McWhirter the Jeweller is a family run business that has been serving the people of Newry for over 65 years. Godfrey McWhirter loved working with his hands and from an early age, had been trained as a watchmaker. At the age of 26 he and his new wife, Muriel, embarked on opening their own business in 1958 and thus McWhirter the Jeweller was born. Godfrey and Muriel began growing their business, their family and long-standing ties within the Newry community.

Moving over 6 different premises, expanding their services and sharing their knowledge with the next generation, the McWhirters held quality goods, family values and friendly service at their core. At the age of 21, Garry McWhirter began following in his father’s footsteps; from Watchmaking to selling to the public, Garry continued the dream.  As Garry’s own family began to grow and he started taking on a bigger role within the business, Godfrey and Muriel continued to support their son with their wealth of knowledge, sound advice and constant love.

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Whilst watchmakers were not unheard of in 1958, it certainly was not a skill set that many possessed locally and building upon the ability to offer a unique service to the people of Newry Godfrey, known by those who loved him as Mac, pioneered his business to meet the needs and desires of his clients. We have continued to build on this custom over the years, expanding our onsite repairs services, watch repairs and overhauls, all whilst offering an expert diamond and specialised jewellery service.

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In March of 2021, Garry passed away but his dream to get back onto Hill Street was carried out by his wife Carol and two sons, Lee and Ross, who all continue to work in store. Driven by their love of family, the desire to keep Garry and his parents alive and for McWhirters Jewellers to carry on for the next generation, we opened our new premises of 64 Hill Street, in November of 2021. Being at the heart of Newry City centre has brought our business to a new level.