A trip to County Armagh in Northern Ireland is filled with colourful local history, from luxurious castles to crisp factories.

I have definitely never had dinner in a castle before. But my first night at Killeavy Castle in County Armagh isn’t a matter of stuffiness and suits of armour; in fact, it’s decidedly easygoing. The snug private dining room feels grand but full of personality – adorned with mazy wallpaper and quirky gothic furniture that looks like it might spring to life at any second, a la Beauty and the Beast. The food we’re served as night falls on the brick turrets outside follows suit – it’s smart and a little playful. Highlights across several courses include creamy Carlingford oysters in a red wine sabayon, a rich fillet of dry-aged beef, and a smooth apple tarte tatin – we are in Northern Ireland’s orchard county, after all.

This 1836 listed building, set midway between Dublin and Belfast (about an hour each way), has recently been renovated and the site transformed into a sleek hotel, which opened in 2019. Guests can choose to stay in one of the four charming rooms of the castle itself, while the main hotel, housed inside the estate’s former mill and coach house and with a far more modern aesthetic, has 45 guest rooms, a farm-to-fork restaurant and a spa. I’m sleeping in the side that takes its cues from the 21st century, and my large room has lots of smooth lines and soothing teal. The balcony looks across verdant fields, with a smattering of cows in the distance.

The estate has 350 acres sitting in the Ring of Gullion, an ancient ring dyke (formed by a volcanic collapse) and a recognised area of outstanding beauty, while the hotel is surrounded by woodland and a working farm, complete with longhorn cattle, cheviot sheep and two Irish wolfhounds – named Foxhall and Papworth. Walks around the grounds can be tackled before breakfast or made to last all afternoon – just make sure you bring your walking boots, as things can get muddy. It feels as cut-off and a part of the countryside as a luxury hotel can.

CELTS AND CRISPS

Killeavy is a nirvana for golf fans – several of the country’s finest courses are close by – but there’s lots more around here to intrigue. First, we head from one castle, to another. Sort of. Killeavy is a 30-minute drive to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Banbridge. Several locations in Northern Ireland feature in the fantasy TV show, and this attraction has been set-up around some of the original film sets. Whether you’re a ‘thronie’, as our taxi driver calls them, or not, the collection of artful props, intricate set models and costumes, and behind-thescenes nerdery of what it takes to create a huge TV show is compelling.

For a taste of the area’s real-life history, we head to Armagh’s centre, one of the oldest settlements in Ireland. Our leisurely walking tour with guide Donna Fox, who has been living here for 25 years, takes in history, lore, gargoyle-spotting and the city’s two cathedrals – one Catholic and one protestant, both named after St Patrick. We then head two miles out of the city centre to the Navan Fort – believed to be a pagan ceremonial site, which features prominently in Irish mythology. We meet two ‘Celts’ – Fergal the warrior and Sanka the bard – who regale us of their ways 2,000 years ago of fighting, hunting and marriage around a smoking fire pit, and share their oatcakes and honey.

Armagh is also home to lots of food producers, from chocolatiers to cider makers. But one that clearly holds a place in many hearts here is Tayto crisps. We visit the factory in Tandragee, 20 minutes outside of Armagh, where the crisps have been made in a 500-year-old castle since 1956. Tour guide Kirsty describes the brand’s cheese and onion as a fond fixture of her childhood – and has a friend in Scotland who still gets boxes shipped over. Dressed in blue plastic hair nets and aprons, we’re shown the maze of chutes and machinery that turn potatoes into snacks, as well as the door they keep their secret recipe behind. Of course, we’re also given lots of crisps to scoff as we go – making this my second feast in a castle. Who would have thought?