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THE CITY OF ARMAGH.
Population 10,070 in 1881.
NO person of taste, who had travelled much, would consider it exaggeration
to give the City of Armagh a leading place among the most delightfully situated
inland towns of the United Kingdom. A cluster of hills, rising gently out
of a beautiful valley, form the site upon which striking architectural effects
have been produced. Three of the hills are crowned by imposing Church edifices,
including the ancient and modern Cathedrals of St. Patrick, and the Church
of St. Mark. A fourth hill bears upon its summit an Observatory, the green
domes of which contrast most agreeably with the neighbouring towers and
spires. The Royal School occupies the fifth hill, the military barracks
the sixth, the Catholic Convent the seventh, and the eighth is divided between
the Union Workhouse and Sheil 's Institution for persons of reduced income.
The hill upon which the ancient Cathedral stands originally formed the centre
of the chief quarter of the city, and is still so regarded. It is encircled
by streets and places, and a large part of one side is embraced in the Market
Square.
The thoroughfares of greatest importance, from the business point of view,
have the narrowness that is so suggestive of sociability and good feeling
between the occupants of the houses at both sides.
In the fittings of the shops, and in the general arrangement of merchandise,
effect are produced that indicate artistic instinct and good sense.
BEFORE AND SINCE THE ENGLISH CONNECTION.
THE City of Armagh was founded by St. Patrick in 445. He had already built the Abbeys of Saul and Downpatrick, upon sites granted by Dichu, territorial ruler of the district. Dichu was a convert to Christianity. After a residence of twelve years in his country, St. Patrick.
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started for Argial, an independent principality, of which the present County
of Armagh formed part. The beautiful hills at Armagh must have captivated
him, for they resembled those at Downpatrick. He speedily found favor in
the eyes of the owner, Daire, a lineal descendant of one of the three Collas,
who, in 332, had dethroned the last of the Kings of Ulster, and divided
his possessions between them. Daire gave him the site of an abbey in the
lowland, and afterward the hill upon which he built his first cathedral.
This was called the Hill of Sallows, and ultimately became Ardmacha (Armagh),
very likely in order to perpetuate the name of Macha, whose queenly rule
is referred to in the chapter on Emania. Around Macha 's hill the city grew
and became famous all over Europe for piety, learning and wisdom. With the
exception of the Cathedral and Abbey the houses were doubtless constructed
of wattles or boards. At that time such materials were easily obtained from
the surrounding woods. Stones were also to be had, but the idea of solidity
in connection with habitations evidently had not then been carried into
effect to any great extent, if at all. Having been destroyed by fire many
times, and rapidly rebuilt, suggests a degree of combustibility hardly to
be associated with stone and brick. Two fires originating by accident wiped
out the city twice in the seventh century ; and toward the close of the
eighth century a flash of lightning almost brought about a similar result.
Acquaintance with the inhabitants by the Danes was begun in the first half
of the ninth century, and continued at various periods through the tenth
century. They had the utmost contempt for Christianity, and seemed to delight
in plundering the churches, and heaping indignities upon the bishops and
priests. In 836 Turgesius captured the city, and initiated his work of plunder
and sacrilege by driving out Bishop Faranan, his clergy and the students
of the school established by St. Patrick. He laid the city in ashes, destroying
the Cathedral with the rest. The people returned to their ruined homes and
were permitted to remain unmolested until 852. The Danes then re-appeared,
and carried off the most desirable of the treasures that had accumulated
in sixteen years. In 873 the Danes, under Amlave, made a descent upon Armagh,
and committed shocking atrocities. The city was burned to the ground, and
of the inhabitants over a thousand were either severely wounded or killed
outright. In 890 the Danes of Dublin plundered Armagh, and took away 710
of the inhabitants. Plundering and burning, with brief intervals of rest,
were frequent during the remainder of the Danish period. They destroyed
everything of value in the way of records, and carried away relics of antiquity
in the precious
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metals, the value of which in our day would be beyond the power of estimation.
In the tenth century the Danes, commanded by Sitric, were driven out of
Armagh, and fled to their ships in the Bay of Dundalk. This happy event
was brought about by the united forces of the Munster Chiefs, who came hither
to rescue King Callaghan, of Cashel, taken prisoner by the Danes.
Brian Boru, King of Ireland, celebrated for the vigor of his opposition
to the Danes, visited Armagh in 1002, [sic] at the head of his army, and,
in obedience to a last request, his remains were interred in the Cathedral
after the great battle of Clontarf, which resulted in the defeat of the
Danes, 1014, and the death of Brian.
During the eleventh century Armagh was frequently laid in ashes, churches,
public buildings, and fortifications going with the rest. The frequency
of the fires was attributed to the flimsiness of the dwellings.
A synod was held in Armagh about the year 1172, in which the then sad condition
of the country was taken into consideration. It was common in the twelfth
century to purchase and make slaves of Englishmen. The bishops had long
set their faces against this cruel proceeding, but now believing that the
wrath of Heaven had been excited by it, decreed the immediate release of
all who were held in bondage.
Sir John de Courcy, whose patent from Henry II. empowered him to hold all
he could seize in Ulster, following the example of the Danes, burned and
plundered Armagh in 1179 and in 1206, making no reservation in favor of
the churches and religious houses. His successor, Hugh d 'e Lacy, was guilty
of even greater sacrilege, having permitted his followers to spend ten days
in plunder.
In the war waged to establish the authority of Edward Bruce, 1315, as King
of Ireland, Armagh suffered considerably from the incursions of his Scotch
and Irish adherents.
Shane O 'Neill, also known as John the Proud, from the beginning of his
career until his death, kept the people of Armagh ,in a constant state of
misery. In 1542 an effort was made by the English to secure a lasting friendship
with the O 'Neills, by creating Con, father of Shane, Earl of Tyrone. This
might have secured peace for an extended period if Shane had been induced
also to accept an earldom.. Instead of this it was decreed that the title
should descend to Con 's illegitimate son, Matthew, and his lineal descendants.
Shane, in the course of events, assumed the title of The O 'Neill, and maintained
that this, being his birthright as a descendant of the Kings of Ulster,
was far mote important and dignified than any that could be given him by
Elizabeth, then Queen of England. He had the peasantry
E
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trained to arms, and his encounters with the English government forces were
frequent. When, 1557, Lord Deputy Sussex marched against Shane and his Scotch
allies, Armagh was "wasted with fire and sword " by the English,
the Cathedral only being exempted. Shane 's own doings in the city were
referred to by Camden, 1566, as having in his memory, so "foully defaced
" the "Church and City of Armagh, " that they lost all their
ancient beauty and grandeur. Shane contributed to the picturesque features
of his reign by, 1562, going to the Court of London, with a numerous following
of gallowglasses, richly clothed and brilliantly accoutred, in bare heads
and flowing locks. He went through the form of making submission to Elizabeth,
and returned to Ireland, loaded with presents. After that it was recorded
that his pride and tyranny became intolerable. He endeavoured in 1567 to
induce Charles IX., King of France, to send 6,000 soldiers to enable him
to drive the English out of Ireland. By that time he had lost much of his
power through over indulgence in wine and other causes. At length, in June
of 1567, during a visit to the Scotch camp, he was murdered, and his head
sent to Dublin, where it was exposed on the top of the Castle. The Scotch
had been his faithful allies, and his murder was the result of a fit of
anger, excited by his ingratitude.
Hugh Roe O 'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, made the period of his rebellion, 1594
-1603, an eventful one for the people of Armagh. At the beginning of the
war he took possession of the city, but was forced to withdraw. He subsequently
tried to compel the surrender of the garrison to escape starvation, but
failed. The English, after defeat at the battle of the Yellow Ford, 1598,
evacuated the city. This battle was fought within two miles of Armagh, on
the way to Blackwatertown. O 'Neill having had intimation of the advance
of Sir Henry Bagnall, at the head of the English forces, sent word to O
'Donnell and other chiefs, by whom he was joined in ample time. Great trenches
were dug across the road to intercept the passage of the English. The advance
was valiantly made on their part, but the preparations of O 'Neill and O
'Donnell gave them an advantage, which was assisted by an explosion of powder
among the English, and the loss of General Bagnall. He was struck with a
musket ball in the head while raising his helmet for a better view of the
field The further facts of O 'Neill 's life are referred to in the chapter
giving a synopsis of the history of the county. Lord Mountjoy, in 1601 arrived
at Armagh and made it a base of operations against O 'Neill.
In the war of 1641, directed by the Confederate Parliament of Kilkenny,
Sir Phelim O 'Neill secured a foothold in Armagh. He was driven out, but
before leaving, the Cathedral was set on
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fire, and a number of the inhabitants slain. At the time of the Revolution,
1688-90, an effort was made to hold Armagh for James II., but the people
rose in favor of William, Prince of Orange. The garrison was disarmed, and
permitted to leave. It was succeeded by Lord Blayney. He, in turn, was driven
out, and James passed a few days at Armagh on his way from the siege of
Derry. Duke Schomberg was the next occupant, 1690. He made it a base for
provisioning his troops. Armagh took a foremost place in the Volunteer Movement.
In 1778, 1781, 1782, 1788 and 1796 corps of volunteers were organized to
repel invasion, as well as to help the government to quell disturbances
among the natives. They did garrison duty during the rebellion of the United
Irishmen, 1798, and were disbanded in 1812. The cause was ill-feeling, engendered
through the act of one of the Lieutenants, John Barns, who had signed a
petition to Parliament in favor of Catholic Emancipation. Lord Charlemont
was commander of the first corps.
The appearance of Armagh in 1765 was not calculated to produce a favorable
impression upon the stranger. During that year Richard Robinson, D.D., Bishop
of Kildare, became Primate, and by the most liberal expenditure of money,
succeeded in making the city worthy of the great name it had borne for centuries.