Kilkeel is a small town on the Irish Sea coast of County Down and the southernmost town in Northern Ireland.
The main fishing port on the Down coast, its harbour is home to the largest fishing fleet in Northern Ireland.
Framed by the Mourne Mountains to the north and the North Channel to the south, Kilkeel occupies a plain where the Kilkeel River flows into the sea. Centred in the townland of Magheramurphy, Kilkeel extends into the neighbouring townlands of Derryoge, Drumcro, Dunnaman, and Kilkeel.
Other localities within a 10 kilometre radius include Hilltown, Cabra, Kilcoo, Newry, and Loughbrickland.
References to Kilkeel as a Christian settlement date back to the 11th century, centering on an early church site overlooking the town. In 1388, a church dedicated to Saint Colman of Mourne was built, and it was later rebuilt in the 17th century. The building was used as a school until the 19th century. The surrounding cemetery remained in use until 1916, with its final burials being those of victims of a steamer collision in Carlingford Lough.
In 1740, Kilkeel was described by historian Walter Harris as "a small village and church situated between the foot of the mountains of Mourne and the sea, in a narrow vale... the soil good, and the country well inhabited."
By the late 1700s, Kilkeel had grown from a handful of dwellings into a planned settlement with five main streets, evidenced by a 1772 kerbstone inscription, a 1790 arch window, and a 1777 map showing its layout. Its population peaked at around 15,000 during the Great Famine before declining to roughly 11,000, with about 1,000 residents in Kilkeel proper. At the time of the 2021 census, its population was 6,633.
Kilkeel's name is derived from the Irish (Gaelic) Cill Chaoil, which means "church of the narrow place," which could refer to the church's position between the Aughrim and Kilkeep rivers or its position on a slender ridge overlooking the sea.
Fishing drives the town's economy. Kilkeel is home to 55% of Northern Ireland's fishing fleet, supporting surrounding seafood processing factories, lobster farms, and angling operations. A proposed harbour redevelopment aims to deepen the channel for larger vessels and expand marine services.
Quarrying and dressing of Mourne granite, established in the 19th century, added another local industry. In the late 20th century, Collins Aerospace (formerly BE Aerospace/Rockwell Collins) became the area's largest employer, manufacturing aircraft seats. A recent R&D investment in Kilkeel's facility underscores the town's advanced engineering credentials. It supports over 800 jobs.
For a town of its size, Kilkeel and the surrounding area support an impressive number of marching bands, including the Pride of Ballinran Flute Band, Mourne Young Defenders Flute Band, Rising Sons of the Valley Flute Band, Ballyvea Flute Band, Derryogue Flute Band, Orangefield Flute Band, Glenloughan Flute Band, Kilkeel Silver Band, Aughnahoony Pipe Band, Ballymartin Pipe Band, Cranfield Accordian Band, Ballymageough Accordian Band, and Roden Accordian Band. The nature of these bands reflects Kilkeel's strong Ulster-Scots heritage and community bonds, drawing visitors to its pageants and open-air concerts each summer.
The Kilkeel area supports a surprisingly large network of schools, as well, including St. Colman's Primary School, Brackenagh West Primary School, Grange Primary School, Holy Cross Primary School, Gaelscoil na mBeann (Gaelic/English), Kilkeel Primary School, St. Colomban's Primary School, Mourne Grange Village School, Mourne Independent Christian School, Kilkeel High School, and St. Louis Grammar School. These schools cater to Catholic, Protestant, Integrated, and Gaelic-medium education.
Sports played in the Kilkeep area include Gaelic football, football, hockey, hurling, golf, and swimming. There are five Gaelic Athletic Association clubs in the area (An Ríocht, Longstone, Atticall, Ballymartin, and Glasdrumman), with associated bars, facilities, and community activities. In 2023, the five clubs came together to form Clann Mhúrn (People of Mourne) Hurling Club, rotating their training and playing sessions around the member clubs' five facilities. The most senior association football team is the Valley Rangers Football Club of the Mid-Ulster Football League. Other local teams include Ballyvea FC, Dunnaman FC, and Mourne Rovers. The Kilkeel Hockey Club plays at McAuley Park and is the only hockey club in Mourne. Kilkeel Golf Club features a golf course.
Businesses, industries, schools, churches, museums, historical places, libraries, art galleries, organisations, attractions, events, sports and recreational programmes, and other facilities in Kilkeel are appropriate for this category.
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Founded by brothers Charles and Norman Chambers in 1995, the Kilkeel, Northern Ireland business was acquired in 2021. Its products include brown crab, scallops, langoustines, whelks, razor clams, velvet crabs, crab meat, salmon, and other white fish and shellfish varieties, available cooked, frozen, chilled, and live. The company delivers worldwide, and collaborates closely with local fishermen. A product catalog is featured, along with contacts for its CEO, sales team, and account offices.
https://www.cncseafood.com/
Christ Church is a parish church of the Church of Ireland within the Diocese of Down and Dromore and the wider Anglican Communion. Located along Newry Street in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland, the congregation offers both morning and evening services for people of all ages and backgrounds, with Creche facilities, and a Children's Church available during the main morning services, while evening services blend traditional hymns and contemporary songs. A calendar of events is posted.
https://christchurchkilkeel.org/
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, operates a leading aircraft interior seating manufacturing facility in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, employing over 800 people. The website specialises in the design, development, and production of business class, premium economy, and economy seats for both Airbus and Boeing platforms. The company has committed to an ambitious research and development project at Kilkeel. Facility metrics, capabilities, and contacts are published on the website.
https://aircraftedbycollins.com/
Kilkeel Golf Club is a championship parkland course set within the Mourne Mountains, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Designed by Eddie Hackett, the course stretches to about 6,700 yards and weaves through natural woodland with occasional sea views over Carlingford Lough. Established in 1922, the course design emphasizes strategic play, combining tree-lined fairways. Course details, including an overview of the facility, are set forth, along with a members' area.
https://kilkeelgolfclub.com/
Serving a congregation of approximately 270 families, the church is situated on Newcastle Street in the heart of Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. Its worship services blend traditional hymns with modern worship songs, accompanied by a variety of instruments, creating space for prayer, Bible reading, and practical teaching. Established in the early 19th century, the congregation has expanded its facilities and ministries to meet the evolving needs of the community.
https://kilkeelpc.com/
Located along Greencastle Street in the centre of Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland, at the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, offering picturesque and easy access to outdoor activities. The hotel features 24 standard rooms, three fully equipped suites, and an array of amenities highlighted on its website. This includes complimentary on-site parking and a restaurant on-site. The facilities are shown in photographs, and descriptions are available, along with pricing and online booking.
https://kilmoreyarmshotel.co.uk/
Mourne Country House Bed & Breakfast
The family-run B&B is situated in the heart of the Mourne Mountains, an "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty." Guests enjoy panoramic views of northern and southern Ireland, the Cooley and Mourne mountains, and the Irish Sea. Its location, distance from nearby cities and towns, and an introduction to the facilities, including its three en-suite bedrooms, amenities, and on-site dining facility, are set forth, along with guest reviews, contact information, and online booking details.
https://www.mournecountryhouse.com/
Serving Kilkeel and the surrounding Mourne area, the Mourne Presbyterian Church offers Sunday worship services, Bible teaching, community outreach, and activities for all ages at its facilities on Greencastle Street in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. Its website offers news, announcements, and information about the church, a sermon archive, and a full calendar of programmes and upcoming events. Its ministries, activities, and contacts are featured on the site.
https://mournepc.org/
The estate agency serves Kilkeel and the Mourne area of County Down, Northern Ireland, facilitating residential and commercial sales and lettings, land sales and lettings, in-house mortgage advice, and valuations, including probate, in Kilkeel, Annalong, Ballymartin, Cranfield, and the surrounding areas. Its location, hours of operation, sales and rental services, and sample property listings are highlighted, and applications may be submitted through an online form.
https://www.relocateni.com/
SJ Henderson is an order fulfilment company in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. They provide end-to-end logistics solutions, including receiving, warehousing, picking, packing, and dispatch, and serve as a strategic gateway to the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and broader European Union markets without customs restrictions. Its services, pricing, location, and contact details are set forth, along with its operating hours and a company profile.
https://sjhfulfilment.com/
Maintained by Town Centre Kilkeel, this is the official visitor information website for Kilkeel, known as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Mourne. It provides the latest offers and comprehensive details of activities, shopping venues, accommodations, restaurants, cafes, and events in and around Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland. Kilkeel is a coastal town with deep maritime roots, hosting the largest fishing fleet in Northern Ireland, centred on Kilkeel Harbour.
https://www.visitkilkeel.com/
