Ardagh, County Longford

Ardagh (Irish place name|Árd Achadh|high field) is a town in County Longford, Ireland about 10 km from Longford Town. It is located off the N4 road.

There are several important Early Christian sites in and near Ardagh, including the "Church of St. Mel". (It is suggested that Saint Patrick built a church here in the fifth century and installed Saint Mel as bishop.)

Adragh's Heritage Centre tracks the history of the town, including its literary associations, which include featuring pseudonymously in Oliver Goldsmith's "She Stoops to Conquer", and in a poem by Eavan Boland.

Much of the town was built as an 'Estate Village' in the 19th century, based on a Swiss design, and has received some acclaim for its beauty, being awarded the "Prix d'Honneur" of the Entente Florale and winning the National Tidy Towns Competition on three occasions.

External links and sources

* [http://www.thevillagehairsalon.com/ardagh.htm Ardagh Village - History and Information]
* [http://www.bestphotosireland.com/display.php?county=Longford&sub_county=Ardagh&pageNo=2 Ardagh Village - Pictures of heritage town housing]
* [http://www.longford.ie/community/townsection.asp?action=2&town=3&contenttype=2 Longford County Council Website - Ardagh - History and attractions]