| Keady | |
| Irish: an Céide | |
Keady town centre |
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Keady
Keady shown within Northern Ireland |
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| Population | 2,960 (2001 Census) |
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| Irish grid reference | H844340 |
| District | Armagh |
| County | County Armagh |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Postcode district | BT |
| Dialling code | 028, 048 |
| Police | Northern Ireland |
| Fire | Northern Ireland |
| Ambulance | Northern Ireland |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
| UK Parliament | Newry and Armagh |
| List of places: UK • Northern Ireland • Armagh | |
Keady (from Irish: an Céide meaning "the flat-topped hill"[1]) is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is situated south of Armagh city and very close to the border with the Republic of Ireland. The town had a population of 2,960 people in the 2001 Census.
A tributary of the river Callan known as the Clea flows from its source in Tullynawood lake through the centre of the town. The river Clea once powered the towns millwheels. It's prosperity comes from the small village of Darkley which supplied the linen to the tailors and even made its own range of bed linen. In the centre of the town stands the Old Mill, which has been converted into a modern Visitor Centre, Cafe and community enterprise resource. The building is complete with its own millwheel and acts as the entrance to a beautiful riverside walk.
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The name Keady is recorded as long ago as 1674 in a letter from Symore Richardson to the Provost of Trinity College, Dublin (the district was part of a grant of county Armagh lands to that college). However, the town did not emerge as an important centre until the mid 18th century when the use of waterpower led to the growth of great linen mills and factories. By 1837, Keady was noted as being the centre of an important flourishing linen trade by Samuel Lewis in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. The Keady Monument was erected by the local people to honour William Kirk, who through his mills at Keady and Darkley, provided so much economic prosperity in the area. The town was also became a centre of tailoring before World War I, and the arrival of the railway brought the town great commercial benefit, although the lines for both goods and passenger traffic have since closed. Until recently Keady retained its links with clothing manufacture, with a major textiles firm employing many local people, this has since closed. Situated on the river Clea (which flows from Clea Lake to the River Callan), Keady is noted chiefly for the 'Keady trout Lakes'. It is also of interest to the industrial archaeologist as the centre of a district with many derelict watermills. Tassagh Glen, just outside the town has a mill and viaduct of monumental proportions. The newly restored mill in the centre of town offers the visitor a unique glimpse into Keady's industrial heritage.
For more information see The Troubles in Keady, which includes a list of incidents in Keady during the Troubles resulting in two or more fatalities.
Keady is classified as an intermediate settlement by the NI Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (ie with population between 2,250 and 4,500 people). On Census day (29 April 2001) there were 2,960 people living in Keady. Of these:
For more details see: NI Neighbourhood Information Service
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