County Armagh Explained

County Armagh
Native Name:
Coontie Airmagh/Armagh (Ulster-Scots)
Settlement Type:County
Nickname:The Orchard County
Area Total Km2:1327
Area Rank:27th
Area Footnotes:[1]
Seat Type:County town
Seat:Armagh
Population:194394
Population Rank:10th[2]
Population Density Km2:146
Population As Of:2021
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United Kingdom
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Name1:Northern Ireland
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Name2:Ulster
Unit Pref:Imperial
Elevation Max M:573
Elevation Max Point:Slieve Gullion
Timezone:GMT
Utc Offset:±0
Timezone Dst:BST
Utc Offset Dst:+1
Postal Code Type:Postcode area
Postal Code:BT
Established Title:Established
Established Date:1584/5
Footnotes:Irish: Contae Ard Mhacha is the Irish name; Scots: Coontie Armagh[3] and Scots: Coontie Airmagh[4] are Ulster Scots spellings.

County Armagh is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It is located in the province of Ulster and adjoins the southern shore of Lough Neagh. It borders the Northern Irish counties of Tyrone to the west and Down to the east. The county borders Louth and Monaghan to the south and southwest, which are in the Republic of Ireland. It is named after its county town, Armagh, which derives from the Irish Ard Mhacha, meaning "Macha's height". Macha was a sovereignty goddess in Irish mythology and is said to have been buried on a wooded hill around which the town of Armagh grew.[5] County Armagh is colloquially known as the "Orchard County" because of its many apple orchards.[6]

The county covers an area of 1327km2, making it the smallest of Northern Ireland's six counties by size and the sixth-smallest county on the island of Ireland. With a population of 194,394 as of the 2021 census,[7] it is the fourth-most populous county in both Northern Ireland and Ulster. It is the 10th most populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties, as well as the fifth-most densely populated. In addition to the city of Armagh and the western portion of the city of Newry, notable towns in the county include Lurgan, Portadown and Craigavon.

Etymology

The name Armagh derives from the Irish Irish: Ard Macha, meaning Macha's height/Macha's high place. Macha is a mythological figure who is mentioned in The Book of the Taking of Ireland. Macha is also said to have been responsible for the construction of the hill site of Irish: [[Emain Macha]] (now Navan Fort near Armagh City) to serve as the capital of the Irish: [[Ulaid]] kings (who give their name to Ulster) and is believed to be the high place from which the county takes its name.

Geography and features

From its highest point at Slieve Gullion, in the south of the county, Armagh's land falls away from its rugged south with Carrigatuke, Lislea and Camlough mountains, to rolling drumlin country in the middle and west of the county and finally flatlands in the north where rolling flats and small hills reach sea level at Lough Neagh.

County Armagh's boundary with Louth is marked by the rugged Ring of Gullion rising in the south of the county whilst much of its boundary with counties Monaghan and Down goes unnoticed with seamless continuance of drumlins and small lakes. The River Blackwater marks the border with County Tyrone and Lough Neagh otherwise marks out the county's northern boundary.

There are also a number of uninhabited islands in the county's section of Lough Neagh: Coney Island Flat, Croaghan Flat, Padian, Phil Roe's Flat and the Shallow Flat.

Climate

Despite lying in the east of Ireland, Armagh enjoys an oceanic climate strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream with damp mild winters, and temperate, wet summers. Overall temperatures rarely drop below freezing during daylight hours, though frost is not infrequent in the months November to February. Snow rarely lies for longer than a few hours even in the elevated south-east of the county. Summers are mild and wet and although with sunshine often interspersed with showers, daylight lasts for almost 18 hours during high-summer.

On 22 July 2021 the record for highest outside air temperature ever measured in Northern Ireland was set in Armagh City when a reading of 31.4°C was registered at Armagh Observatory's weather station.[8]

History

Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid (also known as Voluntii, Ultonians, Ulidians, Ulstermen) before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha (or Navan Fort) near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha. The Red Branch play an important role in the Ulster Cycle, as well as the Cattle Raid of Cooley. However, they were eventually driven out of the area by the Three Collas, who invaded in the 4th century and held power until the 12th. The Clan Colla ruled the area known as Airghialla or Oriel for these 800 years.

The chief Irish clans of the county were descendants of the Collas, the O'Hanlons and Mac Cana, and the Uí Néill, the O'Neills of Fews. Armagh was divided into several baronies: Armagh was held by the O'Rogans, Lower Fews was held by O'Neill of the Fews, and Upper Fews were under governance of the O'Larkins, who were later displaced by the MacCanns. Oneilland East was the territory of the O'Garveys, who were also displaced by the MacCanns. Oneilland West, like Oneilland East, was once O'Neill territory, until it was then held by the MacCanns, who were Lords of Clanbrassil. Upper and Lower Orior were O'Hanlon territory. Tiranny was ruled by Ronaghan. Miscellaneous tracts of land were ruled by O'Kelaghan. The area around the base of Slieve Gullion near Newry also became home to a large number of the Clan McGuinness as they were dispossessed of hereditary lands held in the County Down.

St. Patrick is considered the first bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. County Armagh is presently one of four counties of Northern Ireland to have a majority of the population from a Catholic background, according to the 2011 census.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, County Armagh was a major center of guerrilla warfare, cattle raiding, and brigandage by local Rapparees; including Count Redmond O'Hanlon, Cormacke Raver O'Murphy, and Séamus Mór Mac Murchaidh.[9]

The Troubles

See main article: The Troubles in Armagh. The southern part of the county has been a stronghold of support for the IRA, earning it the nickname "Bandit Country".[10] South Armagh is predominantly nationalist, with much of the population being opposed to any form of British presence, especially that of a military nature. The most prominent opposition to British rule was the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade.[11]

On 10 March 2009, the CIRA claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of a PSNI officer in Craigavon, County Armagh—the first police fatality in Northern Ireland since 1998. The officer was fatally shot by a sniper as he and a colleague investigated "suspicious activity" at a house nearby when a window was smashed by youths causing the occupant to phone the police. The PSNI officers responded to the emergency call, giving a CIRA sniper the chance to shoot and kill officer Stephen Carroll.[12] [13]

Administration

The county was administered by Armagh County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973.[14]

County Armagh remains officially used for purposes such as a Lieutenancy area – the county retains a lord lieutenant who acts as representative of the British Monarch in the county.[15]

Currently the county is covered for local government purposes by four district councils, namely Armagh City and District Council, most of Craigavon Borough Council, approximately the western third of Newry and Mourne District Council and a part of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, centred around Peatlands Park.

Armagh ceased to serve as an electoral constituency in 1983 but remains the core of the Newry and Armagh constituency represented at Westminster and the Newry and Armagh constituency represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly. County Armagh also remains as a district for legal and property purposes; however, its baronies no longer have any administrative use.

The -XZ suffix is currently used on vehicle registration plates for vehicles registered in County Armagh. Other suffixes have been -IB and -LZ. These marks are followed by up to four numbers, e.g., JLZ 6789

Demographics

As of the 2021 Census, County Armagh recorded a population of 194,394. It is one of four counties in Northern Ireland with a Catholic majority, with 58% of the population coming from a Catholic community background. Around 10% of the population was born outside the United Kingdom and Ireland, mainly immigrants from the European Union and concentrated in the Craigavon urban area (Lurgan, Portadown and Craigavon).

Community background and religion

Religion or religion brought up in (2021 Census)!Religion or religion brought up in!Number!(%)
Catholic113,09358.2
Protestant and Other Christian66,02134.0
None (no religion)13,0186.7
Other religion2,2621.2
Total194,394100.0
Religion (2021 Census)!Religion!Number!(%)
Christian166,53885.7
Catholic107,05855.1
Church of Ireland24,43712.6
Presbyterian17,5609.0
Methodist4,1942.2
Other Christian (including Christian related)13,2906.8
Protestant and Other Christian: Total59,48130.6
Other2,0371.0
Islam8820.5
Hinduism1680.09
Other religions9860.5
None/not stated25,82013.3
No religion22,94411.8
Religion not stated2,8761.5
Total194,394100.0

Ethnicity

Ethnic groups (2021 Census)!Ethnic group!Number!(%)
White

Total

188,34796.9
White: British/Irish/Northern Irish/English/Scottish/Welsh
(with or without non-UK or Irish national identities)
172,92389.0
White: Other14,5427.5
White: Irish Traveller6750.3
White: Roma2070.1
Asian or Asian British: Total2,4451.3
Asian/Asian British: Indian6150.3
Asian/Asian British: Chinese5890.3
Asian/Asian British: Filipino4050.2
Asian/Asian British: Pakistani1920.01
Asian/Asian British: Arab1070.055
Asian/Asian British: Other Asian5370.3
Black or Black British: Total1,5970.8
Black/Black British: Black African1,0860.6
Black/Black British: Black Other5110.2
Mixed

Total

1,4800.8
Other: Any other ethnic group: Total5220.3
Total194,394100.0

Country of birth

Country of birth (2021 Census)!Country of birth!Number!(%)
United Kingdom and Ireland175,54890.3
Northern Ireland162,21383.4
England5,9313.1
Scotland1,0710.6
Wales2340.1
Republic of Ireland6,0993.1
Europe14,4407.4
European Union13,9467.2
Other non-EU countries4940.2
Rest of World4,4062.3
Middle East and Asia2,3561.2
Africa9210.5
North America, Central America and Caribbean6490.3
Antarctica, Oceania and Other2500.1
South America2300.1
Total 194,394100.0

Languages spoken

Main language of all usual residents aged 3 or over (2021 Census)!Main language!Usual residents aged 3+!(%)
English171,71392.0
Polish3,8182.0
Lithuanian2,8601.5
Portuguese1,7450.9
Bulgarian1,5750.8
Romanian7250.4
Irish5640.3
All other languages3,6772.0
Total (usual residents aged 3+)186,677100.0

Knowledge of Irish

Ability in Irish of all usual residents aged 3 or over (2021 Census)!Ability in Irish!Number!(%)
Speaks, reads, writes and understands Irish9,8035.3
Speaks and reads but does not write Irish1,2060.6
Speaks but does not read or write Irish4,9522.7
Understands but does not read, write or speak Irish13,1507.0
Other combination of skills2,5531.4
Has some knowledge of Irish: Total31,66517.0
No ability in Irish155,01283.0
Total (usual residents aged 3+)186,677100.0

Knowledge of Ulster Scots

Ability in Ulster Scots of all usual residents aged 3 or over (2021 Census)!Ability in Ulster Scots!Number!(%)
Speaks, reads, writes and understands Ulster Scots1,6530.9
Speaks and reads but does not write Ulster Scots7230.4
Speaks but does not read or write Ulster Scots1,7951.0
Understands but does not read, write or speak Ulster Scots8,8134.7
Other combination of skills1,3100.7
Has some knowledge of Ulster Scots: Total14,2947.7
No ability in Ulster Scots172,38392.3
Total (usual residents aged 3+)186,677100.0

National identity

National identity (2021 Census)[16] [17] [18] [19] !National identity!Number!%
Irish only75,84139.0%
British only48,07624.7%
Northern Irish only32,56916.8%
British and Northern Irish only11,0395.7%
Irish and Northern Irish only3,3271.7%
British, Irish and Northern Irish only1,5210.8%
British and Irish only7730.4%
Other identity21,24810.9%
Total194,394Total
All Irish identities82,05742.2%
All British identities62,77132.3%
All Northern Irish identities49,42425.4%

Settlements

See main article: List of places in County Armagh.

Large towns

(population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2001 Census)[20]

Medium towns

(population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2001 Census)[20]

Small towns

(population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2001 Census)[20]

Intermediate settlements

(population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census)[20]

Villages

(population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census)[20]

Small villages or hamlets

(population of fewer than 1,000 at 2001 Census)[20]

Subdivisions

Baronies

See main article: Baronies of Ireland.

Parishes

See main article: List of civil parishes of County Armagh.

Townlands

See main article: List of townlands in County Armagh.

Transport

County Armagh is traversed by two major highways – the M1 linking Belfast to Dungannon crosses the north of the county whilst the A1/N1 from Belfast to Dublin runs in the far south east. Other major roads in the county include the A3 and A29.

Armagh once had a well-developed railway network with connections to, among others, Armagh City, Culloville, Goraghwood, Markethill, Vernersbridge, Tynan (see History of rail transport in Ireland) but today only Newry (Bessbrook), Portadown, Poyntzpass, Scarva, and Lurgan are served by rail.

There is a possible railway re-opening from Portadown railway station to Armagh railway station in the future.[21] Government Minister for the Department for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy MLA indicates railway restoration plans of the line from Portadown to Armagh.[22]

Ulsterbus provides the most extensive public transport system within the county, including frequent bus transfers daily from most towns to Belfast. Northern Ireland Railways / Iarnród Éireann's Enterprise service provides connections to Dublin in little over an hour and Belfast in little over forty minutes, several times daily.

Inland waterways

County Armagh is traversed by the Ulster Canal and the Newry Canal which are not fully open to navigation.

Sport

In association football, the NIFL Premiership, which operates as the top division, has one team in the county: Glenavon, with Portadown, Annagh United, Armagh City, Dollingstown, Loughgall and Lurgan Celtic competing in the NIFL Championship, which operates as levels two and three.

The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA organises Gaelic games in the county.

People associated with County Armagh

Places of interest

See also

External links

54.3499°N -6.6546°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Northern Ireland General Register Office . Census of Population 1971; Summary Tables . PDF . Belfast . HMSO . 28 August 2019 . 1 . Table 1: Area, Buildings for Habitation and Population, 1971 . 1975 . 23 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190723205332/https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/1971-census-summary-tables.pdf#page=21 . live .
  2. Web site: County . NISRA . 17 August 2023.
  3. http://www.tourismireland.com/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=dd88f67c-d3bd-465b-800d-b7fe8244f3cf Tourism Ireland: 2007 Yearly Report in Ulster Scots
  4. http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org/web_2006_ulster_scots_report.pdf North-South Ministerial Council: 2006 Annual Report in Ulster Scots
  5. Web site: The Edinburgh Dinnshenchas . ucd.ie . 29 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Your Place And Mine – Armagh -. www.bbc.co.uk. 15 March 2018. 16 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151016125920/http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/yourplaceandmine/armagh/apple_blossom.shtml. live.
  7. Web site: Build or find Census 2021 tables NISRA Flexible Table Builder . 2023-07-18 . build.nisra.gov.uk.
  8. News: NI temperature record broken for third time in a week . BBC News . 22 July 2021 . British Broadcasting Corporation . 22 July 2021 . 22 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210722160920/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-57932848 . live .
  9. Tony Nugent (2013), Were You at the Rock? The History of Mass Rocks in Ireland, Liffey Press, Dublin. Pages 32–39.
  10. News: Myth of Bandit Country . Iarchimi Ard Mhacha Theas . 16 May 2014 . 16 May 2014 . Armagh . https://web.archive.org/web/20140517152636/http://www.cuchulainntours.com/recent-history . 17 May 2014 . dead .
  11. Book: Pirates, Terrorists, and Warlords: The History, Influence, and Future of Armed Groups Around the World. Jeffrey. Norwitz. 107. Skyhorse Publishing. 2009. 978-1-626-36987-0.
  12. News: Continuity IRA shot dead officer . BBC News . 10 March 2009 . 10 March 2009 . London . 13 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210413171633/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7934426.stm . live .
  13. Web site: Continuity IRA claims PSNI murder . . 10 March 2009 . 10 March 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090311135830/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0310/craigavon.html . 11 March 2009 .
  14. Web site: Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. Legislation.gov.uk. 29 November 2019. 30 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191030152505/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1972/9/contents. live.
  15. See the Northern Ireland (Lieutenancy) Order 1975 (SI 1975 No. 156)
  16. Web site: National identity (person based) - basic detail (classification 1) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  17. Web site: National Identity (Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  18. Web site: National Identity (British) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  19. Web site: National Identity (Northern Irish) . NISRA . 18 August 2023.
  20. Web site: Statistical classification of settlements . NI Neighbourhood Information Service . 23 February 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100217122433/http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme_towns/statistical%20classification.htm . 17 February 2010 . dead .
  21. The Ulster Gazette. 16 May 2013
  22. Web site: Kennedy has hopes for Armagh line restoration – Portadown Times. https://archive.today/20130821102625/http://www.portadowntimes.co.uk/news/local/kennedy-has-rail-hopes-for-armagh-line-restoration-1-5364856. dead. 21 August 2013. 21 August 2013.
  23. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 . Marquis Who's Who . 1963.
  24. Ibid.
  25. Web site: Pennsylvania State Senate – John J McCreesh Biography . www.legis.state.pa.us . 8 February 2019.