Offaly

I

Introduction

Offaly, county in Leinster province, central Republic of Ireland, bounded on the north by Westmeath and Meath, on the east by Kildare, on the south-east by Laois, on the south-west by Tipperary, and on the west by Galway and Roscommon. It has a land area of 1,998 sq km (771 sq mi).

II

Land and Resources

The flat terrain is mainly covered by the Bog of Allen, Boora Bog, and Clara Bog. The River Shannon delineates Offaly's western border and the Grand Canal, which connects the Shannon and the Liffey, also flows through the county. The Slieve Bloom mountains rise to 518 m (1,700 ft) in the south-west.

Offaly has mild summers and winters. There is plentiful rain throughout the year, often accompanied by strong winds which blow unimpeded over the flat countryside.

III

Population and Administration

The county has an estimated population of 58,449 (1991). Roman Catholics make up 95 per cent of the population. Most people speak English (the official second language), although there are some Irish speakers (see Celtic Languages) in the western parts of the county.

The county town is Tullamore (1991 population 8,662). The other main towns are Birr (3,280), Clara (2,505), and Edenderry (3,525). Tullamore is the administrative centre for the county council; there are town councils (formerly urban district councils) at Birr, Edenderry, and Tullamore.

IV

Places of Interest

Tullamore, the county town, straddles the Grand Canal, and was laid out as a planned town in the late 18th century; it contains many fine Georgian buildings. Charleville Forest Castle, a large neo-Gothic mansion, was designed by Francis Johnston in the late 18th century and built between 1800 and 1812. Birr Castle dates from about 1620 and has extensive grounds, which contain the world's tallest box hedge (12 m/40 ft). The castle is well known for the scientific achievements of the earls of Rosse, owners for the past four centuries. In 1845, the third earl, William Parsons, built a 1.8-m (72-in) reflecting telescope through which he first identified spiral nebulae 10 million light years into space. Lawrence, the fourth earl, was the first person to measure the heat of the Moon, while his brother, Sir Charles Parsons, invented the steam turbine engine. The seventh earl has restored the giant telescope and its mountings to full working order—although it is now computer-controlled.

Clonmacnoise near Shannonbridge is the most important monastic settlement in Ireland and was the burial place for the kings of Connaught and Tara, including the last high king of Ireland, Rory O’Connor (died 1198). Founded by St Ciaran in ad 548, it was an important centre of learning in medieval Ireland, producing many treasured manuscripts, including the Book of the Dun Cow (now in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin). Durrow Abbey, founded by St Columba in the mid-6th century, lies to the north of Tullamore. The Book of Durrow was completed there in the 7th century and is now housed in the University of Dublin. The grounds include a medieval church, a high cross, and a cemetery.