Rathfriland Mart

Rathfriland Mart, run by Rathfriland Farmers Co-operative Society, is one of only two DAERA-approved livestock markets left in the Newry, Mourne and Down council area, the other being Downpatrick. It is a working agricultural sale rather than a visitor attraction, but it is open to view and gives a genuine sense of farming life in south Down, with cattle and sheep passing through the rings most weeks of the year.

What to expect

Cattle sales are held every Friday, with selling starting at 11:15am in ring two and 11:30am in ring one, and sheep sales run every Tuesday from 7pm. Entries can run into the hundreds on a busy week, including the dropped calf section for calves up to six months old. Prices are reported afterwards by titles such as Farming Life and the Irish Farmers Journal, which regularly cover Rathfriland’s sales alongside other Ulster marts. Online bidding is available through martbids.ie for anyone who cannot attend in person. It is a functional, no-frills environment built for buying and selling rather than browsing, and visitors should expect the noise, movement and pace of a genuine livestock ring rather than a tourist experience.

Getting there

Rathfriland is a rural south Down town, roughly 20 minutes from Newry and 45 minutes from Bangor by car. There is no direct rail or regular bus service to the mart itself, so a car is the practical way to reach Islandbog Road, where free parking is available on site.

While you’re in Rathfriland

Rathfriland sits on high ground with views towards the Mourne Mountains, and the surrounding countryside is good walking territory once the sale is done. There is more to see in Rathfriland and across Co. Down.

Good to know

• Date: Friday, 24 July 2026, cattle sale (weekly)
• Time: 11:15am ring 2, 11:30am ring 1
• Also: Sheep sale every Tuesday from 7pm
• Venue: Rathfriland Mart, Islandbog Road, Rathfriland
• Price: Free to attend; registration required to bid
• Contact: 028 4063 8493