CARLOW, the capital t. of Carlow co., Ireland, situated at the confluence of the Burren and the Barrow, 56 m. s.w. of Dublin by rail. It is a well-built town, with two principal streets, from which branch many smaller ones, and a suburb, Graigue, iu Queen's co., on the opposite side of the river, with which it is connected by a bridge. It has a Roman Catholic cathedral and divinity college. C. has extensive flour-mills, and is the emporium for the agricultural produce of the district, largely exported from this place. Pop. '71, 7,842. It returns one member to parliament. There are here the remains of a castle, picturesquely situated on an eminence on the Barrow, founded in 1180 by sir Hugh de Lacy. In 1361. the duke of Clarence established the exchequer of the kingdom in this place. It constituted one of the boundaries of the PALE, beyond which the king's writ was not recognized by the "Irishry." Its first charter was granted
in the 13th c. by William Marshall, earl of Pembroke. The town grew up around this castle, which was several times besieged by, and alternately in the possession of. the English and Irish. The castle (one of great extent) was in the possession of the insurgents in 1650, when it was closely invested by gen. Ireton and the republican army. The garrison surrendered on conditions to sir llardress Waller, whom Ireton had left to conduct the siege. It was then dismantled; and about one half of this once stately castle now remains a picturesque ruin. In the Irish insurrection of 1798, the insurgents attacked the town, but were repulsed by the garrison and yeomanry, and 600 of them killed. The Barrow is here navigable for small-craft to its junction with the Grand canal at Athy.