Nightlife in Armagh

Aussie-themed Ulhuru Bar & Grill on Market Square is one of our favourite spots to grab a drink in Armagh. The open, well-stocked bar is a welcoming place to work your way through their beer and wine menu, while their food – a mix of European and Australian classics – is excellent.

Eating and drinking go hand-in-hand in Armagh, with Toni’s Bar & Grill and Groucho’s Cafe Bar blending top-notch food with a lively bar, perfect for pre- and post-dinner cocktails and drinks.

Viva Bar on Lower English Street is the place to come for live music. The small, intimate venue is always buzzing with a cool crowd and a broad spectrum of live bands covering funk, soul, traditional Irish music, indie and rock and roll.

If you only visit one pub in Armagh, make sure it’s The Hole in the Wall. The 400-year-old pub has plenty of history on its side, including a spell as a jail and – reputedly – a friendly resident ghost called Wilfy. Into the modern-day, the Market Street pub was voted the best pub in Northern Ireland and is a reliably raucous venue that pours an excellent pint of Guinness.

Another trusty highlight is Red Neds a few streets away on Ogle Street. The 104-year-old pub has one of the best drink collections in town, including 20 Irish whiskeys (and their own Red Neds Malt), plus six flat screens showing the latest sport and live music sessions every Friday and Saturday night.

Keegan’s Bar around the corner on Irish Street is another traditional pub with tasty home-cooked food, a cosy dark wood interior and a wide range of drinks.

Heading out of Armagh town centre, McConville’s in nearby Portadown is well worth a visit, if only for the fun Titanic trivia. A fixture in County Armagh since the 1800s, the bar is modelled on a design from the Titanic (which was built over the mountains in Belfast). If you can, grab a table in the snug and press the button on the table which will tell the bar staff that your glass is empty and needs refilling.