County Fermanagh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search
County Fermanagh
Contae Fhear Manach
Coat of arms of County Fermanagh
Location
centerMap highlighting County Fermanagh
Statistics
Province: Ulster
County seat: Enniskillen
Area: 1,691 km² (653 sq mi)
Population (est.) 57,527[1]

County Fermanagh (IPA: /fɚr'mænɘ/; Contae Fhear Manach or Fear Manach ('Men of Monach')in Irish), is the westernmost of the six counties that form Northern Ireland, and the westernmost part of the United Kingdom. It is part of the province of Ulster. Fermanagh is often referred to as Ireland's Lake District. The county is approximately 120 km (75 mi) from Belfast and 160 km (99 mi) from Dublin.

The name Fermanagh is an anglicization of Fhear Manach which means 'Men of the Manacháin tribe' so named after their chief O'Manacháin (Anglicized as O'Monaghan), the famous warrior monk.

In Northern Ireland the county borders County Tyrone to the north-east, and in the Republic of Ireland the county borders County Monaghan to the south-east, County Cavan and County Leitrim to the south-west and County Donegal to the north-west. Fermanagh is the only county of Northern Ireland that does not border Lough Neagh.

Contents

[edit] History

Fermanagh was a stronghold of the Maguire clan before the confiscation of lands relating to Hugh Maguire. It is one of four historic counties of Northern Ireland presently to have a majority of the population from a Catholic community background, according to the 2001 census.

The Annals of Ulster were written at Belle Isle on Lough Erne.

[edit] Administration

Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas.

Fermanagh is part of the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Parliamentary Constituency, renowned for high levels of voting and for electing Provisional IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands as a Member of Parliament in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, April 1981 shortly before his death.

[edit] Industry and tourism

Agriculture and tourism are two of the most important industries in Fermanagh. The main types of farming in the area are beef, dairy, sheep, pigs and some poultry. Most of the agricultural land is used as grassland for grazing and silage or hay rather than for other crops.

The waterways are extensively used by cabin cruisers, other small pleasure craft and anglers. The main town of Fermanagh is Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann, Ceithleann's island). The island town hosts a range of attractions including the Castle Coole Estate and Enniskillen Castle, which is home to the museum of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.

Attractions outside Enniskillen include:

[edit] Media

Newspapers

Radio

[edit] Notable people

Famous people born, raised in or living in Fermanagh.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/ni/popul.htm Background Information on Northern Ireland Society - Population and Vital Statistics
  2. ^ (1963) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 

[edit] See also


[edit] External links

v • d • e
Counties and cities of Northern Ireland
Counties

Antrim · Armagh · Down · Fermanagh · Londonderry · Tyrone
Cities

Armagh · Belfast · Derry · Lisburn · Newry
v • d • e
Counties of Ireland
Connacht
Munster
Leinster
Ulster

Cavan · Donegal · Monaghan · Antrim · Armagh · Down · Fermanagh · Londonderry · Tyrone
Italics denote non-administrative counties. Parentheses () denote eponymous cities or non-traditional counties.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Fermanagh"
Personal tools