Armagh City (Ard Mhacha)

Ireland's ancient ecclesiastical capital, seat of St Patrick.

St Patrick founded his principal church on the hill of Armagh in the 5th century, and the city remains the spiritual capital of Ireland, with two cathedrals both named after him. Its name honours the goddess Macha of nearby Emain Macha.

At a glance

• Ecclesiastical capital of Ireland
• Founded by St Patrick, 5th century
• Two St Patrick's Cathedrals

In County Armagh

Armagh City is in County Armagh, Ard Mhacha in Irish, which means “Macha's height (the goddess Macha)”.

More in Armagh

• Navan Fort (Emain Macha) (Eamhain Mhacha): The legendary ancient capital of Ulster, home of the Red Branch Knights and Cú Chulainn's tales.
• Slieve Gullion (Sliabh gCuillinn): The highest point in County Armagh, ringed by an ancient volcanic landscape.

Other places of this kind

• The Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair): Sea cliffs located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region.
• Newgrange (Sí an Bhrú): A prehistoric monument in County Meath, older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids.
• The Giant's Causeway (Clochán an Aifir): Around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the Antrim coast, a UNESCO site wrapped in the legend of Finn McCool.
• Glendalough (Gleann Dá Loch): A beautiful glacial valley of two lakes, home to one of Ireland's most important early monastic settlements.
• The Rock of Cashel (Carraig Phádraig): A dramatic outcrop crowned with medieval buildings, once the seat of the kings of Munster.
• Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis): A great early monastery on the banks of the Shannon, once a renowned centre of learning.

The Irish name

The Irish form of Armagh City is Ard Mhacha. You can hear it spoken, and take apart names like it, in the Placename Explorer. The authoritative record for any Irish place-name is logainm.ie.