Leitrim is known as ‘Lovely Leitrim’ and it is not surprising that this county was so aptly named. It is a beautiful county and boasts a wealth of mountains, lakes, rivers, green pastures and extensive bog lands. In Leitrim, you will find the shortest coastline of any Irish county (5km) as it touches the sea between Sligo and Donegal. However, it does boast a beach of another kind - the sandy shore on the northern edge of Lough Allen. There are also numerous sites of archaeological interest, from ring forts to restored manor houses, a perfect example being Parkes Castle located on the banks of Lough Gill.
In ancient times, Leitrim formed the western half of the Kingdom of Breifne, which occupied Cavan and parts of Longford. This region was long influenced by the O'Rourke family of Dromahair, whose heraldic lion occupies the official county crest to this day. Close ties initially existed with East Breifne, now County Cavan, and the O'Reilly clan seated there. The Normans invaded in the 13th century and occupied the south of Breifne. Much of the county was confiscated from its owners in 1620 and given to Villiers and Hamilton. Their initial objective was to plant the county with English settlers. When it failed, British Deputy Sir John Perrot had ordered the legal establishment of " Leitrim County" a half-century prior, in 1565. Perrott also demarked the current county borders around 1583. The County takes its name from Leitrim Village which is situated on the banks of the Shannon within Co Leitrim.
This village emphasizes all that is beautiful about Leitrim. Like neighbouring County Fermanagh, it abounds with beauty in river, lake and mountains. It is the least populated county in all of the 32 counties of Ireland. Industry is scarce and emigration took its toll during the many recessions over the decades. Carrick-on-Shannon is the county town and has benefited from tax-designation to upgrade its infrastructure and amenities
Leitrim has a dramatic hilly and mountainous landscape in its northwest and is relatively flat in the southeast, each separated from the other by Lough Allen in the middle of the county. It is an unspoiled, tranquil area of great natural beauty, consisting of lofty mountains, deep valleys, pastures, lakes, rolling hills and rivers. Leitrim offers scenic panoramic vistas of Lough allen and the River Shannon. The Shannon is linked to the Erne via the Shannon-Erne Waterway. The Shannon and the lakes are the great assets of Leitrim and the very tangible tourism earnings that flow from them provide the county with the vast bulk of its income. Lovely Leitrim, as it is called, is truly worth a visit.
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