the ‘Better Life for All’ Campaign aimed at reducing sectarian tension.  In 1976 the Newry May Day Parade was one of the events organised to support this campaign.  The ethos of charity and community also led to the development of societies formed to provide humanitarian and professional support for charities and members including Newry Round Table.  The museum holds their Chairman’s Chain of Office which bears the name of every Chairman from 1959 to 2005.

Also sporting events, music and amateur dramatics continued to thrive in Newry despite the unrest and many were seeking an escape from everyday occurrences.  Newry Musical Society which had been formed in 1945 and renamed Newry Musical and Orchestral Society, thereafter, took part in the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera in 1976 performing The Desert Song.  The Society achieved one of its proudest moments winning the International Trophy for the Best Show (Premier Award) at the Festival.  On their return, Newry and Mourne Council held a civic reception in the Ardmore Hotel to mark the Society’s success and the trophy was presented to the Council on behalf of the people of the area.

In 1977, the production of My Fair Lady was the runner-up at the Festival and, in 1979, the Society again took the International Award with Fiddler on the Roof, marking another milestone in the Society’s history.

The Museum is currently offering free tours of the exhibition galleries on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422. 

Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.

Please visit the Museum website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk