Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council

Armagh City is the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland and is the seat of the Archbishops of Armagh, the Primates of all Ireland for both the Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland.

The City has long been an administrative centre with authorities such as the Education Authority and Health Board having facilities within the city which also plays host to the North South Ministerial Council, one of the key cross-border institutions established as part of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Council have joined the INT-HERIT Project due to the rich architectural heritage that is found within Armagh City and the need to ensure that this heritage is not lost. Much of this can be traced back to the 18th Century, when Richard Robinson was Archbishop of Armagh and founded the Public Library, the Observatory, Armagh Gaol and Armagh County Infirmary. Whilst most of these buildings are occupied and in reasonable condition, some of these remain vacant and are at considerable risk of falling into disrepair.

The Armagh City Masterplan does contain proposals for tackling some of these issues but the project’s implementation challenges are all challenges that we face as a city and as the Local Authority responsible for the development and regeneration of the city.