County champions
On the 400th anniversary of the county system being completed in
Ireland Malcolm Rogers looks at the highlights of the 32.
 By Malcolm
Rogers
In 1606 Wicklow finally became a county, the last of the 32 to
be officially constituted under the rule of the occupiers. The counties
were an alien system to Ireland, imposed on the ancient divisions in order
to make administration easier.
The political geography of Ireland can be traced with some accuracy from
about the sixth century, whens Ireland was divided into about 150 different
units each called a tuath. These were vaguely autonomous groupings under
a chieftain, more often than not the chief of a clan.
The tuatha were gathered together into cúigí or fifths,
which roughly corresponded to the four modern provinces of Ireland —
Uladh (Ulster), Laighean (Leinster), Connachta (Connacht) and Mumha (Munster),
plus Mídh (Meath), more or less the present-day counties of Meath,
Westmeath, Longford and Offaly.
Before their arrival in 1169, the Irish were content enough with the five
provinces. However the Normans wanted more governable chunks, so upon
setting up shop divided Ireland up into an A-W of smaller constituencies.
They only finally finished the job when Wicklow, the last county, finally
came into being.
The country was thus divided into shires or counties from the late 12th
and early 13th centuries onwards, with the land further divided into baronies
and townlands — often corresponding to earlier, pre-Norman, divisions.
Historically there are 32 counties, 330 or so baronies and around 60,000
townlands (the smallest civil district in Ireland) which range in size
from one to several thousand acres.
The counties have remained a fairly constant feature since the Norman
Conquest, although over the centuries name changes have been regular enough
— for example Laois was formerly Queen’s County, Offaly started
out life as King’s county and of course over the centuries we’ve
had Doire/Derry/Londonderry/Derry.
Only Tipperary and Dublin have further subdivided, the former being divided
into North and South Ridings, and the latter into Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown,
Fingal and South Dublin.
Although there have been no recent changes most counties have their own
pet names and all of them have something worth visiting.
Antrim (Aontroma) The Glens County.
Don’t miss: The Glens, The Giant’s Causeway, Mount Slemish
where St. Patrick tended his sheep.
Armagh (Ard Mhacha) The Orchard County.
Don’t miss: The two St. Patrick’s cathedrals in the city,
Slieve Gullion (where CS Lewis got inspiration for Narnia), the orchards.
Carlow (Cheatharlach)
Mount Leinster County; the second smallest county.
Don’t miss: The Blackstairs Mountains, the River Barrow.
Cavan (Chabháin)
The Breifne (or Brefni) County, although unkinder people have called
it the Tight Wad County.
Don’t miss: Cuilcagh Mountains, River Erne, Ballyjamesduff (just
to pay homage to the greatest song ever written about emigration) Clare (Chláir) The Banner County.
Don’t miss: The Burren, the Cliffs of Moher, Lisdoonvarna, Willie
Clancy Week: “If it’s music you want, sure go to Clare”
Cork (Chorcaí)
The Rebel County, the largest in the country, with the people called
Donkey Eaters or Bottle Stoppers.
Don’t miss: Blarney Castle, Kanturk Castle, Cobh Harbour Derry (Doire)
The Oak Grove County.
Don’t miss: The city, the only completely walled city in these
islands, and one of the very few in all Europe.
Donegal (Dhún na nGall)
The Forgotten County (forgotten, apparently, by Dublin and Glasgow),
the County of the Gael, although the term ‘the Gaels’ usually
refers to those who live in the south-east of the county. Those in the
north are usually referred to as the Herring Gutters, with the Downsiders
another name often used for Donegal people in general.
Don’t miss: Slieve League, with the highest sea cliffs in Europe
Down (Dúin)
Mourne Country. One of the few counties which adopts the grander term
‘country’, Down is also known as County Up-and-Down on account
of its many drumlins.
Don’t miss: The Mournes, St. Patrick’s Grave in Downpatrick,
Tollymore Forest Park near Newcastle
Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath)
The Pale, the Smoke, or the Metropolitan County.
Don’t miss: The Book of Kells, Kilmainham Gaol, Trinity College.
Fermanagh (Fhear Manach)
The Lakeland County, although in GAA circles it is often referred to
as the Cinderella County — always late for the ball.
Don’t miss: Lough Erne, Enniskillen Castle.
 Galway (Gaillimh)
The Hooker County (after the local type of boat) or the Gaeltacht County,
with the people known as Connies, Herring Chokers, or the Galway Blazers.
Don’t miss: Galway Bay, Maamturk Mountains, Lough Corrib, the Galway
Races and the Oyster Festival.
Kerry (Chiarrái)
The Kingdom.
Don’t miss: the Ring of Kerry, Fungi the dolphin, the Blasket Islands,
Carrantuohill.
Kildare (Chill Dara)
The Short Grass County or the Thoroughbred County, with residents known
as the Lily Whites.
Don’t miss: The races! The Curragh and the Bog of Allen too.
Kilkenny (Chill Chainnigh)
The Marble County, or the Ormond County, with inhabitants referred to
as the Black Caps.
Don’t miss: The city, the best preserved medieval city in Ireland;
Jerpoint Abbey.
Laois (Laoise)
O’Moore County, or Queen’s County, or the Crossroads of Ireland.
Don’t miss: Slieve Bloom Mountains, Timahoe round tower.
Leitrim (Liatroma)
Wild Rose County or the Rich County, with natives known as the Decent
People (presumably by themselves).
Don’t miss: The River Shannon, Creevelea Abbey.
Limerick (Luimnigh)
The Treaty County.
Don’t miss: Limerick Castle, Galty Mountains.
Longford (Longfoirt)
The Winning County.
Don’t miss: Abbeyshrule Abbey.
Louth (Lú)
The Wee County (Ireland’s smallest county).
Don’t miss: The Cooley Mountains, Monasterboice monastic ruins,
Mellifont Abbey.
Mayo (Mhaigh Eo)
Mayo God Help Us County.
Don’t miss: Céide Fields, Ballintober Abbey, Mweelrea Mountains.
 Meath
(Mí)
The Royal County.
Don’t miss: Newgrange, the Boyne Valley Dowth.
Monaghan (Muineachán)
The Drumlin County or the Lake County;
Don’t miss: River Blackwater, Clones monastic site.
Offaly (Uibh Fhailí)
The Central County, Middle of Ireland County, the County That Beats Banagher;
Don’t miss: Slieve Bloom Mountains, Kinnitty Castle.
Roscommon (Ros Coamain)
Mutton Chop County.
Don’t miss: Percy French’s birthplace, Douglas Hyde’s
birthplace, Curlew Mountains.
Sligo (Shligigh)
Yeats Country. Country again, not county, with its people known as Lime
Burners.
Don’t miss: Drumcliffe Cemetery, Benbulbin.
Tipperary (Thiobraid Árann)
The Premier County.
Don’t miss: The Rock of Cashel.
Tyrone (Thír Eoghain)
The Oak Leaf County or O’Neill Country.
Don’t miss: The magical Sperrin Mountains.
Waterford (Phort Láirge)
The Crystal County or the Gentle County.
Don’t miss: Comeragh Mountains, Waterford’s cathedrals, Reginald’s
Tower in the oldest city in Ireland, and an older Viking settlement than
either Stockholm or Oslo.
Westmeath (Contae na hIarmí)
The Lake County, with inhabitants known as Smokey Heads because of the
amount of turf burnt locally.
Don’t miss: the Hill of Uisneach (the centre of Ireland), Athlone
Castle.
Wexford County (Loch Garman)
The Model County, with residents known as the Yellow Bellies.
Don’t miss: The Opera Festival, the Slobs (for bird watching).
Wicklow (Chill Mhantáin)
The Garden County.
Don’t miss: Glendalough, Sugar Loaf Mountains. |
