While this area is known for its rolling hills, green pastures, and ebbing tides that lap onto our sandy shores, we also have incredible shopping opportunities. Whether you love local boutiques, traditional crafts, or well-known international brands, you’ll be spoiled for choice with plenty of shopping centres, local stores and artisan crafts in the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion.
Shop Till You Drop at Our Shopping Centres
A stone’s throw away from the M1 motorway, people flock from all over Ireland to Newry City for some of the best shopping experiences in the country. Most shops accept Euro and Sterling, so don’t worry if you haven’t had the chance to visit a Bureau de Change.
An hour from Belfast International Airport and Dublin Airport, the Buttercrane Shopping Centre has had a varied history, from being a brewery, a timber yard, and even a morgue! Now home to over 50 stores, Buttercrane Shopping Centre is home to clothing giants like Primark, Jack & Jones, Dv8, Vera Moda, Dunnes, Clarks, and more.
If you’re peckish, there is a Burger King, Costa Coffee, Subway, Pancake Junction, and a bistro to satisfy your hunger and thirst. With over 1,000 parking spaces available and a few minutes walk to Newry Bus Station, there are a plethora of transport options to let you shop till you drop.
Also overlooking the Newry Canal, The Quays Shopping Centre can be found in the heart of Newry City. Starting life as the site of old coal yards which served the Albert Basin, an old warehouse from this time is still used as an office and retail space. With some of the major brand retailers here, you’ll have lots to peruse. Home to Marks and Spencer, Sainsburys, H&M, Superdry, Sports Direct, Next, and River Island, they also house O’Neill’s sportswear, Belleek Living, Pandora, and Sketchers. Need to rest your feet for a little while? Pop into their 10 screen cinema to break up the shopping. If you’re hungry, stop for a bite at Eddie Rocket’s, Subway, Ground, or Cafe Nero. For something local, Newry City is a bustling hive of independent boutiques and cafes.
After the exertion of shopping, you deserve to put your feet up. Why not take a break and book yourself into the 4-star Canal Court Hotel to be pampered? With gorgeous views over the Newry Canal, their spa facilities boast a state of the art hot tub - a perfect way to unwind after a long day. With over 110 rooms to choose from, it is very close to all the major shopping malls of Newry City.
Shop Local and Find Treasures
Big shops are great, but to find truly unique gifts, the Mourne Mountains & Ring of Gullion is home to an array of independent craft retailers with beautiful items for purchase.
Town artisan markets selling artisan food, original art, hampers, homeware, and clothes, can be found in Downpatrick, Newcastle, Warrenpoint and Newry. Make sure you don’t leave without picking up a few gifts for yourself.
Along the Mourne coastal route, make a stop in Rostrevor, Good Craic Gifts and Souvenirs is a wonderful treasure trove of crafts. The shop offers quirky gifts, local art, and a place to listen to local artists’ music. Make sure to check out their Guinness Map of Ireland.
Nestled in the seaside town of Newcastle, Painted Earth was founded by local couple Ray and Tanya. Providing high quality, Irish design, the shop sells an array of limited edition work and handcrafted jewellery. Romantics out there won’t want to miss the opportunity to take one of their bespoke wedding ring making workshops. Pop into the Newcastle Visitor Information Centre, there is a wide range of local crafts and gifts for sale.
Specialising in Irish textiles, Lorsha Design in Newry, combines an eclectic mix of hand-painted silk materials, wall hangings and stretch frames. All designed in house and handpainted in Lorsha’s studio workshop, she offers an incredible range of clothing, definitely something unique!
With curated collections influenced by the Mourne Mountains, Mourne Creative is a local craft shop that specialises in Irish heritage craft with a contemporary feel. Not just an incredible selection of local goods, Mourne Creative also runs pottery workshops and bladesmithing, a perfect option for someone who wants to take something home that they have made by hand themselves.