Other towns in the council area included Crossmaglen and Bessbrook in County Armagh and Warrenpoint, Rostrevor, Hilltown, Annalong and Kilkeel (an important fishing port) in Down.

[2] In April 2014 the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland criticised Newry and Mourne District Council for retaining the name of a children's play park called after the IRA hunger striker, Raymond McCreesh.

The Equality Commission concluded that their investigation has found that little consideration appears to have been given by the council to the impact its decision, in this instance, might have on Ulster Protestants/unionists or to the damage it might cause to good relations[3] In elections for the Westminster Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly it is split between the Newry & Armagh constituency and the South Down constituency.

[11] The merger ultimately took place in April 2015 to form Newry City, Mourne and Down District Council.

The area covered by Newry and Mourne District Council had a population of 99,480 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.