The Mall (Armagh) — Days Out NI

A stroll to build a whole day around

The Mall itself is a simple pleasure — a flat, paved promenade around a wide green, with an avenue of mature trees for shade and Georgian terraces looking on from every side. It takes about an hour to walk the full loop at a gentle pace, longer if you stop on a bench with a picnic. Because it sits right in the heart of Armagh, it works best as the calm centre of a bigger day out. At the eastern end is the free Armagh County Museum, housed in a classical building that looks like a small Greek temple — a good, dry stop for all ages. From there it's a short walk up into the city to the two St Patrick's cathedrals (Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic), and the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium is close by for a rainier day. Rain suits Armagh, too: the Georgian stone and the wet paths take on a real glow, and the museum is right there when you want a roof.

Free & open access Flat, paved walk Free County Museum at the end Summer cricket on the green City-centre location

Good to know before you go:

The Mall is a public green with no set hours or ticket. The Armagh County Museum at the eastern end keeps its own opening hours — check the museum's page before you travel if you want to go inside.

What to wear & bring

👟Comfortable shoesThe promenade is flat and paved — easy going for buggies and little legs alike.

🧥A layerOpen green, so a coat or jumper covers a breeze or a passing shower.

🧺A picnicBenches under the trees are made for it on a bright day.

👒A hat & waterFor a sunny stroll, with plenty of shade under the avenue of trees.

Cricket on the green & city events

In summer the green is the home of Armagh Cricket Club, who have played on The Mall since the 1860s — on a warm weekend you can watch a match unfold across the grass with the cathedral spires behind. The Mall is also a favourite gathering space for Armagh's civic and seasonal events through the year. It's worth checking Visit Armagh for what's on before you travel, so you can time a match or an event if you'd like one.

Good to know

Everything before you go

Cost: Free
Opening: Open-access public green — walk it any time. The County Museum keeps its own hours (check locally).
Best for ages: All ages — an easy stroll, a picnic, and a museum to duck into
What you'll see: Tree-lined promenade, wide green, Georgian terraces, civic buildings, war memorial, cricket ground, and the free County Museum at the eastern end
Accessibility: Flat, paved promenade — buggy and wheelchair friendly around the main path
Dogs: Welcome on a lead around the promenade — check locally for any restrictions on the green itself
How long to allow: About an hour for the walk; a few hours with the museum and the wider city
Location: The Mall, in the centre of Armagh (BT61)
Official website: visitarmagh.com (Visit Armagh / County Museum)

Questions

Before you go

Is it free?

Yes — The Mall is a free, open-access public green you can walk any time. The County Museum at the eastern end is also free to enter.

How long does it take?

About an hour to stroll the full loop at a gentle pace, or a few hours if you pair it with the County Museum and the wider Georgian city.

Is there parking?

It's in the centre of Armagh, so use the city-centre car parks and on-street parking nearby — check the signs locally for current charges and times.

Is it suitable for buggies and wheelchairs?

The promenade is flat and paved, which makes the main path easy going for buggies and wheelchairs.

Can we bring the dog?

Dogs on a lead are welcome around the promenade. Check locally for any restrictions on the cricket green itself.

What is there to do here?

Stroll the tree-lined promenade, look at the Georgian terraces and war memorial, watch summer cricket on the green, and visit the free County Museum at the end — then walk up into the city for the two cathedrals.

Getting there

The Mall is right in the centre of Armagh (BT61), a short walk from the city's shops and cathedrals. Use the city-centre car parks and on-street parking nearby. Tap below for the official page or turn-by-turn directions.

Official website Directions on Google Maps See it on our map

Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out in ArmaghSee what else is close by The best parks & green walks in NIBrowse the full collection

The story

From racecourse to Georgian promenade

The Mall is said to have started life as common ground on the edge of Armagh — a place for horse racing and rougher public sport through the earlier 1700s. An 18th-century map of the city even marks the words "the horse course" across the open ground, which is why the green is so often described as a former racecourse.

Its change into the elegant walk you see today is tied to Archbishop Richard Robinson, the Church of Ireland Primate who remodelled much of Georgian Armagh. In the 1770s the common land was set aside to be laid out as a public mall, and over the following decades the fine Georgian terraces and civic buildings grew up around it — the courthouse at one end, the gaol at the other, and rows of handsome townhouses looking onto the green.

Cricket arrived in the 1800s: Armagh Cricket Club, founded in 1859, took a lease on The Mall in the early 1860s and has played on the green ever since, which is why a summer visit can still catch a match on the grass. At the eastern end, the classical building of the Armagh County Museum — one of the oldest county museums in Ireland — anchors the walk. Together they make The Mall what it is today: a calm, green heart to one of Ireland's most complete Georgian cities.