County Longford

Ireland
Photo by Denise
Photo by Nicola Cunningham
County Longford is a countyin the heart of the Republic of Ireland, part of the midlands region and namedafter the town Longford. It is the fourth smallest of the 32 counties in theIreland, and this relative lack of size, plus the fact that it has the smallestpopulation of any county in the Republic, helps to foster an atmosphere of calmand tranquillity.

It is this rural calm that helps to draw visitorsto County Longford from around the world. Thelandscape offers a little bit of everything that helps to make Ireland special.This means you can relax, enjoy the warm welcome of the locals and soak upviews of, or explore, woodlands, fields, hills and lakes. Indeed, CountyLongford sits in the heart of the Republic of Ireland’s Lakelandregion, and lakes within easy travelling distance include LoughRee, Lough Gahmna and Lough Gowna.

Travellingto County Longford

Although Shannon Airport and Dublin Airport arelarger and offer a wider range of possible destinations, the closest airport toCounty Longford is Ireland West AirportKnock.  It is a relatively small airport,but still one capable of handling more than 700,000 passengers per year. Fourairlines use the airport and it offers flights to and from mainland UKthroughout the year, and further on into Europe in summer. The fact that the UKairports serving the Ireland West Airport Knock, such as London Stansted andLiverpool, take flights from all around the world means that CountyLongford is accessible to everyone.

Attractions in County Longford

The chief attraction of CountyLongford as a whole is the tranquil pace of rural life in thecounty and the warmth afforded to visitors by the locals. Its central locationmeans many of the top attractions of the entire republic are within easydriving distance, and attractions within the county include a selection offirst-class golf courses and access to waterways such as the river Shannon, thevarious lakes, both large and small, and sections of Ireland’s canalsystem.

The range of waterways on offer in the county meansthat you can choose to take part in an energetic activity such as canoeing,white water rafting and kayaking, or instead relax and enjoy some angling orsimply enjoying the canals, whether on foot or on board a canal boat.

Other attractions within CountyLongford include the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre, a museumand historical site dedicated to the reconstruction of an oak road, originallybuilt during the Iron Age in 148 BC and the largest of its kind in Europe. Thecentre is located in the village of Keenagh, eight and a half miles south ofthe town of Longford itself.

If you’re interested in the diverse selection offlora and fauna in County Longford, then ensureyour visit takes in some of several natural heritage areas located within thecounty. These include the Glen Lough Bird Sanctuary the Fortwilliam Turlough,which is located to the east of Lough Ree and offers the chance to explore adeeply traditional habitat and the Lough Forbes complex.