all politics cover.indd 1 24/02/2015 14:03 all politics cover.indd 2 24/02/2015 14:03 Réamhrá an Mhéara Mayor’s Foreword Téann an leabhrán seo le taispeántas a chíorann na This booklet accompanies an exhibition which príomhchéimeanna forbartha a d’imir tionchar ar fhás examines the major phases of local government an rialtais áitiúil ar an Iúr, in Ard Mhacha theas agus i development in Newry, south Armagh and ndeisceart an Dúin. south Down. Pléann an leabhrán seo le bunú Coimisinéirí na It commences with the establishment of the bPóiliní ar an Iúr sa bhliain 1828, teacht Coimisinéirí Newry Police Commissioners in 1828, the Town an Bhaile in 1865, tabhairt isteach na gComhairlí, Commissioners in 1865, the introduction of Urban tuathcheantair is ceantair uirbeacha, sna 1890í, and Rural District Councils in the 1890s, the setting up Comhairle an Iúir agus Mhúrn sa bhliain 1973 agus of Newry and Mourne District Council in 1973 to the Athstruchtúrú an Rialtais Áitiúil in 2015. reorganisation of local government in 2015. Scríobh lear mór daoine, idir fheidhmeannaigh is A range of people who worked as officials, or served as Chomhairleoirí, ailt don leabhrán ina dtugann siad Councillors, have contributed articles to the booklet, tuairimí pearsanta ar an bhorradh a tháinig ar rialtas providing a personal insight and perspective on the áitiúil ó lár an 19ú haois go dtí an lá atá inniu ann. development of local government. These articles cover a period from the mid - 19th century until the Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a thabhairt d’achan present day. duine a raibh baint acu leis an taispeántas, foireann na hIarsmalainne go mór mór agus na daoine I would like to thank everyone involved in this aonartha a bhronn agus a thug earraí ar iasacht don exhibition, particularly Museum staff and individuals taispeántas chomh maith leo siúd a raibh ceird na who have donated and loaned items to the exhibition, scríbhneoireachta acu. and to those who contributed articles to this booklet. An Comhairleoir Dáire Hughes Councillor Daire Hughes Méara, Comhairle an Iúir agus Mhúrn Mayor, Newry and Mourne District Council Throughout the lifetime of the Council, housing was Introduction often a contentious issue. After the Second World War As Newry and Mourne District Council comes to an a large number of housing schemes came to fruition, end in March 2015, it is timely to look back at local including Drumalane Park (1951 - 1954), O’Neill government in the area over the last two hundred years. Avenue (1956 - 1957) and Derrybeg (1963 - 1964). The Labour Party on the Council was one of driving forces Newry was one of the first towns in Ireland to behind these schemes. implement a system of local government. In 1828 twenty one Commissioners of Police were The process of major reform of local government established and in 1865 they were replaced by Town started in the mid-1960s. In 1966 a review was Commissioners as a result of the 1865 the Towns’ launched of local Councils in Northern Ireland, which Improvement (Ireland) Act. were described, ‘as too many, too small, and too poor - a motley inheritance from the 19th century’. Ultimately, The Town Commissioners were dissolved in 1898 when this led to the Macrory Report of 1970 that advocated a Local Government Act introduced a new structure a major overhaul with 26 district councils replacing the comprising County Councils, Urban and existing structures. Against the backdrop of reform, the Rural Councils. political situation in Northern Ireland had dramatically deteriorated, and Direct Rule from Westminister In contrast to earlier forms of local government, the was introduced in 1972. In the same year, the Local new Councils had publicly elected representatives Government (NI) Act brought in the system of 26 known as Councillors. Councils. This reform was led by officials, and had little input from local politicians. County Councils were responsible for each County and had responsibility for roads, setting the rates, and Prior to 1973 there were six smaller Councils in this a host of other functions. Urban and Rural Councils area, these were; Newry Urban District Council, Newry were responsible for smaller areas and had a variety of No. 1 District Council (Co. Down side), Newry No. functions including registration of births and deaths 2 District Council (Co. Armagh side), Warrenpoint in the area. Until the introduction of the Health Act of Urban District Council, Kilkeel (South Down) Rural 1946 and the National Health Service of 1948, Rural District Council and Kilkeel Urban District Council. Councils also served as Poor Law Guardians. These were replaced by Newry and Mourne District Council which had its administrative offices at For a short time in the late 1920s Newry Urban District Monaghan Row, Newry. Council was responsible for the provision of electricity. Other diverse responsibilities included the censoring of films in the local cinemas and the management of the local library. Newry Fire Brigade pictured outside Newry Town Hall c.1914 Newry Urban District Council was one of the first authorities to provide a fire service. It was a voluntary brigade formed by young businessmen of the town. Equipment was kept in the Town Hall and when a fire broke out in the town, a bell was rung by the caretaker to alert the fire brigade. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Captain Terence O’Neill Prime Minister of Northern Ireland is pictured (left) with W.V. Hogg Chairman of Newry Urban District Council (right) and Jean O’Neill (extreme right) at a luncheon held in their honour in the Detail from map of local councils in County Down c.1930, showing part of Ardmore Hotel, Newry during a visit to the town in May 1967. Newry Urban District Council, Newry No. 1 District Council, Warrenpoint Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Urban District Council, Kilkeel Rural District Council and Kilkeel Urban District Council. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Street Sign Newry Urban District Council introduced a number of bilingual street names in the 1950s, including Michael Mallin Park and James Connolly Park. Some streets were also renamed at this time; King Street became Francis Street and Queen Street became Dominic Street. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Proposals for a planning scheme in Newry in 1946, incorporating housing, roads and open spaces. It mentions a possible location for a swimming pool, laments the lack of a public space in the centre and suggests Castle Street should be widened to accommodate traffic. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection In the early 1870s the next major challenge to face The Police and Town the Town Commissioners was that of the supply of Commissioners in Newry water to the town. Newry had around 200 wells but the water from some of them was not fit for human Dympna Tumilty consumption. The Town Commissioners, along with Bessbrook Spinning Company, began negotiations and In 1828 “An Act for the lighting, watching, and put forward a Bill to promote Camlough as an ideal cleansing of cities, towns corporate, and market towns location for a reservoir. In the House of Lords, two in Ireland” was established. This Act originated in days were spent on the Bill when John James O’Hagan Newry, where it was first implemented, and Newry argued Newry’s case for ten hours. The Bill was passed became a model for municipal administration and became law on 14th August 1871 as the Newry throughout Ireland. Improvement and Water Act. Twenty one Commissioners of Police were chosen to The introduction of this Act saw many responsibilities implement this Act. The Commissioners employed given to the Commissioners, specifically maintaining eleven officers called the Town Watch and paid their and building public roads, bridges and other public salaries from local taxes. The duties of the Town Watch works, and also, the control of six marketplaces. included patrolling the town, lighting street lamps For the first time the Commissioners were given an every evening and keeping the streets clean and free official seal. from obstruction. They also dealt with minor crimes and disorderly behaviour. One of the last acts undertaken by the Town th Commissioners was the construction of the Town Hall On 6 February 1865 the Towns’ Improvement which is situated on the Clanrye River, the old county (Ireland) Act was adopted. The Board of Police border. Work was completed in 1893. Commissioners were dissolved and eighteen Town Commissioners were appointed in their place. Newry The Town Commissioners were dissolved in 1898 when was divided into three wards, north, south and west, a new Local Government Act was introduced and local and the first Chairman was John Moore. Councils were established. Over the next number of years, the Town Commissioners turned their attention to improving the poor sanitation in Newry through the construction of sewers and introducing health regulations for public places, shops and workplaces. These measures taken to tackle disease were very successful, with the number of reported cases of fever falling from 238 in 1864 to 48 in 1868. John James O’Hagan Chairman of the Newry Town Commissioners in 1868. At the time of his death in 1895, all boats in Newry flew their flags at half mast. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection Pinchin, before the First World War. There are also Local government mortgages later agreements with local football clubs, including and leases in Newry and Mourne Rockview Rangers, Shamrock Rovers, Windmill Stars, and the Carnbane & District Football League, for Museum Collection provision of playing fields or other facilities. Robert Whan Although the bulk of the material relates to Newry, At the end of 2011, the Museum received a bundle there are seven agreements connected with Annalong of leases from the Council offices at Monaghan Row, Harbour, 1888–1946, and two registers of mortgages Newry.