KILKEEL

Irish Cill Chaoil fishing port and seaside resort, at the mouth of the River Kilkeel, Newry and Mourne district (established 1973), formerly in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, and the quarrying and dressing of Mourne granite is a local industry. A good harbour serves a large fishing fleet. The River Kilkeel rises to the north in the Silent Valley, where it has been dammed to form reservoirs for the city of Belfast, 40 miles (64 km) north-northeast. There are remains of a medieval church and a 13th-century Norman keep nearby. Kilkeel is the main market centre for the Mourne Mountains region. Pop. (1981) 6,036; (1991) 6,024.