Armagh

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For other uses, see Armagh (disambiguation).
Armagh
The Mall, looking eastwards
PopulationExpression error: "14,590
(2001 Census)" must be numeric
Irish grid referenceH876455
• Belfast33 miles
District
County
CountryNorthern Ireland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townARMAGH
Postcode districtBT60, BT61
Dialling code028
PoliceNorthern Ireland
FireNorthern Ireland
AmbulanceNorthern Ireland
UK Parliament
Websitewww.armagh.gov.uk
List of places
UK
Northern Ireland
Armagh

The City of Armagh (from Irish Ard Mhacha 'The Height of Macha') is an ancient religious site of worship of both celtic paganism and Christianity, and the oldest of the five cities in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. Armagh was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, and City status was officially re-conferred in 1995. Armagh is the least populated city in both Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland. It had a population of 14,590 people in the 2001 Census.

History

  • Emain Macha (or Navan Fort) at the city's edge, is believed to have been used as an ancient pagan ritual or ceremonial site. According to Irish mythology it was once the capital of Ulster, until it was abandoned during the 1st century CE. The site was named after the goddess Macha, and as the settlement grew on the hills nearby, it was also named after the goddess — Ard Macha means "The Height of Macha".
    St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)
  • When Christianity spread to Ireland during the mid-400s CE, Armagh became the island's "ecclesiastical capital", as Saint Patrick established his principal church there. Saint Patrick decreed that only those educated in Armagh could spread the gospel. According to the Annals of the Four Masters, in the year 457:

    Ard Macha was founded by Saint Patrick, it having been granted to him by Daire, son of Finnchadh, son of Eoghan, son of Niallan. Twelve men were appointed by him for building the town. He ordered them, in the first place, to erect an archbishop's city there, and a church for monks, for nuns, and for the other orders in general, for he perceived that it would be the head and chief of the churches of Ireland in general.

  • In 839 the monastery in Armagh was raided by Vikings. As with similar raids, their objective was simply to acquire valuables such as silver, which the churches and monasteries often kept.
  • Brian Boru is buried in the cemetery of the St. Patrick's Church of Ireland cathedral. After having conquered the island during the 990s, he became High King of Ireland in 1002, until his death in 1014.
  • In 1189, John de Courcy, a Norman knight who had invaded Ulster in 1177, plundered Armagh.[1]
  • Armagh has been an educational centre since the time of Saint Patrick, and thus it has been referred to as "the city of saints and scholars". The educational tradition continued with the foundation of The Royal School, Armagh in 1608 and the Armagh Observatory in 1790. This was part of the Archbishops plan to have a university founded in the city. This ambition was finally fulfilled, albeit briefly, in the 1990s when Queen's University of Belfast opened an outreach centre in the former hospital building.

The Troubles

For more information see The Troubles in Armagh, which includes a list of incidents in Armagh during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.

Buildings of note

File:StPatsRCCathedralArmagh.JPG
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh (Roman Catholic)
  • Armagh is the site of two cathedrals, both on hills and both named after Saint Patrick. The Church of Ireland cathedral dates back to around 445. The Roman Catholic cathedral was constructed during the latter half of the 1800s and features twin 64m spires, making it the tallest such structure in the county. Armagh is the only city in the world which is home to two Cathedrals of the same name.
  • The city is home to Armagh Observatory, founded in 1790 and to the Armagh Planetarium established in 1968 to complement the research work of the Armagh Observatory. It has a Georgian area of heritage importance.
  • The Palace of the Archbishop of Armagh is now the local council offices and, along with the Archbishops private chapel, is open to the public. The Palace Stables heritage centre is a reconstructed stable block dating from the 1700s, which once part of the Archbishop's estate.
  • Among the city's chief glories is the Public Library on Abbey Street. Founded in 1771 by Archbishop Richard Robinson (later Lord Rokeby) using his own library as its nucleus, it is especially rich in 17th and 18th century English books, including Dean Jonathan Swift's own copy of the first edition of his Gulliver's Travels with his manuscript corrections.
  • Armagh Market House was built in 1815 as a two storey five bay building, and is currently used as a Library.

Administration

Demographics

Armagh city is classified as a Medium Town by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 10,000 and 18,000 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 14,590 people living in Armagh. Of these:

  • 25.1% were aged under 16 years and 17.5% were aged 60 and over
  • 48.1% of the population were male and 51.9% were female
  • 68.3% were from a Catholic background and 30.2% were from a Protestant background

For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service

Education

Primary

Post-primary

Transport

Sport

  • Gaelic Football is a popular pastime in Armagh.
  • In 2004, The Royal School, Armagh became only the second team in history to win both the school's rugby and hockey cups, in the same year.
  • The City of Armagh Rugby Club[3] has also been very successful recently, winning the Junior Cup last year. Currently the firsts are top of their league.
  • The Mall in Armagh has a long association with cricket, and it is on the Mall that the clubhouse of Armagh City Cricket club is situated.
  • Armagh City Football Club currently play in the Irish League Premiership.

See also

References

  1. ^ DeBreffny, D & Mott, G (1976). The Churches and Abbeys of Ireland. London: Thames & Hudson. pp. p60-61. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b "Armagh station" (PDF). Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
  3. ^ City of Armagh Rugby Club website.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to County Armagh.
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