The Fews (from

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

: ''na Feá/Feadha'', meaning "the woods"Placenames Database of Ireland
/ref>''A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. Oxford Reference. ) is a former Irish barony in

County Armagh County Armagh (, named after its county town, Armagh) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the southern shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and ha ...

, modern-day

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, based on the territory of the O'Neills of the Fews. It was at a later period divided into the baronies of

Fews Lower Fews Lower ()''A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. Oxford Reference. is a barony in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Its lies in the center of the county, with an enclave lying just to the south-east. The main portion is bordered by four other ba ...

and

Fews Upper Fews Upper () is a barony in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It lies in the south of the county bordering the Republic of Ireland with its southern and south-western borders. It is bordered by four other baronies in Northern Ireland: Armagh to t ...

. Sometimes known as the Highlands of South Armagh, it was historically a rough and dangerous area, populated by Gaelic clans. There were only a few safe and guarded passes through these hills and they included Jerrettspass and

Poyntzpass Poyntzpass (Irish Language, Irish: ''Pas Phoyntz'' or ''Pas an Phointe'') is a small village on the border between southern County Armagh and County Down in Northern Ireland. It is situated in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Ballymor ...

, both named due to their historic role as passes through the hills and bogland. It was settled mostly by Scots with names such as McClelland, Sterritt, Morrow, Hamilton and Atkinson during the

Plantation of Ulster The Plantation of Ulster ( gle, Plandáil Uladh; Ulster-Scots: ''Plantin o Ulstèr'') was the organised colonisation (''plantation'') of Ulstera province of Irelandby people from Great Britain during the reign of King James I. Most of the sett ...

References

Geography of County Armagh {{Armagh-geo-stub