“Tommy’s”, Hanna’s Close, 87-89 Aughnahoory Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co. Down, BT34 4HF

Tommy's is a restored two-bay stone vernacular dwelling at Hanna's Close, Aughnahoory Road, Kilkeel, dating from the early 19th century or possibly earlier. It faces south-east and forms part of an important vernacular grouping (clachan) in a relatively unaltered rural setting.

The left bay is single storey with a scollop thatched roof of flax and wired eaves with concrete verge. The right bay is one and a half storey with a natural slate roof, blue clay ridge tiles, and a traditional cast-iron skylight in the front slope; the skews are raised in situ concrete, and there is a stone corbelled eaves course. Both roofs are pitched. A masonry chimney stands on the party wall. Half-round metal gutters with downpipes run to the gable end at front and rear. The walls are unrendered and whitewashed, with the stone walling being the only original material retained.

The principal elevation faces into the yard. The main entrance is centrally placed in the left bay with a painted tongue-and-groove half door. To its right is a 3/3 sash window with a modern bulkhead light fitting to its left. The right-hand bay has a 2/2 sash window. All windows have exposed boxes and granite cills. The left gable has a small 2/2 sash at right and a bulkhead light at top left. The rear wall has a small 2/2 sash at right with a gas regulator box below. The right gable has a small 2/2 sash at first-floor level.

A large boulder in front reads "Hanna's Close / Settled 1640 / Restored 1997". The roof timberwork has been replaced in traditional style, and alterations overall are minimal despite restoration work.

The building occupies a prominent site overlooking the Kilkeel River and is delineated by dry boulder granite walls, partly original, partly rebuilt, and partly new. The setting includes a few perimeter trees of importance to character, with carriageways paved in quarry dust or crushed shalestone edged with granite kerbstones. Walkways are granite setts and open space is grass with small flower beds. Gates include some original pieces alongside newly made examples following traditional designs. Each house displays a specially designed cast metal plaque from the refurbishment.

A building is shown on this site on the Ordnance Survey map of 1834, though not noted in the contemporary valuation. It appears in the second valuation of 1863, recorded in the same lot as an adjacent dwelling without distinguishing between the buildings, making it unclear whether it was then occupied by Alexander or William Hanna, or whether it was rated at 5 shillings or £1. The clachan is shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map and subsequent editions.