Armagh
Armagh, a district of Northern Ireland established in 1974, is a part of a former county of the same name. Bordering the Republic of Ireland on the south, Armagh has an area of 674 sq km (260 sq mi) and a population of 49,200 (1988 est.). The district town, also called Armagh, has been ecclesiastical center of Ireland since the 5th century when SAINT PATRICK is said to have founded his first mission settlement there; it is the seat of both the Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland archbishops. Apples and strawberries are grown in the district's northern lowlands, but its once important linen mills are nearly all closed. Inhabited since prehistoric times, Armagh was an important political, religious, and cultural center during the Middle Ages. The area prospered during the 18th century, and the several buildings and monuments erected during this period attract tourists.