Ballymacnab

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Ballymacnab (in Irish Baile Mhic An Aba) is a small village in County Armagh (in Irish Ard Mhacha),Northern Ireland .

[edit] Geography

Ballymacnab is a small rural area approximately 6 miles from Armagh heading for Newtownhamilton. The village consists of Ballymacnab Chapel (in Irish Naomh Pádraig, Baile Mhic an Aba (1898)), O'Tooles pub, Seaghan Dam, Ballymacnab GFC, Foley school (in Irish Fo-Bhaile PS), Ballymacnab Hall and the Bulls track. The area is generally seen as running from Corran in the southwest, granemore in the west, clady in the south, tassagh to the north west, armagh in the north and mullaghbrack in the east.

[edit] Culture

The area is steeped in history and folklore, none more famous than the story behind the ‘Bull’s Track’. This is a landmark at the junction of the main Armagh/Newtownhamilton road and the Ballymacnab Road that leads off to the beautiful Seagahan Dam. A large stone marks the spot where it is claimed a large black bull landed after having been flung from neighbouring Armaghbreague Mountain by an angry Saint Patrick after the same bull had knocked down the church he was building in the ‘Breague for the third consecutive night. A clear mark of the Bull’s Foot remains to this day and recent refurbishment work to the landmark has highlighted the Bull’s Track as a tourist attraction.