Town's in County Armagh.

 

Armagh City.
 

(Macha's height.)

The city of Armagh has many fine examples of Georgian architecture designed by a native of the city Francis Johnston, who was also responsible for many of the buildings in Dublin. Much use is made of the local limestone called 'Armagh marble' which is an exceptionally fine building material its colour and hue is said to improve with age, it is to be seen all around the town, the courthouse and the Archbishops Palace are two good examples, not forgetting the Catholic cathedral.

St Patrick built a stone church on the hill now occupied by the Anglican cathedral, he appears to held Armagh close to his heart he called Armagh 'my sweet hill'. Armagh is regarded as the spiritual capital of Ireland and both the Protestant and Catholic archbishops have their seat there. The two cathedral's stand on opposite hills facing each other. The twin spired Catholic cathedral was begun in 1840 it is flanked by two large marble archbishops gazing across the town.

The Anglican cathedral is a 19th century restoration of a 13th century church. Thackery visited the town in 1842 and admired the building, also the monuments included ones by Nollekens. Roubiliac, Rysbrack and Chantrey.

Brian Boru, who defeated the Norsemen at the battle of Clontarf in 1014, he lost his life when a party of the enemy fleeing the battle came upon his tent and killed him. His body was brought to Armagh and is buried in the churchyard. The cathedral has a fine library, this was founded by Archbishop Robinson in 1771 he was also instrumental in building the observatory. There is a copy of Gulliver's Travels corrected by Swift's himself, and the Claims of the Innocents (pleas to Oliver Cromwell) after the 1641 rebellion

 



Loughgall.
 

(Bright lake.)

Loughgall is the village where the orange order was founded in 1795, a house in the main street of the village has a collection of regalia.

It is the centre of the apple orchard area and the county.

The former demesne now contains an important horticultural research centre.