County Longford
Situated in the basin of the River Shannon, Longford's history dates back as far as prehistoric times. A comparatively small county, Longford town is the administrative headquarters for the county and is spaciously laid out with wide streets, pleasant buildings and recent impressive urban development. In 1400 a local chieftain, by the name of O'Farrell established a stronghold in the area. This fortress became known as Longford O'Farrell. For centuries, the county was the centre of power of the O'Farrell family, having had at one stage a total of seven castles in the southern part of the County in their possession.
During the 1798 Rising, the British Army under Lord Cornwallis defeated a combined army of French and Irish at Ballinamuck, north of Longford. With the outbreak of the famine in the nineteenth century the county saw massive emigration; with many traveling to Argentina, where a Longford descendent Edel Miro O'Farrell became president in 1914.
An attractive little Estate Village, Ardagh lies to the south east of Longford town and has given its name to the diocese in which the greater part of the county is situated. St. Patrick is said to have founded a church here in the fifth century and installed Saint Mel as bishop here. The ancient ruins of Saint Mel's Cathedral are near the present Church of Ireland and St. Mel himself is said to be buried within the walls.
The general aspect of the county of Longford, viewed from a height on a fine summers day, is inviting and pleasing. Taking one's stand on the summit of Lisduff, and looking due north, the visitor will see a deep rolling plain stretch out before him for a distance of perhaps 10 kms. Bounded by historic cairn Hill on the right and left of this hill the country slopes down to a fertile level plain, beautifully wooded, through whch the Camlin flows to the Shannon. In a north eastern direction the rising country about Granard looms up in a succession of hazy hillocks, with bright green pastures and dark green plantations. Looking to the east is the view of Ardagh's woody heights, beyond which lies a lovely stretch of fertile country.
Home of the Longford Slashers, the nickname given to this county's premier Hurling and Football team, Longford boasts a long shoreline with the river Shannon's largest Lake, Lough Ree, attracting thousands of visitors annually for fishing and especially for cruising on the Shannon.
