Armagh’s heritage-led regeneration projects will be placed before an international audience this month, as delegates from across the UK and Ireland visit the borough during the Heritage Trust Network Conference.
The special visit, taking place as part of the conference programme on October 8, 2026, is being hosted by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council. Delegates will spend a day exploring the borough’s historic towns and cities, with particular attention on the Armagh and Lurgan Townscape Heritage Projects.
Focus on Armagh’s historic buildings
The council said the projects have restored vacant and derelict buildings while helping to safeguard the area’s architectural heritage for future generations. The initiatives are being presented as examples of how investment in historic places can support wider regeneration.
The programme will take delegates through historic streets, landmarks and communities across the borough. For Armagh, the visit provides an opportunity to highlight the city’s heritage and the work being undertaken to protect and reuse important buildings.
Delegates will also hear about the wider role heritage can play in attracting visitors. The council said the visit is intended to show how historic places can be celebrated and protected while also supporting regeneration and tourism.
What the conference visit means for the borough
The Heritage Trust Network Conference brings together organisations and individuals committed to preserving, revitalising and promoting historic places. By welcoming conference delegates, the council is sharing examples of heritage-led regeneration and best practice from across the borough.
The council also hopes the visit will raise awareness of its heritage assets and encourage future visits from heritage professionals and cultural tourists. The conference programme therefore links the conservation of older buildings with the borough’s ambitions for tourism development and the creation of sustainable places for the future.
Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Mary O’Dowd, welcomed the delegates and said the visit offered a chance to demonstrate what the borough has to offer.
“We are delighted to welcome delegates from the Heritage Trust Network Conference to showcase our borough that is steeped in history and heritage. From the historic streets of Armagh City to the unique stories, landmarks and communities found throughout our towns and villages. This visit provided an excellent opportunity for delegates to see how heritage can be celebrated, protected and used to support regeneration and tourism. We hope delegates enjoyed their time here, discovering some of the many attractions and experiences we have to offer.”
The council said the visit forms part of its ongoing commitment to heritage conservation, heritage-led regeneration and tourism development. Its broader message is that investment in the borough’s historic places can preserve the past while helping create sustainable places for the future.