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ABBEY PARK The History of Abbey Park Abbey Park can be traced back to the time of St. Malachy (1094-1148) where father taught at the old abbey which was sited behind where the present Parochial House stands in the city of Armagh. The monks of the Abbey owned land which stretched almost to the Grange and was used by them for growing crops and vegetables. With the reformation in the 16th Century the lands of the Abbey were seized from the monks and given to Lord Charlemont. The Lord in due course built a park for the servants - and hence the name "Abbey Park". During the 19th Century the park came into the hands of the Vincentian Order at St. Patricks College. It was from the Vincentians that Armagh Harps purchased the grounds for the new Abbey Park in 1979. The pitch was laid and developed in 1983 by Coalisland contractor Mr. Patsy Campbell and completed in 1984. It was then left to settle down. The first Senior match took place in 1986 between Harps and Killeavy in the League. Around that time 600 trees were planted on the outer perimeter of the grounds. When the pitch settled down it was in constant demand by Harps teams from under-8 upwards and also for Ulster Colleges matches, Hurling, Camogie, Ladies Football, schools games & also for Mid-Armagh and County championship fixtures. The foundations for the new dressing rooms complex were laid in 1988, but no further progress was made for over 4 years dur to financial commitments - mainly social club refurbishment. A "Two year Draw" was launched in 1992 which was very successful in raising much needed finance for the dressing rooms development. A further boost came from the "Foundation for sports and the Arts" who provided assistance to the tune of £90,000. However the remainder of the finance needed to complete the development had to be found through fundraising ventures which received magnificent backing from club members. By 1995 development work was now in full swing at Abbey Park with further progress on the dressing rooms, security fencing & pitch resodding completed. The committee then turned its attention to the provision of an all-weather pitch, car parking area, covered stand for 500 spectators and floodlighting. The all-weather pitch is dual purpose - teams' training and carparking for major championship games. The impressive two-storey dressing rooms consists of 4 changing rooms, each with its own shower unit, committee room, referee's room with shower facility, and viewing area upstairs which incorporates public address system and press facilities. New Dug-outs have been constructed on the main pitch and just recently the dressing rooms have undergone more improvements. But further work is required before Abbey Park development is complete - tarmacing, new inner fencing, terracing on the stand side, modern scoreboard and new entrance. Club Historian Phil McGinn says "This development would never have got to its present stage had it not been for the reliability and constant support of club members and supporters - who continually responded when money was needed. All of us at Armagh Harps G.F.C feel proud of such a wonderful development at the new Abbey Park - The Home of Na Clairsigh Ard Mhacha."
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