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In late prehistoric times and at the dawn of history, Armagh was an important populated area in Ulster. At the beginning of the Christian era, the fortress of Emain Mhacha, at the site known as Navan Fort, served as the centre of a kingdom of Ulster extending to the Rivers Shannon and Boyne in the west and south. Also associated with that period is an ancient frontier earthwork, Black Pig's Dyke. Following the decline of Ulster in the 4th century, Emain Mhacha lost its importance; and Ard Mhacha (now Armagh, the county town) became the political centre. It gained added importance after St. Patrick made it his metropolitan see in the 5th century. The area was later ravaged by Anglo-Norman and also Danish (841) invaders, but they made no permanent settlements.
Not until the 17th century did English influence become important in the county. Made shire ground in 1586 and included in the scheme for the Plantation of Ulster of the early 17th century, Armagh was colonized mainly by Protestant landowners from England. Armagh's prosperity in the 18th century is attested to by many monuments and buildings. In the 1973 administrative reorganization of Northern Ireland, the county was divided into the district of Armagh and portions of Craigavon and Newry and Mourne districts.
County Towns
GoIreland.Com has brief information on the following towns in County Armagh:
Armagh, Bessbrook, Craigavon, Crossmaglen, Cullyhanna, Forkhill, Jonesborough, Keady, Killylea, Loughgall, Lurgan, Markethill, Milltown, Portadown, Richhill, and Tandragee
Common Surnames
Murphy, Hughes, Wilson, Campbell, O'Hare, Smith, McCann, Donnelly, Watson and Quinn.
Heritage Centre
County Armagh Heritage Centre
42 English Street
Armagh
Co Armagh
Northern Ireland
BT61 7BA
The Centre holds about 1.5 million records on individuals who were natives of the historic County of Armagh.
The main records include:
Query and Surname Resources
- Roman Catholic records, the earliest of which date from 1790
- Church of Ireland records from their inception to 1922
- Presbyterian recordsfrom their inception to 1922
- Civil records from their inception to 1922
- Computerised directories
- Wills Gravestone inscriptions and other sources
Email Lists
NIR-Armagh-City-L@rootsweb.com mail list. To subscribe send a new email to nir-armagh-l-request@rootsweb.com.Ý Include the word subscribe in the message body. Turn off signature files and place NO text in the message body except for the word subscribe. You will receive a welcome message from the list administrator.
NIR-Armagh-L@rootsweb.com mail list. To subscribe send a new email to nir-armagh-l-request@rootsweb.com. Include the word subscribe in the message body. Turn off signature files and place NO text in the message body except for the word subscribe. You will receive a welcome August 23, 2007 message from the list administrator.
Records and Reference Information
Churches in Armagh
- Irish Books - Connors Genealogy Website
- Landowners in Co. Armagh, circa 1870s contributed by Jean Rice
- Old Measurements
Genealogy Links
Other Armagh Links
- Cyndi's List - Ireland & Northern Ireland
- ExpertGenealogy WebSearch
- Genuki: Armagh
- Griffiths Valuation
- Irish Family Research
- Irish in Liverpool
- Poor from England to Ireland 1860-1862
- Ships from Ireland to America
- County Armagh NIR Tourist Board
- Fianna's County Armagh Homepage
- Jean McCarthy's Homepage
- The Silver Bowl
Armagh Family Home Pages
Do you have a site you would like to recommend be linked? Please contact: Country Coordinator Denise Wells
Many thanks to Shirley Johnson for her service to the Northern IrelandGenWeb and County Armagh! You will be missed! Please note that I do not live in County Armagh
and cannot undertake any active research
in Northern Ireland.
Last modified - Sunday, 18-Jan-2009 14:41:47 MST
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Coordinator1998-2009. Northern IrelandGenWeb Project.
