LONGFORD, a county of the Irish Free State, bounded north-west by Leitrim, north-east by Cavan, east and south by Westmeath and west by Lough Ree and Roscommon. The area is 269,408 acres, or about 421 sq.m. Pop. (1926) 39,831.
The Silurian axis of Newry reaches the north of the county, where Lough Gowna lies upon it. Anticlinals bring up Old Red Sandstone at Longford town and Ardagh, above the Carboniferous Limestone plain, in which Lough Ree forms a characteristic lake, with signs of extension by solution along its shores. Marble of fine quality has been raised. In the north indications of iron are abundant, and there are also traces of lead. The principal rivers are the Camlin, which rises near Granard and flows past Longford to the Shannon, and the Inny, which entering the county from Westmeath crosses its southern corner and falls into Lough Ree. Lough Ree is partly included in Longford. The other principal lakes are Lough Gowna, Derrylough, Lough Drum and Lough Bannow.
The early name of Longford was Annaly or Anale, a principality of the O'Farrels. Then included in Meath, it was granted by Henry II. to Hugh de Lacy, who planted an English colony. On the divi sion of Meath into two counties in Annaly was included in Westmeath, but in 1569 it was made shire ground under the name of Longford.
The chief rath is called the Moat of Granard. There are mon astic remains at Ardagh, a former bishopric, Longford, Moydow and on several of the islands of Lough Ree. The principal castles are those of Rathcline near Lanesborough, and Ballymahon on the Inny. Oliver Goldsmith was born at Pallas, a village near Bally mahon, in this county; and at Edgeworthstown lived the family of the novelist Maria Edgeworth.
The climate is moist and cold, and there is much marsh and bog. The soil in the southern districts resting on the limestone is a deep loam well adapted for pasture, but in the north it is often poor. Oats and potatoes are the principal crops. The Great South ern line from Mullingar to Sligo crosses the county by way of the county town of Longford ; and the Cavan branch touches the ex treme east. The Royal canal enters the county in the south at Abbeyshrule, and joins the Shannon near Cloondara. The admin istrative counties of Longford and Westmeath together return five members to Dail Eireann.