About County Armagh
County Armagh is a county in Ulster. It is the smallest of the six
counties that form Northern Ireland. County Armagh is known as the
Orchard County because the land is so fertile for apple-growing. Its
main town is Armagh, in the middle of the county, although Lurgan
and Portadown, in the north of the county, each have larger
populations. Find
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Ecclesiastical Capital
The city of Armagh, known as the "ecclesiastical capital" of Ireland
it is the centre of Christianity in Ireland. There are two
cathedrals in the city, both dedicated to St. Patrick, the patron
saint of Ireland. One is the Church of Ireland Cathedral, the seat
of the Anglican archbishop, the primate of the Church of Ireland.
St. Patrick is believed to have founded a church on this site in the
fifth century AD, but the present building is mainly a result of
thirteenth and nineteenth century re-building, as the church has
frequently been destroyed or fallen into decay during the turbulent
history of the region. The Roman Catholic Cathedral is the seat of
the Roman Catholic Primate of All Ireland and was constructed in the
Victorian-era. Craigavon, Portadown, Lurgan, Tandragee and Loughall
are also significant towns in County Armagh.
Oxford Island National Nature Reserve
Oxford Island National Nature Reserve is both a haven for wildlife
and a popular visitor attraction on the southern shores of Lough
Neagh. It is home to a vast range of birds, plants and animals
throughout the year,and is a great place to see both summer and
winter bird life. The nature reserve gives visitors the chance to
explore a diverse range of habitats, from woodlands to reedbeds, by
a series of well connected pathways, most of which are suitable for
wheelchairs. It's 5 birdwatching hides with dramatic views across
Lough Neagh and are ideal places to see the local wodlfowl in
action. The focal point of Oxford Island is the Lough Neagh
Discovery Centre, which houses an award winning exhibition on Lough
Neagh. Here the visitor can learn about the wildlife and history of
the area througha series of interactive displays, panels and
exhibits. The centre is also home to the popular "Loughside Cafe",
which looks out over the Lough and its surrounding countryside, and
a well stocked craft shop that caters for a range of tastes and
pockets. Whether you want to simply enjoy the wildlife and scenery,
or take part in one of our activities, you can be sure your visit to
Oxford Island will be a memorable and enjoyable one. Find
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Navan Fort
Navan Fort is the origin of a world renowned series of stories known
as the Ulster Cycle. The stories recall ancient Irish legends, such
as Cu Chulainn, King Conor, Deirdre of the Sorrows and recounts
famous battles like the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Brian Ború, the High
King of All Ireland, camped at Navan Fort during his visit to Armagh
to make offerings to the Church and was buried in the grounds of the
Church of Ireland Cathedral after the Battle of Clontarf in 1014AD.
According to the early Christian scribes, Irish history began with
the founding of Emain Macha. Archaeologists have made many
fascinating discoveries at Navan, including the traces of a giant
Celtic temple. Navan Fort is open to the public all year.
Saint Patrick's Trian Visitor Complex
An exciting visitor complex located in the heart of Armagh.
Incorporating three major exhibitions- "The Armagh story" traces the
story of Armagh's historic pagan monuments through to the coming of
Saint Patrick and Celtic Christianity to the modern day city .
"Patrick's Testament" takes a closer look at Ireland's patron saint
through the writings found in the ninth century manuscript "The Book
of Armagh." Touch screen technology is available in English, French
and German. Jonathan Swift's novel, "Gulliver's Travels" is narrated
by a 20 foot giant in the "Land of Lilliput" exhibition.
Palace Stables Heritage Centre
The Palace Stables Heritage centre is a wonderfully restored 18th
Century Stable Block, formerly part of the estate belonging to the
Archbishop's of Armagh right up until the 1970's. This fabulous
visitor centre once was a bustle of servants, horses and carriages
back in the latter part of the 18th century. Now you, the visitor,
have the opportunity to relive what life was like back in the year
1786. Guided tours for groups. Restaurant, playground, car park and
coach park, disabled toilets, toilets, shopping, picnic area,
walking trails, Eco trail, education facilities, Living History
presentations and events. The Centre is located on the Palace
Demesne situated next to the impressive Primate's Palace, formerly
the home of Archbishops of the Church of Ireland from 1770 until the
1970s. The Centre is open freely all year round.
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Armagh Planetarium
Armagh Planetarium reopened in the summer of 2006 following a major
refurbishment programme funded by the Department of Culture, Arts
and Leisure. The Digital Theatre has been completely refurbished
with the world's most advanced digital projection system, Digistar
3. A customised sound system designed by BOSE, a state-of-the-art
LED lighting system and purpose-built reclining seats have also been
added to enhance the visitor's experience. As part of the renovation
project major changes have taken place in the Digital Theatre. A
fantastic new Evans & Sutherland Digistar 3 multi-channel theatre
system is at the centre of the renovation project which will treat
audiences to a full-colour 3D experience projected over the entire
dome. Armagh Planetarium is the only site in Ireland to boast this
amazing technology. You will travel to the International Space
Station, outwards to Mars in our 3D stereo room and the new
immersive gallery can project stereoscopic animations of Solar
System exploration. Visitors can use interactive displays to learn
about the cosmos and watch the latest space news in real time. The
Armagh Celestial Cathedral is a beautiful gallery of illuminated
deep space images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope framed in
dramatic gothic arches. The Astropark is a scale model of the
Universe where visitors can walk through the Solar System and into
the Milky Way and beyond.
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