Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Leitrim

Leitrim.-- the most north-easterly co. of Connaught province; bounded N. by the bay and co. of Donegal, E. by cos. Fermanagh and Cavan, SE. by co. Longford, and W. by cos. Roscommon and Sligo; greatest length, NW. and SE., 52 miles; greatest breadth, NE. and SW., 20 miles; average breadth, 10 miles; coastline, 4 miles; area, 392,363 ac. (23,748 water), or 1.9 per cent, of the total area of Ireland; pop. 90,372, of whom 90.2 per cent, are Roman Catholics, 8.6 Episcopalians, 0.3 Presbyterians, and 0.9 Methodists. The climate is cold and damp. The largest loughs are Melvin, Macnean, Gill, Boderg, Rinn, and Scur. The river Shannon divides Leitrim from Roscommon, and is connected with the river Erne by a canal extending from Carrick-on-Shannon to Ballyconnel. The co. is divided into 2 nearly equal portions by Lough Allen, a large expansion of the river Shannon. The N. section is hilly, and generally unproductive; the S. is more flat, and much interspersed with bog and lough. The valleys of the streams are fertile. (For agricultural statistics, see Appendix.) Iron and lead are abundant in the mountain districts; coal is raised at Slieve Anierin mountain, and on the S. side of Lough Allen. There are some mfrs. of coarse linens and woollens. The co. comprises 5 bars.- Carrigallen, Drumahaire, Leitrim, Mohill, and Roselogher; 17 pars.; and the towns of Carrick-on-Shannon, Manor Hamilton, and Mohill. For parliamentary purposes the co. is divided into 2 divisions - viz., North Leitrim and South Leitrim, 1 member for each division.


(John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "county"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 2nd order divisions")
Administrative units: Leitrim IrlC
Place: County Leitrim

Go to the linked place page for a location map, and for access to other historical writing about the place. Pages for linked administrative units may contain historical statistics and information on boundaries.