85-436: North Armagh may refer to: The northern part of County Armagh North Armagh (Northern Ireland Parliament constituency) North Armagh (UK Parliament constituency) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
170-560: A Lieutenancy area – the county retains a lord lieutenant who acts as representative of the British Monarch in the county. Currently the county is covered for local government purposes by three district councils , namely Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council , approximately the western third of Newry, Mourne and Down Council and a part of Mid Ulster District Council , centred around Peatlands Park . Armagh ceased to serve as an electoral constituency in 1983 but remains
255-634: A defeat on a Scottish Covenanter army at Benburb in County Tyrone, but the native Irish forces failed to follow up their victory and the war lapsed into stalemate. The war in Ulster ended with the defeat of the native army at the Battle of Scarrifholis , near Newmills on the western outskirts of Letterkenny , County Donegal , in 1650, as part of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland conducted by Oliver Cromwell and
340-407: A majority of the population from a Catholic background, according to the 2011 census . During the 17th and 18th centuries, County Armagh was a major center of guerrilla warfare , cattle raiding , and brigandage by local Rapparees ; including Count Redmond O'Hanlon , Cormacke Raver O'Murphy, and Séamus Mór Mac Murchaidh . The southern part of the county has been a stronghold of support for
425-767: A new form, towards the end of the 18th century. In the 1790s many Roman Catholics and Presbyterians , in opposition to Anglican domination and inspired by the American and French revolutions joined in the United Irishmen movement. This group (founded in Belfast) dedicated itself to founding a non- sectarian and independent Irish republic. The United Irishmen had particular strength in Belfast , Antrim and Down . Paradoxically however, this period also saw much sectarian violence between Roman Catholics and Protestants, principally members of
510-581: A reading of 31.4 °C was registered at Armagh Observatory's weather station. Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid (also known as Voluntii, Ultonians, Ulidians, Ulstermen) before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch , whose capital was Emain Macha (or Navan Fort) near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha . The Red Branch play an important role in
595-472: A war before it will be capable of good government; and when it is fully subdued and conquered, if it be not well planted and governed after the conquest, it will eftsoons return to the former barbarism. The Plantation of Ulster continued well into the 18th century, interrupted only by the Irish Rebellion of 1641 . This Rebellion was initially led by Sir Phelim O'Neill ( Irish : Sir Féilim Ó Néill ), and
680-837: Is a noted scenic route. Belfast is also connected with Carrickfergus and Larne Harbour , Portadown , Newry and onwards, via the Enterprise service jointly operated by NIR and Iarnród Éireann , to Dublin Connolly . The main railway lines linking to and from Belfast Grand Central and Belfast Lanyon Place are: Only five Irish counties, all in Southern and Western Ulster, currently have no mainline railway. The historic Great Northern Railway of Ireland connected them. They are Cavan, Monaghan, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Donegal. A plan to re-link Sligo and Derry through Donegal has been postponed until at least 2030. Most people in Ulster speak English. English
765-681: Is a possible railway re-opening from Portadown railway station to Armagh railway station in the future. Government Minister for the Department for Regional Development , Danny Kennedy MLA indicates railway restoration plans of the line from Portadown to Armagh . Ulsterbus provides the most extensive public transport system within the county, including frequent bus transfers daily from most towns to Belfast. Northern Ireland Railways / Iarnród Éireann 's Enterprise service provides connections to Dublin in little over an hour and Belfast in little over forty minutes, several times daily. County Armagh
850-1023: Is in County Donegal, as are the sixth-highest (601 metres (1,972 ft)) sea cliffs in Europe, at Slieve League , and the province's largest island, Arranmore . The most easterly point in Ireland is also in Ulster, in County Down , and the most westerly point in the UK is in County Fermanagh . The longest river in the British Isles, the Shannon , rises at the Shannon Pot in County Cavan with underground tributaries from County Fermanagh. Volcanic activity in eastern Ulster led to
935-639: Is located at Aldergrove , 11.5 miles northwest of Belfast near Antrim . George Best Belfast City Airport (sometimes referred to as "the City Airport" or "the Harbour Airport") is another, smaller airport which is located at Sydenham in Belfast. The City of Derry Airport is located at Eglinton , 13 kilometres (8 mi) east of the city of Derry . There is also Donegal Airport ( Irish : Aerfort Dhún na nGall ), popularly known as Carrickfinn Airport, which
SECTION 10
#17330943079021020-479: Is located in The Rosses . Railway lines are run by NI Railways (NIR). Belfast to Bangor and Belfast to Lisburn are strategically the most important routes on the network with the greatest number of passengers and largest profit margins. The Belfast-Derry railway line connecting Derry~Londonderry railway station , via Coleraine , Ballymoney , Ballymena and Antrim , with Lanyon Place and Belfast Grand Central
1105-538: Is named after its county town , Armagh , which derives from the Irish Ard Mhacha , meaning "Macha's height". Macha was a sovereignty goddess in Irish mythology and is said to have been buried on a wooded hill around which the town of Armagh grew. County Armagh is colloquially known as the "Orchard County" because of its many apple orchards. The county covers an area of 1,327 km (512 sq mi), making it
1190-525: Is not infrequent in the months November to February. Snow rarely lies for longer than a few hours even in the elevated south-east of the county. Summers are mild and wet and although with sunshine often interspersed with showers, daylight lasts for almost 18 hours during high-summer. On 22 July 2021 the record for highest outside air temperature ever measured in Northern Ireland was set in Armagh City when
1275-792: Is now demarcated by 11 districts. Counties shaded in grey are in the Republic of Ireland. Counties shaded in pink are in Northern Ireland. Settlements in Ulster with at least 14,000 inhabitants, listed in order of population: The GDP of the province of Ulster is around €50 billion. Salary levels are the lowest on the island of Ireland. The biggest lake in the British Isles , Lough Neagh , lies in eastern Ulster. The province's highest point, Slieve Donard (848 metres (2,782 ft)), stands in County Down. The most northerly point in Ireland, Malin Head ,
1360-508: Is one of the four traditional or historic Irish provinces . It is made up of nine counties : six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom ); the remaining three are in the Republic of Ireland . It is the second-largest (after Munster ) and second-most populous (after Leinster ) of Ireland's four traditional provinces, with Belfast being its biggest city. Unlike
1445-459: Is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland . It is located in the province of Ulster and adjoins the southern shore of Lough Neagh . It borders the Northern Irish counties of Tyrone to the west and Down to the east. The county borders Louth and Monaghan to the south and southwest, which are in the Republic of Ireland . It
1530-529: Is taught in all schools in the province; Irish ( Gaeilge ) is taught in all schools in the counties that are part of the Republic, and in schools in Northern Ireland, almost exclusively in the Roman Catholic and Irish-medium sectors. In responses to the 2001 census in Northern Ireland 10% of the population had "some knowledge of Irish" and 4.7% could "speak, read, write and understand" Irish. Large parts of County Donegal are Gaeltacht areas where Irish
1615-473: Is the first language and some people in west Belfast also speak Irish, especially in the "Gaeltacht Quarter". The dialect of Irish most commonly spoken in Ulster (especially throughout Northern Ireland and County Donegal) is Gaeilge Thír Chonaill or Donegal Irish, also known as Gaeilge Uladh or Ulster Irish . Donegal Irish has many similarities to Scottish Gaelic . Polish is the third most common language. Ulster Scots dialects , sometimes known by
1700-654: Is traversed by the Ulster Canal and the Newry Canal which are not fully open to navigation. In association football, the NIFL Premiership , which operates as the top division, has one team in the county: Glenavon , with Portadown , Annagh United , Armagh City , Dollingstown , Loughgall and Lurgan Celtic competing in the NIFL Championship , which operates as levels two and three. The Armagh County Board of
1785-701: Is traversed by two major highways – the M1 linking Belfast to Dungannon crosses the north of the county whilst the A1/N1 from Belfast to Dublin runs in the far south east. Other major roads in the county include the A3 and A29 . Armagh once had a well-developed railway network with connections to, among others, Armagh City, Culloville , Goraghwood , Markethill , Vernersbridge , Tynan (see History of rail transport in Ireland ) but today only Newry (Bessbrook) , Portadown , Poyntzpass , Scarva , and Lurgan are served by rail. There
SECTION 20
#17330943079021870-710: The Táin Bó Cúailnge . According to historian Francis John Byrne the Ulaid 'possibly still ruled directly in Louth as far as the Boyne in the early seventh century' when Congal Cáech made a bid for the kingship of Tara . In 637, the Battle of Moira , known archaically as the Battle of Magh Rath, was fought by the Gaelic High King of Ireland Domhnall II against his foster son King Congal Cáech of Ulster, supported by his ally Domhnall
1955-607: The tír or 'land' (a word borrowed from Irish) of the Ulaidh ; this was then taken into English as Ullister or Ulvester , and later contracted to Ulster . Another, less probable explanation is that the suffix - ster represents the Old Norse element staðr ('place'), found in names like Lybster and Scrabster in Scotland. Ulster is still known as Cúige Uladh in Irish, meaning
2040-617: The Church of Ireland (Anglicans, who practised the British state religion and had rights denied to both Presbyterians and Roman Catholics), notably the " Battle of the Diamond " in 1795, a faction fight between the rival " Defenders " (Roman Catholic) and " Peep O'Day Boys " (Anglican), which led to over 100 deaths and to the founding of the Orange Order . This event, and many others like it, came about with
2125-675: The Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA organises Gaelic games in the county. 54°21′00″N 6°39′17″W / 54.3499°N 6.6546°W / 54.3499; -6.6546 Ulster a. ^ The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency census of 2021 results (1,903,100) combined with the preliminary results of 2022 census of Ireland for Ulster (part of; 314,076). Ulster ( / ˈ ʌ l s t ər / ; Irish : Ulaidh [ˈʊlˠiː, ˈʊlˠə] or Cúige Uladh [ˌkuːɟə ˈʊlˠə, - ˈʊlˠuː] ; Ulster Scots : Ulstèr or Ulster )
2210-568: The Gaeltacht Quarter, Belfast . Ulster-Scots is also spoken extensively in Counties Antrim, Down, Londonderry, Tyrone and Donegal. Lough Neagh , in the east, is the largest lake in the British Isles , while Lough Erne in the west is one of its largest lake networks. The main mountain ranges are the Mournes , Sperrins , Croaghgorms and Derryveagh Mountains . Historically, Ulster lay at
2295-723: The IRA , earning it the nickname "Bandit Country". South Armagh is predominantly nationalist , with much of the population being opposed to any form of British presence, especially that of a military nature. The most prominent opposition to British rule was the Provisional IRA South Armagh Brigade . On 10 March 2009, the CIRA claimed responsibility for the fatal shooting of a PSNI officer in Craigavon , County Armagh—the first police fatality in Northern Ireland since 1998. The officer
2380-623: The New Model Army , the aim of which was to expel all native Irish to the province of Connaught . Forty years later, in 1688–1691, the Williamite War was fought, the belligerents of which were the Williamites and Jacobites . The war was partly due to a dispute over who was the rightful claimant to the British Throne , and thus the supreme monarch of the nascent British Empire . However,
2465-553: The Nine Years' War (1594–1603). King James I then colonised Ulster with English-speaking Protestant settlers from Great Britain, in the Plantation of Ulster . This led to the founding of many of Ulster's towns. The inflow of Protestant settlers and migrants also led to bouts of sectarian violence with Catholics, notably during the 1641 rebellion and the Armagh disturbances . Along with
2550-648: The Norman invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century, eastern Ulster was conquered by the Anglo-Normans and became the Earldom of Ulster . By the late fourteenth century the Earldom had collapsed and the O'Neill dynasty had come to dominate most of Ulster, claiming the title King of Ulster . Ulster became the most thoroughly Gaelic and independent of Ireland's provinces. Its rulers resisted English encroachment but were defeated in
2635-687: The Ulster Cycle , as well as the Cattle Raid of Cooley . However, they were eventually driven out of the area by the Three Collas, who invaded in the 4th century and held power until the 12th. The Clan Colla ruled the area known as Airghialla or Oriel for these 800 years. 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
North Armagh - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-524: The Ulster Cycle . The archaeology of Ulster, formerly called Ulandia, gives examples of "ritual enclosures", such as the Giant's Ring near Belfast, which is an earth bank about 590 feet (180 m) in diameter and 15 feet (4.5 m) high, in the centre of which there is a dolmen . The Boyne and its tributary the Blackwater were the traditional southern boundary of the province of Ulster and appear as such in
2805-470: The United Irishmen and against Roman Catholic and Protestant republicans throughout the province. In 1798 the United Irishmen, led by Henry Joy McCracken , launched a rebellion in Ulster, mostly supported by Presbyterians. But the British authorities swiftly put down the rebellion and employed severe repression after the fighting had ended. In the wake of the failure of this rebellion , and following
2890-497: The neologism Ullans , are also spoken in Counties Down, Antrim, Londonderry and Donegal. Ulster is one of the four Irish provinces . Its name derives from the Irish language Cúige Uladh ( pronounced [ˌkuːɟə ˈʊlˠə] ), meaning 'fifth of the Ulaidh ', named for the ancient inhabitants of the region. The province's early story extends further back than written records and survives mainly in legends such as
2975-444: The 18th century saw a calming of sectarian tensions in Ulster. The economy of the province improved, as small producers exported linen and other goods. Belfast developed from a village into a bustling provincial town. However, this did not stop many thousands of Ulster people from emigrating to British North America in this period, where they became known as " Scots Irish " or " Scotch-Irish ". Political tensions resurfaced, albeit in
3060-407: The 19th century. Ulster Protestants usually opposed Home Rule — fearing for their religious rights calling it "Rome Rule" in an autonomous Roman Catholic-dominated Ireland and also not trusting politicians from the agrarian south and west to support the more industrial economy of Ulster. This lack of trust, however, was largely unfounded as during the 19th and early 20th century important industries in
3145-1030: The 2021 Census, County Armagh recorded a population of 194,394. It is one of four counties in Northern Ireland with a Catholic majority, with 58% of the population coming from a Catholic community background. Around 10% of the population was born outside the United Kingdom and Ireland, mainly immigrants from the European Union and concentrated in the Craigavon urban area ( Lurgan , Portadown and Craigavon ). (population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2001 Census) (population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2001 Census) (population of 4,500 or more and under 10,000 at 2001 Census) (population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2001 Census) (population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2001 Census) (population of fewer than 1,000 at 2001 Census) Baronies Parishes Townlands County Armagh
3230-537: The American identity. In the United States Census, 2000 , 4.3 million Americans claimed Scots-Irish ancestry. The areas where the most Americans reported themselves in the 2000 Census only as "American" with no further qualification (e.g. Kentucky , north-central Texas , and many other areas in the Southern US ) are largely the areas where many Scots-Irish settled, and are in complementary distribution with
3315-542: The Earls ) to Roman Catholic Europe. This allowed the English Crown to plant Ulster with more loyal English and Scottish planters , a process which began in earnest in 1610. The Plantation of Ulster ( Irish : Plandáil Uladh ) was the organised colonisation (or plantation ) of Ulster by people from Great Britain (especially Presbyterians from Scotland ). Private plantation by wealthy landowners began in 1606, while
3400-618: The Freckled ( Irish : Domhnall Brecc ) of Dalriada . The battle was fought near the Woods of Killultagh, just outside the village of Moira in what would become County Down. It was allegedly the largest battle ever fought on the island of Ireland, and resulted in the death of Congal and the retreat of Domhnall Brecc. In early medieval Ireland, a branch of the Northern Uí Néill , the Cenél nEógain of
3485-401: The North American colonies throughout the 18th century (160,000 settled in what would become the United States between 1717 and 1770 alone). Disdaining (or forced out of) the heavily English regions on the Atlantic coast, most groups of Ulster-Scots settlers crossed into the "western mountains", where their descendants populated the Appalachian regions and the Ohio Valley . Here they lived on
North Armagh - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-401: The ROI 2011 Census for counties Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan, there is a Roman Catholic majority over Protestant of 50.8% to 42.7%. While the traditional counties continue to demarcate areas of local government in the Republic of Ireland , this is no longer the case in Northern Ireland. Since 1974, the traditional counties have a ceremonial role only. Local government in Northern Ireland
3655-508: The Ulster Plantation were considerably affected by the existence of British colonies in the Americas, which served as a more attractive destination for many potential emigrants. The official reason for the Plantation is said to have been to pay for the costly Nine Years' War , but this view was not shared by all in the English government of the time, most notably the English Crown -appointed Attorney-General for Ireland in 1609, Sir John Davies : A barbarous country must be first broken by
3740-490: The Ulsterman'. Northern Ireland is often referred to as Ulster , despite including only six of Ulster's nine counties. This usage is most common among people in Northern Ireland who are unionist , although it is also used by the media throughout the United Kingdom. Some Irish nationalists object to the use of Ulster in this context. Ulster has a population of just over two million people and an area of 22,067 square kilometres (8,520 sq mi). About 62% of
3825-430: The Union with Britain; mostly, but not exclusively, Protestant) and nationalist (advocates of repeal of the 1800 Act of Union, usually, though not exclusively, Roman Catholic). Northern Ireland's current politics originate from these late 19th century disputes over Home Rule that would have devolved some powers of government to Ireland. At least a dozen large scale sectarian disturbances/riots occurred in Belfast during
3910-399: The area of Ulster is in the UK while the remaining 38% is in the Republic of Ireland. Ulster's biggest city, Belfast , has an urban population of over half a million inhabitants, making it the second-largest city on the island of Ireland and the 10th largest urban area in the UK. Six of Ulster's nine counties , Antrim , Armagh , Down , Fermanagh , Londonderry and Tyrone , including
3995-402: The areas which most heavily report Scots-Irish ancestry. According to the Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups, 400,000 people in the US were of Irish birth or ancestry in 1790 when the first US Census counted 3,100,000 white Americans. According to the encyclopaedia, half of these Irish Americans were descended from Ulster, and half from the other three provinces of Ireland. Most of
4080-407: The capital of the Ulaid kings (who give their name to Ulster ) and is believed to be the high place from which the county takes its name. From its highest point at Slieve Gullion , in the south of the county, Armagh's land falls away from its rugged south with Carrigatuke, Lislea and Camlough mountains, to rolling drumlin country in the middle and west of the county and finally flatlands in
4165-445: The city of Newry , notable towns in the county include Lurgan , Portadown and Craigavon . The name Armagh derives from the Irish Ard Macha , meaning Macha's height / Macha's high place . Macha is a mythological figure who is mentioned in The Book of the Taking of Ireland . Macha is also said to have been responsible for the construction of the hill site of Emain Macha (now Navan Fort near Armagh City ) to serve as
4250-520: The core of the Newry and Armagh constituency represented at Westminster and the Newry and Armagh constituency represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly . County Armagh also remains as a district for legal and property purposes; however, its baronies no longer have any administrative use. The -XZ suffix is currently used on vehicle registration plates for vehicles registered in County Armagh. Other suffixes have been -IB and -LZ. These marks are followed by up to four numbers, e.g., JLZ 6789 As of
4335-450: The county's northern boundary. There are also a number of uninhabited islands in the county's section of Lough Neagh: Coney Island Flat, Croaghan Flat, Padian, Phil Roe's Flat and the Shallow Flat. Despite lying in the east of Ireland, Armagh enjoys an oceanic climate strongly influenced by the Gulf Stream with damp mild winters, and temperate, wet summers. Overall temperatures rarely drop below freezing during daylight hours, though frost
SECTION 50
#17330943079024420-404: The early thirteenth-century through to the beginning of the seventeenth-century. The O'Donnells ruled over Tír Chonaill (most of modern County Donegal) in West Ulster. After the Norman invasion of Ireland in the twelfth century, the east of the province fell by conquest to Norman barons, first De Courcy (died 1219), then Hugh de Lacy (1176–1243), who founded the Earldom of Ulster based on
4505-418: The east of modern Ulster until the Norman invasion in the late 12th century. It would only once more become a province of Ireland in the mid-14th century after the collapse of the Norman Earldom of Ulster , when the O'Neills who had come to dominate the Northern Uí Néill stepped into the power vacuum and staked a claim for the first time the title of "king of Ulster" along with the Red Hand of Ulster symbol. It
4590-439: The exception of the Williamite strongholds at Derry and at Enniskillen in Ulster. The Jacobites besieged Derry from December 1688 to July 1689, ending when a Williamite army from Britain relieved the city. The Williamites based in Enniskillen defeated another Jacobite army at the battle of Newtownbutler on 28 July 1689. Thereafter, Ulster remained firmly under Williamite control and William's forces completed their conquest of
4675-459: The formation of the Antrim Plateau and the Giant's Causeway , one of Ireland's three UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Ulster also has a significant drumlin belt. The geographical centre of Ulster lies between the villages of Pomeroy and Carrickmore in County Tyrone. In terms of area, County Donegal is the largest county in all of Ulster. The province's main airport is Belfast International Airport (popularly called Aldergrove Airport), which
4760-438: The former parliamentary boroughs of Belfast and Londonderry , form Northern Ireland which remained part of the United Kingdom after the partition of Ireland in 1921. Three Ulster counties – Cavan , Donegal and Monaghan – form part of the Republic of Ireland . About half of Ulster's population lives in counties Antrim and Down. Across the nine counties, according to the aggregate UK 2011 Census for Northern Ireland, and
4845-430: The frontiers of America, carving their own world out of the wilderness. The Scots-Irish soon became the dominant culture of the Appalachians from Pennsylvania to Georgia . Author (and US Senator) Jim Webb puts forth a thesis in his book Born Fighting to suggest that the character traits he ascribes to the Scots-Irish such as loyalty to kin, mistrust of governmental authority, and a propensity to bear arms, helped shape
4930-401: The gradual abolition of official religious discrimination after the Act of Union in 1800, Presbyterians came to identify more with the State and with their Anglican neighbours, due to their civil rights now being respected by both the state and their Anglican neighbours. The 1859 Ulster Revival was a major Christian revival that spread throughout Ulster. In the 19th century, Ulster had
5015-433: The heart of the Gaelic world made up of Gaelic Ireland , Scotland and the Isle of Man . According to tradition, in ancient Ireland it was one of the fifths ( Irish : cúige ) ruled by a rí ruirech , or 'king of over-kings'. It is named after the overkingdom of Ulaid , in the east of the province, which was in turn named after the Ulaid folk. The other overkingdoms in Ulster were Airgíalla and Ailech . After
5100-410: The indigenous Irish) and Presbyterians (mainly descended from Scottish colonists) both suffered discrimination under the Penal Laws , which gave full political rights only to Anglican Protestants (mostly descended from English settlers). In the 1690s, Scottish Presbyterians became a majority in Ulster, due to a large influx of them into the Province. Considerable numbers of Ulster-Scots emigrated to
5185-415: The linen trade. Estimates suggest that up to 7000 Roman Catholics suffered expulsion from Ulster during this violence. Many of them settled in northern Connacht . These refugees' linguistic influence still survives in the dialects of Irish spoken in County Mayo , which have many similarities to Ulster Irish not found elsewhere in Connacht. Loyalist militias, primarily Anglicans , also used violence against
SECTION 60
#17330943079025270-454: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Armagh&oldid=933020471 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages County Armagh County Armagh ( Irish : Contae Ard Mhacha [ɑːɾˠd̪ˠ ˈwaxə] )
5355-487: The modern counties of Antrim and Down. In the 1600s Ulster was the last redoubt of the traditional Gaelic way of life, and following the defeat of the Irish forces in the Nine Years War (1594–1603) at the battle of Kinsale (1601), Elizabeth I 's English forces succeeded in subjugating Ulster and all of Ireland. The Gaelic leaders of Ulster, the O'Neills and O'Donnells , finding their power under English suzerainty limited, decamped en masse in 1607 (the Flight of
5440-426: The north where rolling flats and small hills reach sea level at Lough Neagh . County Armagh's boundary with Louth is marked by the rugged Ring of Gullion rising in the south of the county whilst much of its boundary with counties Monaghan and Down goes unnoticed with seamless continuance of drumlins and small lakes. The River Blackwater marks the border with County Tyrone and Lough Neagh otherwise marks out
5525-415: The official Colony. However, most of the counties, including the most heavily colonised Counties Antrim and Down , were privately colonised. These counties, though not officially designated as subject to Plantation , had suffered violent depopulation during the previous wars and proved attractive to Private Colonialists from nearby Britain. The efforts to attract colonists from England and Scotland to
5610-433: The official plantation controlled by King James I of England (who was also King James VI of Scots) began in 1609. All land owned by Irish chieftains, the Ó Neills and Ó Donnells (along with those of their supporters), who fought against the English Crown in the Nine Years War , were confiscated and used to settle the colonists. The Counties Tyrconnell , Tyrone , Fermanagh , Cavan , Coleraine and Armagh comprised
5695-443: The only large-scale industrialisation and became the most prosperous province on the island. In the latter part of the century, Belfast briefly overtook Dublin as the island's largest city. Belfast became famous in this period for its huge dockyards and shipbuilding – and notably for the construction of the RMS Titanic . Sectarian divisions in Ulster became hardened into the political categories of unionist (supporters of
5780-458: The other provinces, Ulster has a high percentage of Protestants , making up almost half of its population. English is the main language and Ulster English the main dialect. A minority also speak Irish, and there are Gaeltachtaí (Irish-speaking regions) in County Donegal which is home to a quarter of the total Gaeltacht population of the Republic of Ireland. There are also large Irish-speaking networks in southern County Londonderry and in
5865-427: The province (literally 'fifth') of the Ulaidh . Ulaidh has historically been anglicised as Ulagh or Ullagh and Latinised as Ulidia or Ultonia . The latter two have yielded the terms Ulidian and Ultonian . The Irish word for someone or something from Ulster is Ultach , and this can be found in the surnames MacNulty, MacAnulty, and Nulty, which all derive from Mac an Ultaigh , meaning 'son of
5950-436: The province of Ailech , gradually eroded the territory of the province of Ulaidh until it lay east of the River Bann . The Cenél nEógain would make Tír Eóghain (most of which forms modern County Tyrone ) their base. Among the High Kings of Ireland were Áed Findliath (died 879), Niall Glúndub (died 919), and Domnall ua Néill (died 980), all of the Cenél nEógain. The province of Ulaidh would survive restricted to
6035-419: The purposes of ISO 3166-2:IE , Ulster is used to refer to the three counties of Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan only, which are given country sub-division code "IE-U". The name is also used by various organisations such as cultural and sporting bodies. Ulster's name ultimately derives from the Ulaidh , a group of tribes that once dwelt in this part of Ireland. The Norsemen knew the province as Ulaztir ,
6120-451: The relaxation of the Penal Laws and Roman Catholics began to be allowed to purchase land and involve themselves in the linen trade (activities which previously had involved many onerous restrictions). Protestants, including some Presbyterians, who in some parts of the province had come to identify with the Roman Catholic community, used violence to intimidate Roman Catholics who tried to enter
6205-574: The rest of Ireland in the next two years. The war provided Protestant loyalists with the iconic victories of the Siege of Derry , the Battle of the Boyne (1 July 1690) and the Battle of Aughrim (12 July 1691), all of which the Orange Order commemorate each year. The Williamites' victory in this war ensured British rule in Ireland for over 200 years. The Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland excluded most of Ulster's population from having any Civil power on religious grounds. Roman Catholics (descended from
6290-699: The rest of Ireland, Ulster became part of the United Kingdom in 1801. In the early twentieth century, moves towards Irish self-rule were opposed by many Ulster Protestants , sparking the Home Rule Crisis . In the last all Ireland election ( 1918 Irish general election ) counties Donegal and Monaghan returned large Sinn Féin ( nationalist ) majorities. Sinn Féin candidates ran unopposed in Cavan. Fermanagh and Tyrone had Sinn Féin/Nationalist Party ( Irish Parliamentary Party ) majorities. The other four Counties of Ulster had Unionist Party majorities. The home rule crisis and
6375-418: The smallest of Northern Ireland's six counties by size and the sixth-smallest county on the island of Ireland. With a population of 194,394 as of the 2021 census , it is the fourth-most populous county in both Northern Ireland and Ulster. It is the 10th most populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties, as well as the fifth-most densely populated. In addition to the city of Armagh and the western portion of
6460-712: The southernmost region of Cork included brewing, distilling, wool and like Belfast, shipbuilding. Thousands of unionists, led by the Dublin-born barrister Sir Edward Carson and James Craig , signed the " Ulster Covenant " of 1912 pledging to resist Home Rule. This movement also set up the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). In April 1914, the UVF assisted with the landing of 30,000 German rifles with 3,000,000 rounds at Larne by blockading authorities. (See Larne gunrunning ). The Curragh Incident showed it would be difficult to use
6545-520: The subsequent Irish War of Independence led to the partition of Ireland under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 . Six Ulster counties became Northern Ireland, a self-governing territory within the United Kingdom, while the rest of Ireland became the Irish Free State , now the Republic of Ireland. The term Ulster has no official function for local government purposes in either state. However, for
6630-686: The war was also a part of the greater War of the Grand Alliance , fought between King Louis XIV of France and his allies, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance , led by Prince William of Orange and Emperor Leopold I of the Holy Roman Empire , supported by the Vatican and many other states. The Grand Alliance was a cross-denominational alliance designed to stop French eastward colonialist expansion under Louis XIV, with whom King James II
6715-558: Was allied. The majority of Irish people were "Jacobites" and supported James II due to his 1687 Declaration of Indulgence or, as it is also known, The Declaration for the Liberty of Conscience, that granted religious freedom to all denominations in England and Scotland and also due to James II's promise to the Irish Parliament of an eventual right to self-determination . However, James II
6800-608: Was deposed in the Glorious Revolution , and the majority of Ulster Colonialists ( Williamites ) backed William of Orange . Both the Williamite and Jacobite armies were religiously mixed; William of Orange's own elite forces, the Dutch Blue Guards had a papal banner with them during the invasion, many of them being Dutch Roman Catholics. At the start of the war, Irish Jacobites controlled most of Ireland for James II, with
6885-589: 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
6970-506: Was fatally shot by a sniper as he and a colleague investigated "suspicious activity" at a house nearby when a window was smashed by youths causing the occupant to phone the police. The PSNI officers responded to the emergency call, giving a CIRA sniper the chance to shoot and kill officer Stephen Carroll. The county was administered by Armagh County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. County Armagh remains officially used for purposes such as
7055-516: Was intended to overthrow British rule rapidly, but quickly degenerated into attacks on colonists, in which dispossessed Irish slaughtered thousands of the colonists. In the ensuing wars (1641–1653, fought against the background of civil war in England, Scotland and Ireland), Ulster became a battleground between the Colonialists and the native Irish. In 1646, an Irish army under command by Owen Roe O'Neill ( Irish : Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill ) inflicted
7140-523: 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 . St. Patrick is considered the first bishop of the Diocese of Armagh. County Armagh is presently one of four counties of Northern Ireland to have
7225-513: Was then that the provinces of Ailech, Airgialla, and Ulaidh would all merge largely into what would become the modern province of Ulster. Domnall Ua Lochlainn (died 1121) and Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn (died 1166) were of this dynasty. The Meic Lochlainn were in 1241 overthrown by their kin, the clan Ó Néill (see O'Neill dynasty ). The Ó Néill's were from then on established as Ulster's most powerful Gaelic family. The Ó Domhnaill ( O'Donnell ) dynasty were Ulster's second most powerful clan from
#901098