Navan Centre & Fort

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Navan Centre & Fort

Navan Centre Open Tuesdays-Sundays 10:00am-5:00pm. Pre-book your tickets at www.navancentre.com The Navan Centre & Fort is a place where myth and reality meet.

As the ancient seat of Kings and the earliest capital of Ulster, there is plenty to explore! Step back in time by 2000 years with a visit to our Iron Age dwelling, where you will meet the Celts going about their daily lives and bringing history to life! Discover how they survived and thrived as they engage you in this highly interactive and unique experience. You may find the clan cooking, weaving

, tending to their plants or even preparing their weapons for battle. After meeting real life warriors, learn more about the bravest of them all - Cu Chulainn and the Red Branch Knights. Our audio visual show incorporates many of the tales of the Ulster Cycle associated with the great site of Emain Macha (Navan Fort). With archaeological evidence of the main site dating back to 95BC, experienced tour guides will accompany you and explain the significance of the remaining mounds & ditches, as well as how it is believed that the Celtic Spirituality associated with this site brought Patrick to the area to build his first stone church and establish Armagh as the Ecclesiastical Capital of Ireland.

05/06/2026

🌿 Weave the Wickerman! Fire up your creativity – help build the Wickerman at Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh!

As we prepare for The Wickerman Gathering (which takes place on 1st August), we're calling on you to help craft its spectacular centre piece – a towering 30-foot Wickerman – through a series of hands-on weaving workshops.

Led by willow weaver Heather McDermott, these immersive sessions offer a rare opportunity to learn traditional skills and contribute to a powerful cultural celebration.

Workshop Dates:

Saturday 13 June, 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm
Friday 19 June, 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm
Saturday 20 June, 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm
Friday 26 June, 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm
Saturday 27 June, 10:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-3:00pm

🎟️Full details and booking for workshops and the main Wickerman Gathering (1st August) at NavanCentre.com

03/06/2026

☀️ Step into summer at Navan Centre & Fort and discover one of Ireland’s most legendary landscapes.

Join our summer guided tours, take time to walk the ancient grounds of Navan Fort, and soak up the stories, history and atmosphere of this remarkable site. As the longest day of the year approaches, don’t miss our enhanced Summer Solstice living history experience on 20 and 21 June, before the spectaular return of the Wickerman Gathering on 1 August.

🎟️ Full details of all tours and events at NavanCentre.com

02/06/2026

🦗 Action Grasshopper Summer Scheme at the Palace Stables, Armagh

☀️ Dates: Monday 3 – Friday 7 August 2026

⏰ Time: 10am – 4pm

Calling all young adventurers aged 5–12 years old! Join us at the Palace Stables for a week of non-stop fun at our Action Grasshopper Summer Scheme – every day is packed with excitement and creativity!

Activities include: Creative Crafts, Summer Games , Badge-Making, Orienteering, Camping & Cooking … and so much more!

🎟️ Book now at the What's On section of NavanCentre.com, with 10% discount when booked before 12th July!

🤩 If you are a group leader and looking for Summer Scheme ideas for your group, why not consider one led by our Education team? Options include Orienteering (suitable for ages 7-15 years old), Ecology/Tree Tales (suitable for ages 4-11 years old) or Storytelling (suitable for ages 4-7 years old) with availability throughout July and August. To enquire about any of these group Summer Schemes, please email [email protected]

01/06/2026

📜 Tales & Traditions: Living History Tours – epic experiences that the whole family will love this Summer at Navan Centre & Fort! ☀️

🤩 Throughout July and August, every day brings new adventures, with our 12:30pm tour having a different theme each day:

Tuesdays -Archaeology Day

Curious minds will love this interactive workshop uncovering life in the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. Learn about ancient tools, artefacts and how archaeologists unlock the secrets of the past — then journey through time with costumed guides. Perfect for curious children and budding historians!

Wednesdays – Food Day

Discover the ancient secrets of Celtic cuisine! From hunting wild boar to making butter and baking bread, learn of the techniques used in the Iron Age. You can get hands-on with prehistoric food preparation and learn how to make your own bread! See a live cooking demonstration with fire pits and ancient tools!

Thursdays – Myths and Legends Day

Epic tales brought to life! Step into the world of ancient Irish mythology with spellbinding stories of Cu Chulainn, Queen Maeve and many more! Young adventurers can create their own themed crafts to take home.

Fridays – Family Day

Friday is all about fun! With a mix of games, crafts, and hands-on history you can play ancient Celtic sports like hurling and javelin throwing, or take on our warrior trail! Ideal for families looking for variety and action!

Saturdays & Sundays – Meet the Warriors

Unleash your inner warrior, as you have your face painted and dress like a Celtic champion! Discover the skills required to succeed in battle – try your hand at throwing a spear and determine the most suitable weaponry to use, such as slings, swords, spears and shields! Great for family photos and unforgettable fun!

🎟️Book now at NavanCentre.com

29/05/2026

🔥 The Wickerman Gathering

Ignite your ancient spirit at Navan Centre & Fort’s celebration of the festival of Lughnasa, The Wickerman Gathering, on Saturday 1st August from 6:30pm-10:30pm!

As the clan marks the beginning of the harvest season, they will honour the Celtic Sun God, Lugh, with the awe-inspiring spectacle of a 30-foot Wickerman set ablaze in a dramatic fire ceremony!

🎟️ For full details and booking, please see bit.ly/wickerman2026 or the What's On section of NavanCentre.com

27/05/2026

☀️ Our Celts are making the most of this good weather and working hard in preparation for the Summer festival of Lughnasa, the Wickerman Gathering. Join one of our daily tours where you may find them stone carving, tending to the herb and plant beds, preparing their weappnry for battle or regaling you with their stories. 🎟️ For full details and booking please see NavanCentre.com

24/05/2026

🤩Tripadvisor Reviews!

Thank you to all of our customers who have left us reviews on Tripadvisor recently. It's lovely to hear your feedback on our tours and events.

🎟️ NavanCentre.com

23/05/2026

⚔️ Meet the Warriors - Every Saturday and Sunday, 12:30pm 🛡️

Immerse yourself in life as a Celt, as you meet our Iron Age warriors. This family-oriented tour provides the opportunity to become a central part of the clan!

· Transform into a Celtic Warrior, as you have your face painted and wear one of our authentic costumes.

· Enjoy storytelling around the fire, as the bard tells the tales of the great heroes associated with the Navan Fort (Emain Macha), such as CuChulainn and the Red Branch Warriors.

· Discover the skills required to succeed in battle – try your hand at throwing a spear and hitting the target & determine the most suitable weaponry to use, such as slings, swords, spears and shields!

· Learn the art of ancient Celtic writing as you spell out your clan name using Ogham.

· Find out more about daily life 2000 years ago as you learn of cooking, hunting, trade, agriculture and the gods of the time.

This experience lasts approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes and is guided by our living history characters. Guests are welcome to walk to the Navan Fort after their living history tour.

🎟️Pre-booking essential at NavanCentre.com

21/05/2026

☕ Ancient Grounds Coffee Shop

🥪 Located within Navan Centre & Fort, Ancient Grounds Coffee Shop is the perfect place to relax and refuel. Serving freshly brewed tea and coffee, homemade scones and a delicious selection of breakfast and hot lunch options made with locally sourced ingredients, the coffee shop is open Tuesdays-Sundays, 10:00am-5:00pm (Breakfast Menu is served from 10:00am-12:00noon and Lunch Menu is served from 12:00noon-2:30pm).

NavanCentre.com

20/05/2026

☀️ Summer Solstice at Navan Centre & Fort
🔥 20th or 21st June | 12:30pm

Celebrate the longest days of the year by marking the Summer Solstice at Navan Centre & Fort, Armagh, where ancient ritual, storytelling and fire come together in this sacred landscape.

As the sun reaches its height, join our living history performers for an immersive solstice experience inspired by early Irish belief, seasonal ritual and myth. This special event weaves together story, ceremony and movement across the site, inviting you to honour light, fire and renewal as our ancestors once did.

Guests will be welcomed with tea and traditional oatcakes, shared in honour of Lugh, the sun god. Through powerful storytelling, you’ll hear the legend of The Birth of Lugh, grounding the experience in myth and meaning before exploring the deeper symbolism of the solstice — the sun, fire, sacrifice, fertility and transformation.

View the herbal beds and flowers, discovering plants traditionally gathered at solstice, believed to carry the sun’s energy and used for protection and blessing. You’ll create personal wishes, preparing them to be offered to the flames in an ancient act of intention and renewal.

Follow the procession to the hand-crafted solar wheel of willow, which will be ceremonially burned — a dramatic and meaningful centrepiece symbolising the turning of the year and the power of the sun. The event concludes with a handfasting ceremony, echoing traditions of commitment, community and continuity in the heart of this ritual landscape.

Event Information: The event commences at 12:30pm and lasts for approximately 90 minutes. Suitable footwear and outdoor clothing is recommended.

🎟️ Booking is essential at bit.ly/summersolstice26 or at the What's On section of NavanCentre.com

Address

81 Killylea Road
Armagh
BT604LD

Telephone

+44 (0) 28 3752 9644

Website

http://navancentre.com/

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