Armagh County Museum

Armagh County Museum collects, preserves, and interprets objects that reflect the lives, work, and experiences of the people associated with County Armagh. The collection spans all periods of history, showcasing the activities, interests, and concerns of its people.

The building was occupied since the 1850s by the Armagh Natural History and Philosophical Society occupied the building. In 1930, the premises and the Society’s museum were acquired by Armagh County Council. Armagh County Museum officially opened in 1937 as Ireland’s first county museum.

The museum’s collections are diverse, covering a wide range of periods and primarily focusing on County Armagh, though not exclusively. With over 350,000 objects, the collection is organized into five main subject areas: Art, Folk Life, Human History, Transport & Industry, and Natural Sciences.

The museum’s collection includes over 180 items related to sport, primarily consisting of documents, ephemera, and photographs, as well as eleven pieces of sports equipment. Notably, the collection features five examples of road bowls, a traditional sport played on rural roads, now mainly confined to the counties of Armagh and Cork. Additionally, there are books, programmes, pamphlets, and a trophy associated with the sport of road bowls.

The museum also holds a significant archive of photographs, newspaper clippings, and notes related to sports teams and activities in the mill village of Bessbrook, County Armagh. In addition, the collection includes minute books from local sports clubs, such as the Armagh Swimming Club (1936–1940), the Armagh Archery and Lawn Tennis Club (1922–1959), and the Loughgall Cricket Club scorebook (1868–1879). School sports are represented through photographs and football jerseys from local schools.