I remember we started to be successful at the football and going into him one day, and he says, ‘this is brilliant, we’ll no longer be known as bandit country, we’ll be known for the football we play’. As the last of the British military watchtowers in south Armagh, its removal was regarded as hugely symbolic.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below. Loyalist paramilitary groups, including the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), intent on keeping the region part of the United Kingdom, also stepped up their campaign of sectarian violence.It seemed much smaller, it was like going into somewhere new again. There was nothing readily identifiable other than the square,” Mains says. 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. Accordingly, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), which had formed in 1969 and whose membership was growing, increased levels of violence against both the police and the Army.

He recalls a conversation with the late Paddy Short who ran Shorts’ pub in the town: “Anytime anything went on, journalists always went in there because Paddy was brilliant for a soundbite and a great talker. Ian Paisley (1926– 2014), born in County Armagh, clergyman, politician, second First Minister of Northern Ireland But the walkway is still the same from where I would have come. If you walked down through the town you’d be guaranteed your bag would be taken off you by the soldiers or you’d be chased. Armagh Public Library on Abbey Street in Armagh City, 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 James Ussher (1581–1656), Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland 1625–1656

But this optimism was misplaced. Despite the Army coming under the control of the Secretary of State for Defence in London, many Catholics saw it as a tool of the Unionist Government in Northern Ireland. The idea of a Tourist Information office in the troubled Crossmaglen would have been almost unthinkable before the Belfast Agreement. Today Úna Walsh is an ambassador who leads walking tours in the village. Photograph: Stephen Davison Armstrong, Richard B.; Armstrong, Mary Willems (2009). Encyclopedia of Film Themes, Settings and Series. McFarland. p.201. ISBN 9781476612300. Contae Ard Mhacha is the Irish name; Coontie Armagh [3] and Coontie Airmagh [4] are Ulster Scots spellings. People have this image of what goes on in Cross and obviously certain aspects have fed into that over the years with criminality.

a b c d e f "Statistical classification of settlements". NI Neighbourhood Information Service. Archived from the original on 17 February 2010 . Retrieved 23 February 2009. In October 1984, five people died during an attempt to kill the prime minister Margaret Thatcher at the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton. Before the changes that followed the Belfast Agreement, police only travelled through the area with the support of the British army. Photograph: Stephen Davison Saint Benignus of Armagh, (died 467), first rector of the Cathedral School of Armagh and Bishop of Armagh Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley (1760–1842), educated in The Royal School, Armagh. Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Governor General of IndiaFrank Aiken (1898–1983), born in County Armagh, Irish Republican, Irish Minister for External Affairs, Tánaiste

It was his first time ever driving into Crossmaglen: “It was bizarre as I didn’t really know where I was going because I would have walked the roads, flew into a field and then walked on to another road. Your orientation by air is completely different.”

Sir Robert Hart (1835–1911), born in County Armagh, second Inspector-General of China's Imperial Maritime Customs Service (IMCS) from 1863 to 1911 Knowledge of Irish [ edit ] Ability in Irish of all usual residents aged 3 or over (2021 Census) [5] Ability in Irish a b c d e f g h i "Build or find Census 2021 tables | NISRA Flexible Table Builder". build.nisra.gov.uk . Retrieved 18 July 2023.