Rathfriland Pillbox
Walking down Downpatrick Street, you will see the pill box beside the bus depot. It was built during the Second World War (1939-45) as part of a defence strategy to protect towns and villages where the road networks converged. During 1940-41 a ring of defence networks was built around the town, with this Pill Box able to observe advances from the Hilltown and Castlewellan roads. It has a broad single embrasure which would have enabled machine-gun fire to defend against enemy attack. Other pillboxes were located near the Health Centre, on the Back Road, at the Parish Centre, and on Dromore Street.