Markethill

The village sprang up within the townland of Coolmallish or Coolmillish ({{langx|ga|Cúil Mheallghuis}}),{{cite web |title=Cnoc an Mhargaidh/Markethill |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/136060 |access-date=15 November 2022 |website=Placenames Database of Ireland (logainm.ie)}} on the road between Armagh and Newry. It began to grow during the Plantation of Ulster as a town for Scottish and English migrants.

During the Troubles, there were a number of incidents in Markethill, including a number which resulted in fatalities.

• On 24 June 1979 an off-duty UDR soldier was shot dead by the IRA while at his home in Markethill, County Armagh.{{cite web |title=Cain – Sutton Index of Deaths – 1979 |url=https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1979.html |website=CAIN Archive – Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland. |publisher=CAIN |access-date=10 July 2022}}
• On 22 October 1982 an off-duty UDR soldier (Thomas Cochrane) was kidnapped while travelling to work, Glennane, near Markethill, County Armagh. Found shot dead at Lislea, near Camlough, County Armagh, seven days later on 29 October 1982.{{cite web |title=Cain – Sutton Index of Deaths – 1982 |url=https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1982.html |website=CAIN Archive – Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland. |publisher=CAIN |access-date=10 July 2022}}
• On 16 November 1982 the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) shot dead two RUC officers (Ronald Irwin and Snowdon Corkey) at a security barrier in Markethill. INLA members fired several shots from a car before turning around and escaping the village.{{Cite web|date=16 November 1982|title=The Glasgow Herald – "Gang leader dies as Ulster violence flares"|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IMJAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3276%2C3203369|access-date=2020-12-15|website=news.google.com}}
• On 8 September 1992 the IRA shot and critically wounded a Protestant civilian at his home near Markethill, County Armagh. Afterwards the IRA claimed he was a member of the British Army's Royal Irish Regiment.{{cite web |title=Cain – Sutton Index of Deaths – 1992 |url=https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/sutton/chron/1992.html |website=CAIN Archive – Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland. |publisher=CAIN |access-date=10 July 2022}}

Nearby Gosford Castle is within Gosford Forest Park. The Ministry of Agriculture bought the estate in 1958, establishing Gosford Forest Park. Gosford Castle is the largest Grade A listed building in Northern Ireland, in 2006 after public consultation the Boyd Partnership was selected to restore the castle and convert it into 24 self-contained luxury apartments. The first residents moved in December 2008, restoration is still in progress as of May 2010.

Markethill Courthouse, situated at the top of Main Street, at the north entrance to Markethill adjacent to Gosford Forest Park. Markethill Courthouse was built in 1842 to the designs of Thomas Duff, and is one of the few surviving large regional free standing Courthouses built in the middle century.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} The building is constructed of random Blackstone with Armagh limestone quoins and dressings. The building was last used as a courthouse in 1952, was purchased by Markethill District Enterprises Ltd in June 1997, after lying vacant for 25 years. The building was restored for use as a community centre.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}

Markethill is home to multiple different types of marching bands, each holding a parade in the town:

• Kilcluney Volunteers Flute Band{{Cite web |date=2023-05-31 |title=Participants and spectators urged to arrive at Markethill early ahead of big band parade |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/big-parade-of-around-70-bands-to-bring-thousands-to-streets-of-markethill-4161574 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=NorthernIrelandWorld |language=en}}
• Markethill Protestant Boys Flute Band{{Cite web |date=2024-04-29 |title=22 pictures as Markethill Protestant Boys Flute Band parade attracts big crowd |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/22-pictures-as-markethill-protestant-boys-flute-band-parade-attracts-big-crowd-4609287 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=NorthernIrelandWorld |language=en}}
• Mullaghbrack Accordion Band{{Cite web |date=2024-05-31 |title=Mullabrack Accordion Band parade in Markethill likely to attract a big crowd |url=https://www.northernirelandworld.com/news/people/mullabrack-accordion-band-parade-in-markethill-likely-to-attract-a-big-crowd-4648419 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=NorthernIrelandWorld |language=en}}
• Markethill Pipe Band{{Cite web |last=Mann |first=Scott |date=2024-09-25 |title=Markethill Pipe Band ‘back on the road’ after period of absence |url=https://armaghi.com/news/markethill-news/markethill-pipe-band-back-on-the-road-after-period-of-absence/251409 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Armagh I |language=en}}

Markethill Swifts F.C., an association football club, play in the Mid-Ulster Football League.

Markethill railway station opened on 25 August 1864, closed for passenger traffic on 1 February 1933 and finally closed altogether on 2 May 1955.{{cite web | title=Markethill station | work=Railscot – Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | access-date=2007-11-03 | archive-date=2 March 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302022802/http://www.railbrit.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | url-status=live }} It was located on the Armagh to Goraghwood section of line run by the Great Northern Railway of Ireland.

File:Markethill Railway Station - geograph.org.uk - 398213.jpg.]]

Markethill is classified as a village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (i.e. with population between 1,000 and 2,499 people).{{cite web | title = Review of the Statistical Classification and Delineation of Settlements | url = https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/review-of-the-statistical-classification-and-delineation-of-settlements-march-2015.pdf | date = March 2015 | publisher = Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) | access-date=5 May 2021 | url-status = live | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20180607070653/https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/review-of-the-statistical-classification-and-delineation-of-settlements-march-2015.pdf | archive-date = 7 June 2018}} On census day (27 March 2011) the usually resident population of Markethill Settlement was 1,647, accounting for 0.09% of the NI total. Of these:

• 22.53% were under 16 years old and 17.06% were aged 65 and above;
• 47.48% of the population were male and 52.52% were female; and
• 17.00% were from a Catholic community background and 77.9% were from a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' community background.

Schools in the area include Markethill Primary School and Markethill High School.

The first significant industrial capacity in the town was established in 1888 by DH Sinton who established a linen mill, close to the town's railway station.{{fact|date=October 2024}} The mill was purchased by Spence, Bryson & Co. Ltd in 1909 and remained operational until 1991 when it was badly damaged by an IRA bomb. Production at this point moved to a sister factory in nearby Portadown.

Today the area is largely focused on agriculture and is centred on the large agricultural mart situated on the Cladymilltown Road on the outskirts of the town. Markethill Livestock Sales has been established for more than 45 years.{{Cite web |url=http://www.markethilllivestocksales.com/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=15 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515221240/http://markethilllivestocksales.com/ |url-status=live }} The previous mart premises subsequently became a derelict site.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}}

A small business park has been constructed on a section of the former Spence, Bryson & Co. Ltd Linen Mill which contains a number of small business' and start-up enterprises. The business park is administered by Markethill Business Centre on Fairgreen Road.{{Cite web |url=http://www.abcarmagh.com/index.php?page=satellites |title=Home – Armagh Business Centre – Business Property Keady Markethill Blackwatertown |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=7 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707073300/http://www.abcarmagh.com/index.php?page=satellites |url-status=live }}

There are several independent businesses located in the town. These include Alexander's of Markethill and Alexanders Furnishings Ltd.,{{cite web| url = http://www.alexandersfurnishings.com/| title = Alexanders of Markethill| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100218142330/http://www.alexandersfurnishings.com/| archive-date = 18 February 2010}} established in 1954 and operating from the old Market House, Keady Street with the furniture shop on Fairgreen Road nearby. Dalzell's of Markethill, an electrical appliances company, was established in 1956.{{Cite web |url=http://www.armaghelectrical.com/ |title=Electrical Retailer Northern Ireland, Armagh Electrical, Dalzell's of Markethill |access-date=17 May 2010 |archive-date=14 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214212121/http://www.armaghelectrical.com/ |url-status=live }}

• Kenny Hooks, Irish rugby international player (IRFU){{cite news |title=Where are they now? Kenny Hooks (Markethill 1/1/60) |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/where-are-they-now-kenny-hooks-markethill-1160/26405805.html |work=Irish Independent |date=25 January 2006 |access-date=17 January 2024}}
• George Lambert, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Seamus Mallon, first Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and former deputy leader of the SDLP{{cite news |last1=McHardy |first1=Anne |title=Seamus Mallon obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/24/seamus-mallon-obituary |work=The Guardian|location=London |date=24 January 2020 |access-date=8 January 2024 |archive-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918094524/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/24/seamus-mallon-obituary |url-status=live }}
• Emma Little-Pengelly, fifth Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, current MLA and former MP

• Market houses in Northern Ireland

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060427090659/http://www.gosford.co.uk/castle.html Gosford Castle]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20061011171456/http://radiocarbon.pa.qub.ac.uk/local/armagh/Gosford/ Markethill and Gosford Castle]
• [http://www.nics.gov.uk/press/ard/060109e-ard.htm Minister announces sale of Gosford Castle]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070305150439/http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=3&to=53&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1 Culture Northern Ireland]

{{County Armagh}}

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Category:Villages in County Armagh