County Longford
Encyclopedia
County Longford is a county
in Ireland
. It is part of the Midlands Region
and is also located in the province
of Leinster
. It is named after the town of Longford
.Longford County Council
is the local authority
for the county. The population of the county is 38970 according to the 2011 census.
of 38,970, Longford is the fourth smallest of the 32 counties in area and second smallest in terms of population. It is also the fourth smallest of Leinster’s 12 counties by size and smallest by population.
with Lough Ree
forming much of the county's western boundary. The north-eastern part of the county, however, drains towards the River Erne
and Lough Gowna
. Lakeland, bogland, pastureland, and wetland typify Longford's generally low-lying landscapes: the highest point of the county is in the north-west - Carn Clonhugh
(also known as Cairn Hill) at 279 m (916 feet). Cairn Hill is the site of a television transmitter broadcasting to much of the Irish midlands. Longford has the 30th highest county peak ahead of Meath and Westmeath. In general, the northern third of the county is hilly, forming part of the drumlin
belt stretching across the northern midlands of Ireland. The southern parts of the county are low-lying, with extensive areas of raised bogland and the land being of better quality for grazing and tillage.
The territory now comprising County Longford was traditionally known as Annaly
(Anghaile in Irish), Tethbae
or Teffia (Teabhtha in Irish) and formed the territory of the Farrell clan
. After the Norman invasion of the 12th century, Annaly was granted to Hugh de Lacy as part of the Liberty of Meath
. An English settlement was established at Granard
, with Norman Cistercian monasteries being established at Abbeylara and Abbeyshrule, and Augustinian
monasteries being established at Abbeyderg and at Saints' Island on the shore of Lough Ree. Monastic remains at Ardagh
, Abbeylara
, Abbeyderg, Abbeyshrule
, Inchcleraun Island in Lough Ree, and Inchmore Island in Lough Gowna are reminders of the county's long Christian history.
However, by the 14th century, English influence in Ireland was on the wane. The town of Granard was sacked by Edward Bruce
's army in 1315, and the O'Farrells soon recovered complete control over their former territory.
The county was officially shired in 1586 in the reign of Elizabeth I
, but English control was not fully established until the aftermath of the Nine Years War
. County Longford was added to Leinster by James I
in 1608 (it had previously been considered part of Connacht
), with the county being divided into six baronies
and its boundaries being officially defined. The county was planted by English and Scottish landowners in 1620, with much of the O'Farrell lands being confiscated and granted to new owners. The change in control was completed during the Cromwellian plantations
of the 1650s.
The county was a centre of the 1798 rebellion
, when the French expeditionary force led by Humbert
which had landed at Killala
were defeated outside the village of Ballinamuck
on 8 September by a British army led by Cornwallis
. Considerable reprisals were inflicted by the British on the civilian inhabitants of the county in the aftermath of the battle.
A revolutionary spirit was again woken in the county during the Irish War of Independence
when the North Longford flying column, led by Seán Mac Eoin
, became one of the most active units on the Irish side during that war.
Agriculture is an important facet in the way of life and for the economy in County Longford. There are 73,764 hectares of area farmed in the county. There are approximately 126,904 cattle in the county too.
Counties of Ireland
The counties of Ireland are sub-national divisions used for the purposes of geographic demarcation and local government. Closely related to the county is the County corporate which covered towns or cities which were deemed to be important enough to be independent from their counties. A county...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is part of the Midlands Region
Midlands Region, Ireland
The Midlands Region is a NUTS Level III region of Ireland and is governed by the Midland Regional Authority. It consists of the area under the jurisdiction of the county councils of Laois, Longford, Offaly, and Westmeath. The Midlands region spans 6,524 km2, 9.5% of the total area of the state...
and is also located in the province
Provinces of Ireland
Ireland has historically been divided into four provinces: Leinster, Ulster, Munster and Connacht. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, literally meaning "fifth part", indicates that there were once five; the fifth province, Meath, was incorporated into Leinster, with parts going to...
of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
. It is named after the town of Longford
Longford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
.Longford County Council
Longford County Council
Longford County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Longford in Ireland. The Council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
is the local authority
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
for the county. The population of the county is 38970 according to the 2011 census.
Geography and political subdivisions
With an area of 1091 km² (421.2 sq mi) and a populationPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 38,970, Longford is the fourth smallest of the 32 counties in area and second smallest in terms of population. It is also the fourth smallest of Leinster’s 12 counties by size and smallest by population.
Towns and villages
- AbbeylaraAbbeylaraAbbeylara is a village in the easternmost portion of County Longford, Ireland, located about three kilometers east of Granard on the R369 regional road. Its name is derived from a monastery, the great Abbey of Lerha, founded in 1205 by Hiberno-Norman magnate, Risteárd de Tiúit, for Cistercian monks...
- AbbeyshruleAbbeyshruleAbbeyshrule is located in south-east County Longford, Ireland, on the Royal Canal. There is an airfield near the village, is also located beside the Royal Canal.The Abbeyshrule Aerodrome is located just outside the village alongside the Royal Canal....
- ArdaghArdagh, County LongfordArdagh is a village in County Longford, Ireland about from Longford Town. It is located off the N4 road.There are several important Early Christian sites in and near Ardagh, including the Church of St. Mel...
- Aughnacliffe
- BallinamuckBallinamuckBallinamuck is a small village in north County Longford, Ireland.It was the scene of the Battle of Ballinamuck, where a French army aiding the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798 was defeated. The prisoners were taken to St Johnstown - today's Ballinalee - where they were executed in what is known...
- BallymahonBallymahonBallymahon on the River Inny is a town in the southern part of County Longford, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the N55 National secondary road and the R392 regional road. Ballymahon derives its name from Gaelic Baile Mathuna Town of Mahon...
- BallinaleeBallinaleeBallinalee, formerly St Johnstown , is a village in north County Longford, Ireland. It is situated on the River Camlin, and falls within the parish of Clonbroney....
- BrickeensBrickeensBrickeens is a small farming community in Longford, Ireland. When translated from its original Irish name it means "home of the badger." It is about 2.5 miles from Kengh Village and about five miles from Longford Town....
- CloondaraCloondaraCloondara is a village in County Longford, Ireland. It is situated just off the N5 road near Termonbarry, where the Royal Canal terminates at the River Shannon. It lies west of Longford Town. The Royal Canal is being upgraded so that canal boats can once again travel along it. The village of...
- ColehillColehill, County LongfordColehill is a village and townland in south-east County Longford, Ireland. Its Irish name was historically anglicised as Knocknagoal and Knocknagole.It lies on the R399 regional road.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland...
- DrumlishDrumlishDrumlish is a village in County Longford, Ireland on the R198 regional road north of Longford Town.-See also:*List of towns and villages in Ireland-External links:*...
- EdgeworthstownEdgeworthstownEdgeworthstown or Mostrim is a town in County Longford, Ireland. The Edgeworthstown name is derived from the Edgeworth Family who have a long association with the town as the family estate of Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont was nearby, while Mostrim is an anglicisation of the town's pre-conquest...
- Ennybegs
- GranardGranardGranard is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland and has a traceable history going back to 236 A.D.. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 national secondary road and the R194 regional road...
- KeenaghKeenaghKeenagh is a village in County Longford, Ireland. It is situated on the R397 near the Royal Canal.A small village with two churches , a couple of shops and a pub, it lies south of Longford Town...
- KillasheeKillasheeKillashee is a village in County Longford, Ireland. It is situated on the N63 midway between Lanesborough and Longford, near the Royal Canal and east of the River Shannon.-Sport:Killashee is home to St...
- KilloeKilloeKilloe is a parish in County Longford, Ireland. It is located about ten kilometeres north of Longford Town and is bordered by the parishes of Drumlish, Ballinalee, Edgeworthstown, Longford and Newtownforbes...
- LanesboroughLanesborough-BallyleagueLanesborough and Ballyleague is a town composed of two villages in the midlands of Ireland. Lanesborough is on the County Longford side and Ballyleague on the County Roscommon side of the River Shannon...
- LisryanLisryanLisryan . is a village in County Longford, Ireland.-Transport:Lisryan is easily reachable by car. It is located on the Regional Road the R395 road. The nearest towns are Granard and Edgeworthstown. Granard is served by the Bus Éireann number 111 bus service...
- LongfordLongfordLongford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
- MoydowMoydowMoydow is a village on the outskirts of Longford Town in County Longford, Ireland. It contains an old disused post office,disused school house used as a Community Centre, 2 pubs "The Vintage" and "Kearneys". Also it has one Roman Catholic Church and one disused Church of Ireland Church.-History of...
- MullinalaghtaMullinalaghtaMullinalaghta , also officially referred to as Mullanalaghta, is a half-parish in the north-eastern part of County Longford, Ireland, located about eight kilometres north of Granard...
- NewtowncashelNewtowncashelNewtowncashel is a village located near Lough Ree in County Longford, Ireland. It is within the townland of Cornadowagh. Newtowncashel won the Irish Tidy Towns Competition in 1980.- Brief history :...
- NewtownforbesNewtownforbesNewtownforbes is a village in County Longford, Ireland. It was historically called Lisbrack, an anglicisation of the Irish name.The N4 National primary route passes through the Main Street of the village, which is situated 4 km northwest of Longford Town.Newtownforbes is a thriving village...
- TaghshinnyTaghshinnyTaghshinny is located in south-east County Longford, Ireland.It lies on the R399 regional road.-See also:* List of towns and villages in Ireland...
Physical geography
Most of Longford lies in the basin of the River ShannonRiver Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
with Lough Ree
Lough Ree
Lough Ree is a lake in the midlands of Ireland, the second of the three major lakes on the River Shannon. Lough Ree is the second largest lake on the Shannon after Lough Derg. The other two major lakes are Lough Allen to the north, and Lough Derg to the south, there are also several minor lakes...
forming much of the county's western boundary. The north-eastern part of the county, however, drains towards the River Erne
River Erne
The River Erne , in the northwest of Ireland, rises in Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in County Cavan and flows 64 miles through Lough Gowna, Lough Oughter and Upper and Lower Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, to the sea at Ballyshannon, County Donegal...
and Lough Gowna
Lough Gowna
Lough Gowna is a fresh water lake which is the uppermost lake on the River Erne. It is located on the border between County Longford and County Cavan, with the largest part of the lake being in County Longford....
. Lakeland, bogland, pastureland, and wetland typify Longford's generally low-lying landscapes: the highest point of the county is in the north-west - Carn Clonhugh
Carn Clonhugh
Carn Clonhugh is a hill just north of Longford Town, Ireland, approximately halfway between Drumlish and Ballinalee in the parish of Killoe. It is the highest point in County Longford. The hill is almost 300 metres above sea level, and has a transmitter situated on the top which rises...
(also known as Cairn Hill) at 279 m (916 feet). Cairn Hill is the site of a television transmitter broadcasting to much of the Irish midlands. Longford has the 30th highest county peak ahead of Meath and Westmeath. In general, the northern third of the county is hilly, forming part of the drumlin
Drumlin
A drumlin, from the Irish word droimnín , first recorded in 1833, is an elongated whale-shaped hill formed by glacial ice acting on underlying unconsolidated till or ground moraine.-Drumlin formation:...
belt stretching across the northern midlands of Ireland. The southern parts of the county are low-lying, with extensive areas of raised bogland and the land being of better quality for grazing and tillage.
History
Annaly
Annaly was a medieval lordship in central Ireland.Its territory roughly coincided with modern County Longford. It was associated with the O'Farrell family. The history of the Lords of Annaly is mentioned in the Annals of the Four Masters....
(Anghaile in Irish), Tethbae
Tethbae
Tethbae, also Tethba and other variants, and often anglicized Teffia, was a region of Ireland in the Middle Ages. It was divided into two distinct kingdoms, north Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Coirpri, and south Tethba, ruled by the Cenél Maini...
or Teffia (Teabhtha in Irish) and formed the territory of the Farrell clan
Farrell clan
The Farrell or O'Farrell clan is an Irish clan that traces its origins back to the battle of Clontarf in 1014. The descendants of Fearghal, who fought alongside Brian Boru at the battle of Clontarf, took the surname of Uí Fhearghail...
. After the Norman invasion of the 12th century, Annaly was granted to Hugh de Lacy as part of the Liberty of Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
. An English settlement was established at Granard
Granard
Granard is a town in the north of County Longford, Ireland and has a traceable history going back to 236 A.D.. It is situated just south of the boundary between the watersheds of the Shannon and the Erne, at the point where the N55 national secondary road and the R194 regional road...
, with Norman Cistercian monasteries being established at Abbeylara and Abbeyshrule, and Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
monasteries being established at Abbeyderg and at Saints' Island on the shore of Lough Ree. Monastic remains at Ardagh
Ardagh, County Longford
Ardagh is a village in County Longford, Ireland about from Longford Town. It is located off the N4 road.There are several important Early Christian sites in and near Ardagh, including the Church of St. Mel...
, Abbeylara
Abbeylara
Abbeylara is a village in the easternmost portion of County Longford, Ireland, located about three kilometers east of Granard on the R369 regional road. Its name is derived from a monastery, the great Abbey of Lerha, founded in 1205 by Hiberno-Norman magnate, Risteárd de Tiúit, for Cistercian monks...
, Abbeyderg, Abbeyshrule
Abbeyshrule
Abbeyshrule is located in south-east County Longford, Ireland, on the Royal Canal. There is an airfield near the village, is also located beside the Royal Canal.The Abbeyshrule Aerodrome is located just outside the village alongside the Royal Canal....
, Inchcleraun Island in Lough Ree, and Inchmore Island in Lough Gowna are reminders of the county's long Christian history.
However, by the 14th century, English influence in Ireland was on the wane. The town of Granard was sacked by Edward Bruce
Edward Bruce
Edward the Bruce , sometimes modernised Edward of Bruce, was a younger brother of King Robert I of Scotland, who supported his brother in the struggle for the crown of Scotland, then pursued his own claim in Ireland. He was proclaimed High King of Ireland, but was eventually defeated and killed in...
's army in 1315, and the O'Farrells soon recovered complete control over their former territory.
The county was officially shired in 1586 in the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, but English control was not fully established until the aftermath of the Nine Years War
Nine Years' War (Ireland)
The Nine Years' War or Tyrone's Rebellion took place in Ireland from 1594 to 1603. It was fought between the forces of Gaelic Irish chieftains Hugh O'Neill of Tír Eoghain, Hugh Roe O'Donnell of Tír Chonaill and their allies, against English rule in Ireland. The war was fought in all parts of the...
. County Longford was added to Leinster by James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1608 (it had previously been considered part of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
), with the county being divided into six baronies
Barony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
and its boundaries being officially defined. The county was planted by English and Scottish landowners in 1620, with much of the O'Farrell lands being confiscated and granted to new owners. The change in control was completed during the Cromwellian plantations
Plantations of Ireland
Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were the confiscation of land by the English crown and the colonisation of this land with settlers from England and the Scottish Lowlands....
of the 1650s.
The county was a centre of the 1798 rebellion
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
, when the French expeditionary force led by Humbert
Jean Joseph Amable Humbert
General Jean Joseph Amable Humbert was a French soldier, a participant in the French Revolution, who led a failed invasion of Ireland to assist Irish rebels in 1798....
which had landed at Killala
Killala
Killala is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is a Townsplots West , which contains numerous ancient forts.- History :...
were defeated outside the village of Ballinamuck
Ballinamuck
Ballinamuck is a small village in north County Longford, Ireland.It was the scene of the Battle of Ballinamuck, where a French army aiding the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798 was defeated. The prisoners were taken to St Johnstown - today's Ballinalee - where they were executed in what is known...
on 8 September by a British army led by Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
. Considerable reprisals were inflicted by the British on the civilian inhabitants of the county in the aftermath of the battle.
A revolutionary spirit was again woken in the county during the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
when the North Longford flying column, led by Seán Mac Eoin
Seán Mac Eoin
Seán Mac Eoin was an Irish Fine Gael politician and soldier. He was commonly referred to as the "Blacksmith of Ballinalee".-Early life:...
, became one of the most active units on the Irish side during that war.
Education
There are many national and secondary schools located in the county such as Moyne Community School, St. Mels and the Convent (Longford, Granard, Ballymahon, Lanesborough).Demographics
Longford’s population growth during the period 2002-2006 (10.6%) has been stronger than the National average (8.2%).Agriculture is an important facet in the way of life and for the economy in County Longford. There are 73,764 hectares of area farmed in the county. There are approximately 126,904 cattle in the county too.
See also
- List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Longford)
- Lord Lieutenant of LongfordLord Lieutenant of LongfordThis is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Longford. The office was created on 23 August 1831.* George Forbes, Viscount Forbes 7 October 1831 – 13 November 1836* Luke White 22 November 1836 – 1841...
- High Sheriff of LongfordHigh Sheriff of LongfordThe High Sheriff of Longford was the British Crown’s judicial representative in County Longford, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Longford County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and...
External links
- County Longford Official Website
- Longford County Council
- Longford Ancestry
- Farrells of Longford
- Corboy Presbyterian: County Longford's only Presbyterian Church