Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. In Irish An Lorgain means "the shin", indicating a long low ridge. It was laid out as a "Plantation" town from 1610, with characteristic wide streets, and grew up as a market and linen-processing town. It become part of the commuter-belt for Belfast even in the 19th century when the railway arrived. In the 20th century Lurgan was badly afflicted by "The Troubles". A nearby New Town of Craigavon never entirely got built but Ulster's first motorway arrived. Lurgan has light industry and in 2011 its population was estimated as 25,093.
Get in
By train
By car
24 miles south west of Belfast off the M1.
Get around
By bicycle
Lurgan has a good network of bitumen cycle paths which are in most cases separate to the road network, and link Lurgan to the National Cycle network. These paths also link Lurgan to Lough Neagh, Craigavon Lake and Nearby Rushmere Shopping Centre.
See
- Market Street. is one of the widest main streets in Ireland.
- 1 Brownlow House (Lurgan Castle). built in 1833 with Scottish sandstone in an Elizabethan style
Do
- 1 Lurgan Park, Windsor Ave, ☏ +44 7766 740427. Walking distance from the town centre, features a large lake, home to swans and ducks. There are also many bitumen paths around the lake: that are suitable for walkers, runners and cyclists (of all fitness levels).
Buy
- 1 Ballydougan Pottery, Bloomvale House, 171 Plantation Road, Gilford, Craigavon, ☏ +44 28 3834 2201. which sells hand made kitchenware and giftware.
Eat
Lurgan has several small restaurants on the main street and a number of bakeries, coffee shops and take-aways.
- 1 Love Coffee, 48 High St, ☏ +44 28 3832 7092. coffee shop, stays open late on Thursday and Friday evenings, 19:45 to 22:00, during the summer.
Drink
Lurgan has a well established drinking culture with many local landmark public houses and clubs. Such treasures as the Ashburn Hotel, more popularly as "The 'Burn", with a regular club scene. There is a more traditional feel with Fa' Joes and the Cellar Bar on Market Street and a more modern feel with other bars on Lurgan's "Golden mile" from Queen Street to the Lough Road with The Courthouse and the International Bar.
Sleep
- 1 Ashburn Hotel, 81 William St, ☏ +44 28 3832 5711.
- 2 Glenmore Manor, 150 Lough Rd, ☏ +44 28 3832 4241.
- 3 Newforge House, 58 New Forge Rd, Magheralin, Craigavon BT67 0QL, ☏ +44 28 9261 1255, enquiries@newforgehouse.com. Excellent upscale hotel in Georgian mansion. Open Feb - mid-Dec. No dogs. B&B double from £160.