Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Longford

Longford.-- an inland co. of Leinster province, and situated nearly in the centre of Ireland; bounded NW. by co. Leitrim, NE. by co. Cavan, SE. and S. by co. Westmeath, and W. by co. Roscommon (from which it is divided by Lough Ree and the river Shannon); greatest length, NE. and SW., 32 miles; greatest breadth, NW. and SE., 18 miles; average breadth, 15 miles; area, 269,409 ac. (13,675 water), or 13 per cent, of the total area of Ireland; pop. 61,009, of whom 910 per cent, are Roman Catholics, 80 Protestant Episcopalians, 06 Presbyterians, and 03 Methodists. The surface for the most part is flat, and is much interspersed with bog. The principal streams besides the Shannon are the Inny, the Camlin, and the Kerragh. There is a range of bleak hills along the NW. border. Lakes are numerous. Much of the soil is fertile, varying from a light mould to deep loam; limestone and marble are general. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) Flax and oats are the chief crops. Butter is produced in great quantities, the chief market for which is Drogheda. There are some linen and coarse woollen mfrs., and many females are employed in spinning. The Royal Canal, with its branches, traverses a great extent of this county. The co. comprises 6 bars.- Ardagh, Granard, Longford, Moydow, Rathcline, and Shrule; 23 pars, and several parts of pars.; and the towns of Longford, Granard, and Edgeworthstown. For parliamentary purposes the co. is divided into 2 divisions - viz., North Longford and South Longford - each returning 1 member.


(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "an inland county"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 2nd order divisions")
Administrative units: Longford IrlC
Place: County Longford

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