County Meath ( / miːð /; Irish: Contae na Mí or simply an Mhí) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the southwest, Westmeath to the west, Cavan to the northwest, and Monaghan to the north.
Where is County Meath in Ireland?
County Meath (/miːð/; Irish: Contae na Mí or simply an Mhí) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Mid-East Region.
What is the coastline of Meath?
Meath's coastline stretches for roughly 20 km (12 mi) along the Irish Sea between the Boyne and Delvin rivers, making it the second shortest coastline of any coastal county. The county town, Navan, is the largest settlement in Meath, and is situated on the River Boyne in the middle of the county.
How many cows are there in Meath?
As of 2018, Meath has the country's 8th largest cattle herd with 275,301 cows. Dairy production was the largest and most profitable agricultural sector in the county and 63.7% of all cattle were dairy cows.
How many native Irish speakers are there in County Meath?
There are 2,533 Irish-language speakers, or Gaeilgeoirí, in County Meath, with 1,299 native speakers in the Meath Gaeltacht. The Gaeltacht is split into an area northwest of Navan and east of Kells, known as Baile Ghib and Domhnach Phádraig, and an area close to the towns of Athboy and Trim, known as Rath Cháirn.
What is the county of Meath?
Meath is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and the eighth-largest in terms of population. It is the second-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, and the third-largest in terms of population. Meath borders seven counties - Dublin and Louth to the east, Westmeath and Offaly to the west, Kildare to the south, and Cavan and Monaghan to the north. Meath also has a 12 km (7 mi) coastline, which stretches along the Irish Sea between the Boyne and Delvin rivers, making it the second shortest coastline of any coastal county. The county town, Navan, is the largest settlement in Meath, and is situated on the River Boyne in the middle of the county. Navan is approximately 50 km (31 mi) from Dublin and 140 km (87 mi) from Belfast .
Where is Meath County?
www .meath .ie. County Meath ( / miːð /; Irish: Contae na Mí or simply an Mhí) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Mid-East Region. It is named after the historic Kingdom of Meath (from Midhe meaning "middle" or "centre").
How many baronies are there in Meath County?
Baronies. There are eighteen historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes, and the barony boundaries in County Meath which continuously changed from the 16th to 19th centuries were last finalised in the 1807.
What is the lowest temperature in Meath County?
The lowest ever temperature in Meath was recorded in December 2010, at −13.3 °C (8 °F).
How tall is Slieve na Calliagh?
Slieve na Calliagh, at just 276 m (906 ft) in height, is the highest point in the county, making it the second lowest county top in Ireland. Carrickleck Hill, near the Cavan border, is the second highest peak in Meath, at 173 m (568 ft).
How many townlands are there in Ireland?
Townlands are the smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland, there are approximately 1,634 townlands in the county. Historic town boundaries are registered as their own townlands and much larger than rural townlands which, within County Meath, are typically small in size, ranging from just 1 acre to 2,681 acres, with the average size of a townland in the county (excluding towns) being 356 acres.
What is Ireland made of?
The county's geological landscape is predominantly made up of Lower Carboniferous limestone, which underlies approximately 75% of the county. These were laid down following the erosion of mountain ranges which formed due to the closure of the Iapetus Ocean. The eroded mountains became basins in which limestone sediments and carbonate mud were deposited. The oldest rocks in the county are Ordovician in age and are found in thin layers near Slane and at Stamullen, while the youngest rocks are of Paleogene age, and were formed as a result of volcanic activity. These are found in small dykes and sills throughout the county. Crustal stretching beneath Ireland during the Carboniferous allowed fluids to infiltrate through faults in the rock, and extensive mineralisation occurred. Most notably, zinc-bearing Sphalerite and lead-bearing Galena were deposited in vast quantities, giving Ireland the highest concentration of zinc per square kilometre on Earth. The ubiquity of these minerals gave rise to the term " Irish-type " lead-zinc deposits, which is a descriptive term for lead-zinc deposits hosted in carbonate rocks.
What is the county of Meath?
Meath. In Irish, the county is called Mí, a simple word for an uncomplicated meaning of Middle (province). It is in Leinster province and is known as the Royal County because the Hill of Tara, home of the legendary High Kings of Ireland, is within its boundaries. Trim Castle sits on the River Boyne.
What are the towns in Monaghan?
Its prosperity is still apparent in the town's rich legacy of Regency style buildings. Other sizeable towns in Monaghan are Carrickmacross, home to a restored Workhouse and Famine Museum (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, all year; weekends by appointment), Castleblayney and Clones.
What is the most common surname in County Offaly?
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames associated with County Offaly include Kelly, Dunne, Daly, Egan , Molloy , Mooney and Carroll . The county was surveyed for Griffith's Valuation in 1854. The 2016 Census found that Offaly has the highest proportion (88.6%) of Roman Catholics in all the counties in Ireland.
What is the county of Drumlin called?
In Irish, the county is called Muineacháin, meaning a Place of little hills. The name is a perfect description for this sparsely populated region and has earned Monaghan the nickname of Drumlin County. Children's clothes, worn by inmates of Carrickmacross Workhouse, which is now open to the public.
What are the most common surnames in Monaghan?
According to 1890 records, the most common surnames in Co. Monaghan include Duffy, Connolly, McMahon, McKenna, Hughes, and Murphy.
What is the capital of the northwest?
It's an outdoors kind of place. The county town, also called Sligo, had a population of 19,199 in 2016, making it the largest town in the province. No wonder, then, it calls itself the capital of the northwest. Sligo also has many connections with Ireland's greatest poet, W B Yeats.
What is Mayo County?
Mayo. In Irish, Mayo is called Maigh Eo, meaning the Plain of Yews. It is in Connaught province, is the third largest of the counties in Ireland, and is a wild mountainous region with a long and beautiful Atlantic coastline. As a result of its topography it is known as both the Heather County and the Maritime County.
What is Westmeath County?
County Westmeath ( / wɛstˈmiːð /; Irish: Contae na hIarmhí or simply An Iarmhí) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Midlands Region. It originally formed part of the historic Kingdom of Meath.
Where is Westmeath County Council located?
The head office of Westmeath County Council is located in Mullingar. There are currently 20 councillors. The three electoral areas of Westmeath are Athlone (7 seats), Mullingar-Coole (7 seats) and Mullingar-Kilbeggan (6 seats). The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, provided the framework for the establishment of County Councils throughout Ireland. The first meeting of Westmeath County Council was held on 22 April 1899.
What was the name of the county in 1543?
As a part of the better administration of the newly established Kingdom of Ireland, the Parliament of Ireland passed the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543, the eastern portion retaining the name Meath and the western portion called Westmeath.
What are the lakes in Westmeath?
The county lakes include Lough Derravaragh, Lough Ennell, Lough Owel, Lough Lene, Lough Sheelin and Lough Ree.
What is the Greenway in Dublin?
Two major "Greenway" projects are intended to improve cycling facilities. The Athone - Mullingar section of the Dublin – Galway Greenway, along the old railway corridor between Athlone and Mullingar, was constructed in 2015. The Royal Canal Greenway takes tourists from the county boundary to Mullingar, and then on towards Longford. Those wishing to use the Dublin-Galway Greenway can transfer from the Royal Canal route to the old rail corridor onwards towards Athlone.
How long does it take for a Westmeath mare to mature?
Westmeath mares are usually put into foal in spring to facilitate summer growth. Pregnancy lasts for approximately 335–340 days and usually results in one foal. Horses mature when they are around four years old .
What was the name of the Gaelic kingdom in Ireland?
Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the territory of the Gaelic Kingdom of Meath formed the basis for the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Meath granted by King Henry II of England to Hugh de Lacy in 1172. Following the failure of de Lacy's male heirs in 1241, the Lordship was split between two great-granddaughters. One moiety, a central eastern portion, was awarded to Maud (de Geneville) as the liberty of Trim; the other moiety, comprising north-eastern and western portions, went to Maud's sister Margery (de Verdun) and in 1297 became the royal county of Meath. The liberty and royal county were merged in 1461. While the east of the county was in the English Pale, the west was Gaelicised in the fourteenth century and outside the control of the sheriff of Meath.
What is the capital of Northern Ireland?
Meanwhile, the capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, played its part in making maritime history as the birthplace of the world's most famous ship: the Titanic. The province contains counties Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Monaghan and Tyrone. Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry.
How many counties are there in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is made up of 6 counties and the Republic of Ireland is made up of 26 counties. EU citizens need a valid passport or national identity card to enter the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have their own rich history and heritage.
What are the counties of Connacht?
The five counties of Connacht are Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon and Sligo. The combined influences of several different cultures – the Ulster Scots, the Gaels, the Normans and the Anglo-Normans – have sculpted and colored the Ulster landscape in a particularly unique manner.
What county is Dingle in?
The lunar-like Burren and Cliffs of Moher are in County Clare and several ancient castles populate the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.
What counties are in Leinster?
Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow are the counties that make up the Leinster region.
Is Ireland accessible?
With so many air routes to choose from, Ireland is accessible no matter where you are in the world.
Is Leinster a province?
Leinster is now the most populated province on the island, with over half the population of the Republic of Ireland living there. The area was heavily colonised over the centuries and, as a result, it's home to many fine examples of medieval, Norman, Georgian and Neolithic architecture.
Overview
History
The county is colloquially known by the nickname "The Royal County", owing to its history as the seat of the High King of Ireland. It formed from the eastern part of the former Kingdom of Mide but now forms part of the province of Leinster. Historically, the kingdom and its successor territory the Lordship of Meath included all of counties Meath, Fingal and Westmeath as well as parts of counti…
Geography and subdivisions
Meath is the 14th-largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and the eighth-largest in terms of population. It is the second-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size, and the third-largest in terms of population. Meath borders seven counties - Dublin and Louth to the east, Westmeath and Offaly to the west, Kildare to the south, and Cavan and Monaghan to the north. Meath's coastline stretches for roughly 2…
Local government and politics
For the purposes of local government, Meath is divided into 6 local electoral areas - Ashbourne (6), Kells (7), Laytown-Bettystown (7), Navan (7), Ratoath (7) and Trim (6) - which return a total of 40 elected members to Meath County Council. Fine Gael currently hold 12 seats, Fianna Fáil hold 12, Sinn Féin hold 3, while the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and Aontú hold 1 seat each, and there are 10 independents. Council elections are held every 5 years, with the next election due to be he…
Places of interest
As a consequence of its location in the centre of Ireland, Meath has an abundance of historic sites.
All periods of Irish history are represented in the landmarks of the county, spanning from the prehistoric tombs at Brú na Bóinne, the early Christian monasteries at Kells and Bective, the Norman-era fortifications at Trim and Du…
Demographics
Meath had a population of 195,044 according to the 2016 Census; an increase of 10,327 since the 2011 Census of Ireland. Population growth from 2011 to 2016 included a natural decrease of 553 people (-0.28%) since the last census, coupled with an increase of 10,880 people (5.9%) due to net migration into the county. Immigration from outside Ireland resulted in a net increase of 1,537 pe…
Economy
The Central Statistics Office estimates that Meath's Total Household Income in 2017 was €5.253 billion, ranking 6th among Irish counties. Meath also ranks 6th in the country by per capita disposable income, at €20,493 or 95.8% of the State average. Meath residents are also the 6th highest per capita tax contributors to the State, returning a total of €1.311 billion in taxes in 2017 – roughly equivale…
Infrastructure
The county is served by four motorway routes. The M3 connects Navan to Dublin and runs from just south of Kells to Clonee, a distance of 48 km (30 mi). The M4 passes through the south of the county and serves as the main road to both Sligo and Galway, when it divides at Kinnegad into the N4 and the M6. The M1 Dublin to Belfast route traverses East Meath for 17 km (11 mi) before bypassing