Economic Development \ Local Infrastructure \ Leisure Facilities

Newry and Mourne provides a diverse array of sporting activities, including golf. There are 5 courses, including Newcastle's Royal County Down, a British Open Championship Standard course, as well as Warrenpoint, Kilkeel, Newry and Cullyhanna 18 hole courses. Within a fifteen-mile radius two further excellent golf courses are located at Greenore and Dundalk.

Other facilities include sailing at Carlingford Lough Yacht Club, a recently refurbished swimming pool in Newry, Bowling (Rathfriland, Kilkeel, Bessbrook, Warrenpoint and Newry), Tennis, Skateboarding, Squash, Horse Riding. The Newry Sports Centre has recently been refurbished and offers excellent training and recreational facilities.

There are three leisure centres, in Newry, Warrenpoint and Kilkeel.

There are many musical and drama societies and choirs e.g. Newry Musical and Orchestral Society, South Ulster Youth Orchestra, South Ulster Concert Band.

The area is also noted for its Festivals, the most noted being Warrenpoint's International Maiden Of Mourne, which has the same theme as Ireland's Rose Of Tralee, with participants coming from as far as U.S.A. Similarly the Fiddlers Green International Music Festival in Rostrevor.

As well as the above, there are other festivals which take place in Newry, Warrenpoint, Rostrevor, Camlough and South Armagh.

The area is steeped in culture with traditional music and Irish dancing as well as local History groups. There is also a Heritage Centre in Burren equipped with local historic finds as well as models and literature of the area.