Dorsey Village

Dorsey ("nDoirse" in Irish) is a hamlet that lies between Belleeks and Cullyhana in the Newry and Mourne District Council, in Northern Ireland.

It currently has:
* a community centre
* a chapel
* a football pitch (Rory Mc Gee Park)
* football teams (U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and Senior Levels)

Community centre

A small local community facility built on a green field site in a rural setting. Facilities include a main activity hall, toilets, a committee room and a fully equipped kitchen.

Chapel

The chapel in Dorsey is over 50 years old and was built by residents from Dorsey, the site on which the chapel was built was donated by a local resident, Mr. Felix Mackin. Dorsey is part of the parish of Lower Creggan which incorporates Dorsey, Newtownhamilton and Cullyhanna.

Football

Dorsey Emmetts is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dorsey and has U8, U10, U12, U14, U16 and senior level teams. They play at their field (The Rory Magee Park) that was completed in January 2007 and is 500-800 yards from the chapel and community centre. In 2003 their U10 team won the 3rd division shield against Whitecross in Belleek.In 2006 their U14 side also won a shield against Belleek at the Silverbridge field.History was made for Dorsey when their senior team was broadcast live on Five FM playing Belleek.

Education

Dorsey does not have its own schools so its 4-11-year-olds go to St. Olivers Primary School in Carrickrovaddy or St. Brigid's Primary School in Belleeks, County Armagh.Its 12-16-year-olds attend St. Joseph's High School in Crossmaglen or St. Paul's High School in Bessbrook.

History

Na Doirse, the gateways, is an extensive earthwork which runs through the South Armagh area. The Dorsey Ramparts, or 'The Walls' as they are known locally, are said to have been a fortified frontier post to the kingdom whose capital was Emain Macha (Navan Fort), blocking an important historic route into South Armagh. It was built at a time when the power of the Ulster kingdom may have been at its strongest, around 100BC. Some time later Ulster was threatened from the south and it is thought that Dorsey may have been incorporated into a more extensive defensive system known in Monaghan and further west as 'The Black Pig's Dyke'.Dorsey is one of the few monuments in the north which have been confirmed as Iron Age in date. It is a group of linear earthworks with a perimeter of 4km, enclosing an area of 300 acres.

Brendan Moley (25 January 1958 - 29 February 1988), the Provisional Irish Republican Army Volunteer, came from Dorsey.