KING'S COUNTY is an inland county of Ireland, in the province of Leinster. It is hounded on the north by West meath and Meath ; on the east by Kildare and Queen's County ; on the south and south-west by Tipperary ; and on the west by part of Galway and Roscommon. It is sepa rated from Galway by the river Shannon, and the Barrow and the little Brosna mark its boundary for a few miles. It received its name out of compliment to Philip II. of Spain, the husband of Queen Mary.
It is 39 English miles broad, contracting rapidly to the south, and it extends from north to south 43 English miles. Its superficial extent is 707 square English miles, or 453, 370 acres.
The general appearance of the county is fiat, the only mountains being the Shebhfloor mountains, which divide it from Queen's county. This range extends 15 miles, and is traversed only by one pass, called the Gap of Glendive, which is only five feet wide, and is very steep and craggy, and difficult of approach.
The principal rivers in this county are the Shannon, the Little Brosna, the Great Brosna, which falls into the Shan non alter winding through a great part of the county. The principal loughs are Lough Rink and Lough Armagh. The northern part of the county derives much advantage from the grand canal which passes through it.
The principal towns are Pnilipstown, Birr, or Parson's town, and Tullamore, of which Birr is the largest. Tuna more contains about 4000 inhabitants, of whom 2,500 are Catholics.
This county contains 52 parishes, and 15 churches. Ac cording to Dr. Beaufort, a population of about 74,500. Since the completion of the grand canal, however,' the population has increased. See Beaufort's Memoir of a Map of Ireland; Sir C. Coote's Statistical Survey ; and Wake field's Account of Ireland.