Paul O'Connell has been appointed captain for the Lions tour to South Africa.
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O'Connell edged team-mate and Ireland's Grand Slam-winning skipper Brian O'Driscoll for the most prestigious job in British and Irish rugby.
The 29-year-old lock has led Ireland on just four occasions and becomes the nation's 10th Lions captain.
An aggressive ball-carrier and accomplished line-out operator, O'Connell is Europe's most feared second row with his style inviting comparisons with Johnson.
O'Connell said: "It's a fabulous honour. This was never something I aspired to do but to be selected is a great honour.
I looked at the squad last night and it will be a privilege to lead them. It's a great honour considering the captains that have gone before me, some of them legends of the game."
He added: "Brian (O'Driscoll) gave me a ring the other day after we had spoken to Ian and was great about it.
It needs to be a big squad effort. That will be the secret to any success. The more people who have input the better."
O'Connell won three Lions caps against New Zealand in 2005 and was one of only two tourists to play in every minute of each Test, except for a spell in the sin-bin.
Since making a try-scoring debut against Wales in 2002 he has amassed 62 caps and become one of the northern hemisphere's most respected players.
Team announced
Lions manager Gerald Davies ended the waiting game by announcing a 37-man party for the 10-match trip, that includes three Tests against the world champion Springboks.
Three RBS 6 Nations captains - Ryan Jones, Steve Borthwick and Mike Blair - have failed to make the squad.
Other absentees include Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Cipriani, Gavin Henson and James Hook, plus the shock omission of England flanker Tom Croft.
But there were surprise call-ups for the likes of Munster pair Keith Earls and Alan Quinlan in a squad that will be captained by their Munster colleague.
Earls has provided a dynamic presence for Heineken Cup holders Munster this season, while Quinlan is a renowned hard-man who will relish the challenge of a South African trip.
Among the other players who have emerged into potential stardom are Wales wing Leigh Halfpenny, England flyer Ugo Monye and Wales number eight Andy Powell.
Powell has arguably beaten his national captain Jones for a back-row slot, with Jones - Wales' Grand Slam skipper last year - going from hero to zero in just 12 months.
Armitage's omission appears to buck the trend of Lions head coach Ian McGeechan selecting on form, especially as Wales wing Shane Williams has made the cut after an average campaign.
And there are also call-ups for four members of McGeechan's Wasps - centre Riki Flutey, prop Phil Vickery, lock Simon Shaw and back-row forward Joe Worsley.
Ireland will provide 14 players, Wales 13, England eight and Scotland just two - prop Euan Murray and lock Nathan Hines.
British and Irish Lions squad
Full-back: Lee Byrne (Wales), Rob Kearney (Ireland)
Wing: Shane Williams (Wales), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Ugo Monye (England), Luke Fitzgerald (Ireland), Tommy Bowe (Ireland)
Centre: Tom Shanklin (Wales), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Keith Earls (Ireland), Riki Flutey (England)
Fly-half: Ronan O'Gara (Ireland), Stephen Jones (Wales)
Scrum-half: Mike Phillips (Wales), Harry Ellis (England), Tomas O'Leary (Ireland)
Number eight: Jamie Heaslip (Ireland), Andy Powell (Wales)
Flanker: David Wallace (Ireland), Stephen Ferris (Ireland), Alan Quinlan (Ireland), Joe Worsley (England), Martyn Williams (Wales)
Lock: Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland, capt), Donncha O'Callaghan (Ireland), Simon Shaw (England), Nathan Hines (Scotland)
Prop: Gethin Jenkins (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Andrew Sheridan (England), Phil Vickery (England), Euan Murray (Scotland)
Hooker: Jerry Flannery (Ireland), Lee Mears (England), Matthew Rees (Wales)
© Press Association