This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, with Victory in Europe Day (8 May 1945) and Victory over Japan Day (15 August 1945) symbolising the formal cessation of global hostilities. To mark this significant milestone, Newry and Mourne Museum is hosting a special commemorative talk exploring how these historic moments were celebrated across County Down.
Guest speaker Michael Burns, Research Officer at the Northern Ireland War Memorial (NIWM), will visit the Museum on Thursday 8 May at 2pm. Michael curates the NIWM’s extensive oral history collection and will share vivid recollections of street parties, parades, bonfires and dances in places like Banbridge, Crossgar and Newtownards, offering an evocative window into life in Northern Ireland in 1945.
