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Armagh
Also known as Armagh (Northern Ireland), Ard Mhacha
Armagh ( ; , , "Macha's height") is a city and the county town of County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All Ireland for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. In ancient times, nearby Navan Fort () was a pagan ceremonial site and one of the great royal capitals of Gaelic Ireland. Today, Armagh is home to two cathedrals (both named after Saint Patrick) and the Armagh Observatory, and is known for its Georgian architecture.
AI overview
Armagh is a city in Northern Ireland that serves as the county town of County Armagh and holds major religious significance as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, being the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. The city is notable for its Georgian architecture, two cathedrals dedicated to Saint Patrick, and the Armagh Observatory, and it sits near Navan Fort, which was an important pagan ceremonial site and royal capital in ancient Gaelic Ireland.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
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Place details
- Locality
- Armagh
- Region
- Northern Ireland / Tuaisceart Éireann
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Population
- 14,801
Travel guide
Understand
thumb | 300px | Iron Age house at Navan Fort Armagh was a religious and secular power centre even in pagan times. In 432 AD St Patrick literally capitalised on this tradition by building his first stone church here and declaring it to be the country's Christian capital. (Or at least, he did so in any history controlled by the Armagh church: earlier Christianising missionaries elsewhere in Ireland were studiously ignored, so today they have local observances but don't get to stop the New York traffic with a big annual parade.) The site of that 5th century church is now Saint Patrick's Cathedral, the seat of the Church of Ireland (i.e. Protestant) Archbishop & Primate of All Ireland. Here as elsewhere, the Protestants ejected the Catholics from their churches, and forbade them to build anew. Only in the 19th century was that prohibition abolished, so on the neighbouring hilltop was built St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral, the seat of the RC Archbishop & Primate of All Ireland.
The religious divide was exacerbated by the national divide: after the Irish partition Armagh found itself in Northern Ireland, but with a large population who were Catholic and supportive of the republican cause, and with a nearby porous border with the Republic. "The Troubles" of 1969-1998 were very bitter hereabouts, with 86 deaths, and the place became run-down as business and individuals took flight.
Armagh lost its city status in 1840 but this was restored in 1994 - it's ceremonial, and the p…
Get in
By road from Belfast and the ferry ports follow M1 west to Craigavon then A3 through Portadown. From Dublin follow M1 / N1 / A1 north across the border to Newry then A28 to Armagh.
Goldliner Bus 251 takes 70 min from Belfast Grand Central via Lurgan and Portadown. It's hourly M-F, two-hourly Sa and only four buses on Sunday.
Goldliner 270 / 271 runs once a day on the same route, and from Armagh continues to Monaghan, Clones and Cavan Town.
Goldliner 278 runs in university term-time, with one bus Su-F from Monaghan via Armagh to Moy, Dungannon, Cookstown, Magherafelt, Garvagh, Coleraine, Ulster University, Portstewart and Portrush.
Ulsterbus 61 runs hourly from Craigavon and Portadown, taking 35 min.
Ulsterbus 72 runs every two hours from Dungannon, taking 40 min.
~30 min read
Article
24 sectionsContents
- History
- Foundation
- Medieval era
- Early modern era
- Modern era
- City status
- Notable buildings
- Townlands
- Demography
- 2021 Census
- 2011 Census
- Governance
- Administration
- Education
- Primary
- Post-primary
- Transport
- Sport
- Notable people
- Climate
- Annalistic references
- See also
- References
- External links
Armagh ( ; , , "Macha's height") is a city and the county town of County Armagh, in Northern Ireland, as well as a civil parish. It is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland – the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of All Ireland for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. In ancient times, nearby Navan Fort () was a pagan ceremonial site and one of the great royal capitals of Gaelic Ireland. Today, Armagh is home to two cathedrals (both named after Saint Patrick) and the Armagh Observatory, and is known for its Georgian architecture.
Statistically classed as a medium-sized town by NISRA, Armagh was given city status in 1994 and Lord Mayoralty status in 2012. It had a population of 16,310 people in the 2021 Census.
Gallery (36)
On the map
3 mapped locations