Longford

Location

County Longford is a small midland county in the province of Leinster. The area of the county is 269,408 statute acres. Situated in the basin of the River Shannon and the upper catchment area of the River Erne, it is a county adjoining two provinces Connaught and Ulster and four counties; Leitrim and Cavan to the North, Westmeath to the South and East and to the West it is separated from Roscommon by the River Shannon and Lough Ree. The beauty of Longford lies in its rural charm. It is a tranquil low-lying county of quiet farmland, lakes and bogs with the occasional low hill. Its strategic midland location saw it develop as a gateway to the northwest and the northern part of Connaught.

Motto

‘Daingean agus Dilis’ meaning ‘Strong and Loyal’.

Origin of Name

The name ‘Longford’ is an Anglicisation of the Irish, Longfort. The local Ui Feraghail (O’Farrell) clan, which controlled the south and middle of the County of Longford, (historically called Anghaile or Annaly) built a fortress on the Camlin River on the original site of Longford town. Hence, it is sometimes called Longfort Ui Fhearghail, meaning the fortress of the O’Farrells.