Ireland at present is divided into four provinces, Ulster, Leinster, Connaught, and Munster. Ulster, the most northerly province, is bounded on the north by that part of the Atlantic called the Deucaledonian Sea ; on the west by the main body of the Atlantic Ocean ; on the east by St. George's Channel and the Irish Sea ; and on the south and south-west by the provinces of Leinster and Con naught. Its area comprises 8375 English square and it contains nine counties : viz.
besides Lough Neagh, which is supposed to cover an area of 58,200 acres.
The following are the principal towns in the province.of Ulster ; In the county of Armagh, the city of Armagh, Lur gan, Portodown, Hamilton-Bann, Tanderagee, and Jones borough ; in county Down, Donaghadee, Portaferry, Strangford, Down Patrick, the county town and city, Dro more, a city, Port St. Ann, Newry, Bann Bridge, Gil ford, Ballynahinch, and Bangor ; in the county of Antrim, Bel fast, Carrickfergus, Larne, Bally Castle, Randalstown, and Antrim, the county town ; in Londonderry, Colerain, Kill vet:, Castle Dawson, Newtoun, and Londonderry, the county town ; in Donegal, the city of Raphoe, Letterkenny, Bally shannon, and Donegal, the county town ; in Tyrone, Stra bane, Omagh, where the assizes are held, the city of Clogher, Dungannon, Cook's town, Stewart's town, &c. ; in Fermanagh, Enniskillen, the county town, there is no other place of any size or consequence in Fermanagh ; in Cavan, Cavan, the county town, Killeshandra, and Vir ginia ; in Monaghan, Castle-Blaney, Carrickmacross, Clones, and Monaghan, the county town.
Leinster, which is the most eastern province of Ire land, is bounded on the north by Ulster, on the east and south by St. George's, or the Irish Channel, and on the west by the province of Munster ; it contains 7360 Eng light squares miles ; and comprises the following 12 counties : In the province of Leinste7 the principal places are, in the county of Louth, Drogheda, Carlingford, Dundalk, Ardee, and Louth, the county town ; in East Meath, Trim, the county town, Navan, Kells, Athboy ; in Dublin, Dub lino city, the county town, and the capital of Ireland ; be• sides it there is no vlacc of importance in this county; in Wicklow, Bray, Arklow, and Wicklow, the county town ; in 'Wexford, Wexford, the county town, New Ross, and •nniscorthy ; in Kilkenny, Kilkenny the county town, Cal lan, Innistioge, Thomas Town, El.c.; in Carlow, Carlow, the county town, and Tullow ; in Queen's County, Mary borough, the county town, Portarliogton, and Mountmi lick ; in King's County, Philipstown, the county town, Tullamore, Balliboy, Banogher, and Bier ; in \Vest Meath, Mullingar, the county town, Athlone, and Fore ; and in Longford, G ranard, Longford, the county town, Edge worthstown, A rdagh a city, Colehill, and Laneshorough.
Connaught, the most westta n province of is washed on the south and east by the Shannon, and on the west by the Atlantic, and it is bounded on the north by the province of Ulster ; its [ilea comprises 7191 English square miles ; and it comprehends the following five counties : viz.
Baronies. Parishes. Acres.
Galway, . . . 16 116 989.950 Mayo, 9 68 796 600 Sligo, 6 39 247 150 Leitrim, . . . 5 17 255.950 Roscommon, . . 6 56 346 650 In the province of Connaught the principal towns arc the following; in the county of Galway, Galway the county town, Tuam a city, Loughree, Aghrim, Clonfert a city ; in Mayo, Castlebar the county town, Mayo ; in Sligo, Bal lymoat, and Sligo the county town ; in Leitrim, Carrick on-Shannon the county town, Leitrim ; in Roscommon, Tulsk, Abbeyboyle, Ballynasloc, and Roscommon the county town.
Munster, the most southern province in Ireland, is bounded on the north by Leinster and Connaught, and on the east, west, and south, by the ocean ; it was formerly subdivided into Desmond, or South Munster, Ormond, or East Munster, and Thomood, or North Munster ; its area occupies 9276 English square miles ; and it is divided into the following six counties, viz.: Baronies. Parishes. Acres.
Cork, 16 269 1,048,b00 Kerry, 8 83 647,650 Clare, 9 79 476 200 Limeric, . . . . 9 125 386,750 Tipperary, . . . . 10 186 554,950 Waterford, . . . . 7 74 262,800 In the province of Munster the following are the prin cipal places; in the county of Cork, Cork the county town, and a city, the second place in size and population in the kingdom, Bandon, Baltimore, Youghall, and Ratliconnuck ; in Kerry, Listorwell, Ardfert, the county town and a city, Tralec and Dingle ; in Clare, KflIaloe a city, Ennis, or Clare, the county town, and Kilfinora ; in Limeric, Limeric the county town and a city, Castle Cannel, Charlesville, Killmallock ; in Tipperary, Cashel the county town and a city, Tipperary, Nenagh ; and in the county of Waterford, Lisinore, Dungarvon, and Waterford, the county town and a city.