The dance was inspired by the rows of orchards in Portadown.
The recording on the CD for the book states “The Orchards of Armagh” (without “Co.”).
County Armagh
The traditional Northern Ireland county of Armagh borders Co. Tyrone in the west and Co. Down in the east (both part of Northern Ireland); the lake Lough Neagh forms its northern border. To the south and southwest of Armagh are the counties Louth and Monaghan (both in the Republic of Ireland). The county derives its name from its main town, it is the smallest in Northern Ireland and the sixth-smallest in Ireland altogether and has around 195,000 inhabitants – approximately twice as many Catholics as Protestants, which during the “troubles” of the second half of the 20th century meant that the IRA had considerable support there and the British, particulary in the southern part of the county which bordered on the Republic of Ireland – known as “bandit country” at the time – were extremely unpopular.
Even more than tourism, fruit farming is one of the main economical mainstays of Armagh, hence the dance
The Orchards of Co. Armagh
, which was inspired by the apple trees of Portadown (another town in Armagh). In Portadown there are two cider press houses which can even be visited.
From “Anselm's Notes on Dances”, by Anselm Lingnau
(Used by permission.)