﻿LONOrORD. 



LOIfOPORa 



WIdinc jvd on the (tnod. The greaUrt daptb of water in Ut« port 

 •k low wkUr ii 31 fact, and IS to 14 feet at the <|ua}«. Veiwla of 

 MO tool oaa duoliarge at the quayi. Tba number and tonnage of 

 TiMili Ttgiatored as belonging to the port on December 31st 1858 

 were :— Sailing Track, under 60 tone lU, tonnage 256 ; above 50 tons 

 14, tonnage 4171 ; and 7 •team-Teasels of 1464 tons. The returns of 

 Tesaals entrred and cleared at the |>ort during 1858 were as follows :— 

 Coasting trade, inwards, aailing-vessela 588, tonnage 89,000; steam- 

 vessels 468, tonnage 148,815 : outwards, sailing-Teasels 266, tonnage 

 16,830; stcam-TeiieU 464, tonnsge 146,698. .In the colonial and 

 Ibrrign trade there entered 173 Teasels of 35,791 tons, and cleared 

 81 tsmbIi of £2,220 tons. The customs duties of the port in 18S2 

 Htonniad to 116,799/. 



In the city are two flax spinning-mills and sereral flour-millii, three 

 diitilleiies, three breworiei<, several rope-walks, one foundry, and five 

 tan-yards : near it is an extonaive salmon finhery. Assizes for the 

 oounty, and quarter and petty sessions are held in the city. Fairs are 

 held June 17th, Septomber 4tb, and October 17th, and markets daily 

 (or proTisions ; on Wednesday and Satunlay for grain, and on Thursday 

 ior flax. 



LONOFORD, an inland county of the province of Leinstor, in 

 IreUnd, lies between 63° 29' and 53° 56' N. lat., 7° 19' and 7° 66' 

 W. long., and is bounded N. by the counties of Leitrjm and CaTan, 

 E. end 8. by the cotinty of Westmeath, and W. by the county of 

 Boeoommon. Its greatest length from north to south is 29 miles, from 

 east to west 22 miles. The area oompriaea 269,409 acres, of which 

 191,823 are arable, 58,937 acres uncultivated, 4610 acres in planta- 

 tions, 864 acres in towns, and 13,675 acres under water. The population 

 in 1841 was 115,4111, iu 1851 it was 83,25U. 



Surf act. Hydrography, and ConmvtniccUion*. — The southern half of 

 the county consists of a low table-land, inclining gently on the ea^t 

 and south towards the valley of the Inney, and bordered on the west 

 by the flat and boggy shore of Lough Ree. In this division the only 

 considerable emiueuce is Slieve tiauldry, which rises about 6 miles 

 south-east of the town of Longford to a height of 650 feet. North 

 of the table-land the county is traversed from east to west by the 

 valley of the Camlin, a well-improved tract, the southern slope of 

 whitji is diversilied by numerous seats and well-planted demesnes. 

 The opposite bank rises on the east into a slightly elevated district, 

 which slopes northward along the shore of Lough Gowuagh to the 

 basin of the Erne; on the west it is overlooked by the pastoral hills 

 of the Clouhugh range, which extends about 10 miles in a south- 

 westerly direction, varying from 686 feet, the height of Crott Hill on 

 the north-east to 912 feet, the height of Cairn Clonhugh near the 

 opposite extremity. Kortb of tliis range the moorish district of 

 Dramliah spreads between Lough Qownagh and the limits of the 

 county. From the western termination of the range to the Shannon 

 there is an open fertile tract bounded towards the river by the plauta- 

 tiam of Castla Forbes, the seat of the Karl of Qranord. 



Except a few streuu that fall into Lough Gownagh, the whole 

 drainage of the county is towards the Shannon. That river with its 

 windings forms a boundary-line of about 50 miles. Near its first 

 eontact with the county it spreads into Lough Forbes, a small lake 

 three miles long by a mile and a half in iU widest part, and is there 

 joined by the Rinn, a considerable stream that flows south out of 

 Leitiim. Two miles below the lough is the confluence of the Camlin, 

 which rises near the esstem bonndary, and flows iu a westerly direction 

 with a winding course of above 20 miles, passing through Longford 

 town. About half-way in ite ooune along the county the Shannon 

 expands into Longh Kee, an extensive lake, strikingly diversified by 

 deep bays, rugged headland*, and numerous islands. The shores of 

 Lough Ree are subject to extensive inundations in consequence of the 

 rising of ite waters in winter to an average height of 7 feet above the 

 summer level. An inlet nmning 4 miles eastward along the southern 

 limit of the county rtceives tba waters of the Inney, which rises in 

 Cavan, and next to the river Suck is the largest tributary of the 

 Shannon. Many small lakes diversify the surface of the county ; but 

 Longford derives ite chief advantage from the river Shannon, which 

 eoonecte the county with the importent line of navigation extending 

 from Lough Allen to the city of Limerick. This line again has a 

 eoaneotion through Longford with the city of Dublin. The Royal 

 Oeaal enten the county near ite southern extremity, and after con- 

 tinuing iu course in a westerly direction to the vicinity of Ballymahon 

 paaae north V>y west to the Shannon at Richuiuud harbour, where on 

 the Cloondara island, which is formed by the two branches of the 

 CaoUin, are the canal docka, basins, and warehouses. The ootmty is 

 gnerally provided with good lines of rood. 



OtoUgi amd MilttnUigf.—TLhe southern half of the county eonsiste 

 of the stratiflsd limestone of the oentnU pUin of IreUnd. The other 

 divieion is a oootinuation of the clay-slate of the gtauwaoke forma- 

 tion of CaTao. Thnae two fields are aepunated at their western extre- 

 mity by a belt of yellow-sandstone and conglomerate, which projeete 

 from a small tract in the south of Leitrim. A patch of sandstone 

 crosaee the bad of the loney ami spreads round ISallymafaon. Another 

 forms the maae of Slieve Gauldiy, and stretohes to the vicinity of the 

 town of Longford. Along the south and south-east border of the 

 county are large quantities of fine calcareous sand and marL Marly 

 oky in beds from 1 foot to 10 feet thick tindarlies many of the ixtggj 



tracts, which have an average depth of 30 feet Marble of a deep 

 nay colour and susceptible of a fine polish is raised in the vicinity of 

 Ballnnahon. Exoellent ironstone associated with coal-shale and lead- 

 ore has been found in small quantities 



Climate, Soil, and Produce.— The extent of wet and marshy surface 

 renders the climate less genial than that of the midland counties in 

 general The soil of the boggy district of Lough Ree is inferior, but 

 over the rest of the limestone plain there is a rich vcgeteble mould, 

 which produces heavy grain crops and the finest pasture. The northern 

 division of the county is chiefly devoted to grazing. The occupations 

 of the county are tillage and grazing, princi|ially the Utter. Great 

 quantities of butter are made by the farmers and cottiers. Linens 

 and coane woollens are manufactured. In 1863 there were under 

 crop 82,544 acre;, of which 1166 acres grew wheat, 40,952 acres oata, 

 967 barley, bore, rye, peas, and beans, 15,676 potatoes, 2810 turnips, 

 1175 mangel-wurzel, carrots, parsnips, vetehes, and other green crops, 

 731 acres flax, and 19,167 acres meadow and cloTer. In 1841 the 

 pUutations covered 5987 acres, growing oak, ash, rim, beech, fir, 

 fruit-trees, fto. In 1862 on 8269 holdings there were 6523 horses, 

 3006 mules and assea, 40,495 head of cattle, 19,102 sheep, 12,466 pigs, 

 8014 goats, and 138,294 head of poultry. The total value of the live 

 stuck here enumerated was estimated at 863,802/. 



IHvition* and l'otim4. — The county of liongford U in tiie Ardagh 

 diooese, with a small portion in Mcath. It is divided into 6 baronies, 

 Ardagh, Uranard, Longford, Moydow, Ratholine, and Sbrule. The 

 principal towns are LosoroBD, Gkanabd, and Ualltxauok, which 

 are noticed under their respective titles. The following towns and 

 villages, with the population of each in 1851, may be mentioned. 



Ardagh, 54 miles S.£. by E. from Longford, containing a parish 

 church and a Roman Catholic chapel, is remarkable only as giving 

 name to an Episcopalian and a Roman Catholic diocesei An abbey is 

 said to have been founded and the see to have been esteblished by 

 St. Patrick about the year 454. Fairs are held April 5th, and August 

 26th. The population of Ardagh w.-is returned in 1841 as 165 ; but 

 iu the Returns of the Census of 1851 the place is returned as without 

 inhabitants. JJrumli*k, popuUtion 400, situated in a bleak and 

 barren district, about 44 miles N.E. from Newtown-Forbea, contains 

 an Episcopal and a Roman Catholic chapel. A market is held weekly 

 on Tuesdays from October to March inclusive. Bdgewortktttmn, 

 popuUtion 817, a village 6| miles E. by S. from Loiigfonl, the residence 

 of the Edgeworth family, and beautified by the family mansion and 

 ite highly improved demesne. It conteins a pariah church, a Roman 

 Catholic chapel, and a echool for the education of the sons of the 

 Esteblished Clei-gy. There ore a National and some other schools, a 

 loan-fund, and a district dispensary. Fairs are held six times a year. 

 Keenagk, |>opuUtion 244, a vilUge 9 miles S. from Longford, containing 

 a church and a Methodist chapel, a dintrict dispensary and a loan- 

 fund. A fair is held on October 10th. In the neighbourhood are the 

 mansion-house and well-kept demesne of Mosstown, with the ruins of 

 Uosstown Castle. Killathee, popuUtion 198, a village 6 miles 8.W. 

 from Longford, containing an Episcopal church, and chapels for Roman 

 Catholics and Methodists. It is a station on the Royal Canal, which here 

 sends oif a branch of 6 miles to the town of Longford. I.4irge quantities 

 of dairy and agricultural produce from the surrounding country are 

 shipped at the village. There is a loan-fund. Fairs are hehl four 

 times in the year. LaneMborough, popuUtion 201, a market- and post- 

 town situated on the left bank of the Shannon, at the head of Lough 

 Ree, 10 miles S.W. from Longford, contains a church, a Konion CathoUc 

 chapel, a district dispensary, and a police stetion. The Dublin road here 

 creeses the Shannon by a bridge of 9 arches, under one of which a lateral 

 cut with a small basin continues the river navigation. There is a oot- 

 siderable corn-market. A fair is held on February 12tfa. Aeulowu- 

 t'orbct, popuUtion 331, a small post-town "^ miles N.N.W. from 

 Longford, contains a church, a Roman Catholic chapel, and a Methodist 

 meeting-house. A court of petty lessiuns is held every altemato 

 Tuesday. Fairs are held on Eaater Tuesday, September 4th, and 

 October 81st. 



The county returns two member* to the ImperUl Parliament. The 

 aasicea are hold at Longford, where are the county prison and the 

 county inlirmai^. Quarter sessions are held at Longford, Ballymahon, 

 and UninanI ; each of these towns is also the seat of a Poor-Law Union. 

 Petty seasiuus are held in 11 places. The county U within the military 

 district of Dublin. The stefl' of the county militia is statiitiiMl ut 

 Newtown-Forbes. The constabulary force, consisting of 2U2 men and 

 ofiicer*, has ite head-quartora at Longford. The county is divided 

 into five police distriute, compriung 29 stations ; the dUtricte are 

 Longford, KilUshee, Ballymahon, Drumliah, and Granard. In Sep- 

 tember 1852 there were 67 National schooU in operation, attended by 

 3383 male and 8111 female children. 



Hittory and Anliqnitie*. — The territory at preaent constituting the 

 coiuity of Longford was originally a portion of the kingdom of Meatlt, 

 and as such was included in the grant of Meath by king Henry II. to 

 Hugh de Lacy. The district was erected into a separate county in 

 the 1 Ith of Elicabeth. In 1616, a commiMtian waa appointed and an 

 inquUition taken, by which it was found that, under a proviso in the 

 grant of Elisabeth, the crown was entitled to take poMOssion of this 

 territory by virtue of the act of absentees. A commission was in 

 comequence issued empowering the Lord Deputy and others to 



