Gallery 3
An eclectic range of artefacts is used in Gallery 3 to trace the impact of national and international political and economic events on the Newry and Mourne area in the 20th century. Sections of the gallery are devoted to the business, cultural and domestic life of the area.
Artefacts on display relate to Home Rule, the First and Second World Wars, life in the 1950s and 1960s and the Troubles. Local business, the performing arts and farming and fishing are also covered.
Among the many artefacts on display attention can be drawn to the front cover of Newry’s Roll of Honour compiled in 1915, a 1918 Sinn Fein election poster, paintings by the Newry-born artist, Margaret Clarke, a flag from one of the coal boats owned by Joseph Fisher & Sons Ltd, World War II material including medals posthumously awarded to Charles Murray, an RAF serjeant from Acton, near Poyntzpass in county Armagh, a wedding cake box from McCann’s Bakery and the charter granting City Status to Newry in 2002.
Programmes and photographs highlight the thriving performing arts scene in the area during the 20th century and various of types of artefacts chart the changing face of commercial and industrial life in the area over the past 120 years. Documents and objects also reflect the impact of the Troubles including photomontages by Sean Hillen, an artist originally from Newry and now living in Dublin.
Situated on the top floor of the warehouse built in the 1830s, the gallery still retains the original pine floor and roof structure. This floor was originally the flour loft of McCann’s Bakery and pieces of machinery from that era in the building’s history have been retained.
