I've never been to Armagh...

Conall Cernach · 27-01-2021 5:02pm

veryangryman wrote: »

The a1 m1 Dublin be fast corridor only tips down and Antrim right? Armagh a bit further west of newry

No, the border crossing is the Louth/Armagh border.

JupiterKid · 27-01-2021 5:17pm

Armagh also has many apple orchards. It’s known as the “Orchard County.”

And the failed new town of Craigavon - which failed for many reasons, the main one being the Troubles which saw the North’s population growth go into reverse in the 1970s, Belfast residents refusing to relocate out of their city to Craigavon and the towns of Lurgan (a so-so place) and Portadown (complete kip) refusing to merge.

...and South Armagh is “bandit country.” But it does have the Ring of Gullion.

It’s petty difficult to travel up to Belfast from anywhere in the Republic without passing through County Armagh, Donegal excepted. You would have to go around the top of Lough Neagh...or else go across Carlingford Lough on the seasonal ferry.

Wilhelm III · 27-01-2021 5:23pm

I wouldn't go south on Yourmagh.

Nekarsulm · 27-01-2021 5:29pm

The Dublin/Belfast road crosses from Louth to Down, but a few miles north of Newry there is a tail of Co. Armagh that you go through before hitting Down again.

Conall Cernach · 27-01-2021 5:36pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

The Dublin/Belfast road crosses from Louth to Down, but a few miles north of Newry there is a tail of Co. Armagh that you go through before hitting Down again.

No, the border crossing is at Killeen, Co. Armagh. Part of Newry is itself in Co. Armagh.

Nekarsulm · 27-01-2021 5:47pm

You are 100% correct!
I don't know why I always believed you went from Louth to Down.
Every day's a school day!

biko · 27-01-2021 6:08pm

veryangryman wrote: »

What happens when you hit 32

You can finally leave the IRA.

NeuralNetwork · 27-01-2021 6:11pm

Dustin the Turkey probably sums it up well with I've Never Been to Meath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrh4r2JJBxA

awec · 27-01-2021 6:27pm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

You are 100% correct!
I don't know why I always believed you went from Louth to Down.
Every day's a school day!

Yea, Down is not a border county.

dxhound2005 · 27-01-2021 8:04pm

Travel the road from Castleblayney to Dundalk and for 6 kilometres you will be in Co Armagh. With no fewer than nine outlets selling oil of various sorts.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/concession-road-where-the-border-fuels-business-1.3669418

Nekarsulm · 27-01-2021 8:21pm

Fireworks too, I bet..

bilbot79 · 27-01-2021 8:44pm

JupiterKid wrote: »

Armagh also has many apple orchards. It’s known as the “Orchard County.”

And the failed new town of Craigavon - which failed for many reasons, the main one being the Troubles which saw the North’s population growth go into reverse in the 1970s, Belfast residents refusing to relocate out of their city to Craigavon and the towns of Lurgan (a so-so place) and Portadown (complete kip) refusing to merge.

...and South Armagh is “bandit country.” But it does have the Ring of Gullion.

It’s petty difficult to travel up to Belfast from anywhere in the Republic without passing through County Armagh, Donegal excepted. You would have to go around the top of Lough Neagh...or else go across Carlingford Lough on the seasonal ferry.

Belfast residents would be paid 250 pounds in the 60s to relocate to Craigavon, which is near identical to Milton Keynes which it is modelled after hence the roundabouts. There are a few roundabouts there to this day with only one exit i.e. a corner with a roundabout.

The balancing lakes are great though and in the 70s there was a small beach there.

John Doe1 · 27-01-2021 9:21pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navan_Fort

Navan Fort, one of the most important ancient royal sites in Ireland

Armagh has 2 cathedrals, the COI one was founded in 445 and has the graave of Brian Boru

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick%27s_Cathedral,_Armagh_(Church_of_Ireland)

The Armagh Planeterium is pretty impressive.

You can visit the unnaturally beautiful tri-cities of Portdown/Lurgan/Craigavon :P

JasonStatham · 27-01-2021 10:50pm

Northernlily wrote: »

Monaghan the only county on the whole island that I've never sat foot in or drove through.

Any use?

Check out Castle Leslie, also Rossmore Park and Lough Muckno. If you're into literary stuff, there's the Patrick Kavanagh centre near Inniskeen, also a well renowned book festival in Clones held annually. If you like the Blues they have the Harvest time Blues festival in Monaghan town during the autumn, which is worth it's weight in gold. There's also a lot of hidden gems along the border like Derrygorry forest/ Favour Royal and Altadaven where apparently there's a chair belonging to St Patrick no less.

Definitely some use. Haha.

Wilhelm III · 27-01-2021 10:57pm

You may never have been in Armagh - but EVERYBODY has been in Yourmagh.

Witchie · 27-01-2021 11:58pm

The only county I haven't been in is Kerry.

Armagh is lovely. The architecture is Georgian, beautiful park in the middle of the city, some lovely shopping, a great theatre and the twin cathedrals.

Fermanagh countryside is beautiful. A lake around every corner, rolling hills and greenery everywhere...bit like my home county of Monaghan. I was born in Enniskillen and have family there so spend a lot of time in the county.

As for someone asking about Monaghan, see above and add some of the best food in Ireland, wooden giants in Rossmore Park, great pubs, rally school, horse riding, golf, and many other fun things to do. Come to Monaghan, coz I'm bored as feck.

dd973 · 28-01-2021 1:51am

Johnny Adair's never been to South Armagh,.... as he'd never be seen again.

Ficheall · 28-01-2021 5:22am

I've been to Armagh only once. Third date, she was driving from Galway to the ferry at Larne after a late lunch and I decided to go along for the spin. Clutch in the van went as soon as we crossed the border into Armagh, so we pulled in beside a church. Wandered in to the churchyard to find a tree to pee behind, and, typical protestants, they shut off all the lights in the grounds. Rang a tow truck and waited in the back of the van for a couple of hours. PSNI knocked on the van to check why we were loitering outside the church at night. Then the tow-truck arrived and towed us to Larne. I don't know what else Armagh has to offer.

kowloonkev · 28-01-2021 5:33am

there's the field

veryangryman · 28-01-2021 10:37am

kowloonkev wrote: »

there's the field

SOLD!

The J Stands for Jay · 28-01-2021 10:41am

JupiterKid wrote: »

the brilliant planetarium (the only one on the island of Ireland) ..

What about that planetarium I went to in Donegal?

RandomViewer · 28-01-2021 2:26pm

Ficheall wrote: »

I've been to Armagh only once. Third date, she was driving from Galway to the ferry at Larne after a late lunch and I decided to go along for the spin. Clutch in the van went as soon as we crossed the border into Armagh, so we pulled in beside a church. Wandered in to the churchyard to find a tree to pee behind, and, typical protestants, they shut off all the lights in the grounds. Rang a tow truck and waited in the back of the van for a couple of hours. PSNI knocked on the van to check why we were loitering outside the church at night. Then the tow-truck arrived and towed us to Larne. I don't know what else Armagh has to offer.

Bit of a roundabout way to get there,

grayzer75 · 28-01-2021 2:34pm

Anybody who has driven up the M1 / N1 / A1 to Belfast has driven through a wee part of Armagh from the border to the far side of Newry - Newry being partly in Armagh and Down. Newry town hall is built across the Clanrye river which is the dividing line. For postal reasons the whole town is classed as Down.

EmmetSpiceland · 28-01-2021 2:42pm

grayzer75 wrote: »

Anybody who has driven up the M1 / N1 / A1 to Belfast has driven through a wee part of Armagh from the border to the far side of Newry - Newry being partly in Armagh and Down. Newry town hall is built across the Clanrye river which is the dividing line. For postal reasons the whole town is classed as Down.

Does just driving through count? To the best of my knowledge Tyrone is the only county I haven’t been in but I’m sure I’ve driving through it at some point.

Buddy Bubs · 28-01-2021 8:53pm

Any decent weekend away drinking towns in northern ireland? Meself and the lads (possibly foolishly) talking about our annual trip away on the bikes and on the beer but mainly the beer.
We've been to Westport, galway, kerry, Wexford might be time to give the north a chance.
I've been in most ot Northern ireland through work over the years but never on a leisure trip. Bikes are optional by the way.

J Cheever Loophole · 29-01-2021 6:40pm

A lot of the Armagh attractions have already been mentioned - the Ring of Gullion in the South of the County and the orchards and Lough Neagh to the North.

As regards Armagh City, I'd suggest paying a visit to coincide with our Georgian celebrations (below).

https://visitarmagh.com/festivals/christmas-georgian/

Shout out also for the Navan Centre and the Planetarium and there are guided tours around the City to see the various sites. Gosford Park and Castle, which is 7 miles from Armagh, has a range of outdoor activities and I believe is a site where Game of Thrones is filmed, although it's a show I don't watch.

There is also a Food and Cider weekend where you can get to sample some of the excellent local produce.

https://visitarmagh.com/festivals/food-cider/

But if you're choosing a date / time, keep an eye out for the end of the year and the Georgian celebrations, which attracts visitors from far and wide. Definitely a great occasion.

And just for the record, Wexford is the only county I have missed out on, although visits to some others have been fleeting.

I've never been to Armagh...

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