TIPPERARY, a county of Ireland, in the pro vince of Munster. It is about 74 miles long from N. to S., 240 from E. to IV., and contains 1591 square miles, or 21,018,240 acres, which are di vided into 12 baronies and 186 parishes, of which 116 are in the united sees of Cashel and Emly, 4 in that of Killaloe, and 32 in that of Waterford. It is separated from Clare and Galway by the Shannon, and from Waterford by the Suir.
The surface of this county is diversified with mountains and fertile plains. The mountains occur chiefly at the boundaries of the county, and the most important of them arc the Galtie and Knock meledon. The plains form the principal part of the county, and are remarkably productive, particu larly what is called the Golden vale and the tract in which the town of Tipperary is situated. There is an extensive tract of bog in the east of the coun ty, forming a part of the great bog of Allen, about 36,000 acres of which might be reclaimed.
The principal rivers are the Shannon and the Suir. The Shannon expands into the fine lake of Lough-derg. The Suir, after running south, takes an eastern course by Clonmel and Carrick, and, after its junction with the Barrow and the Nase, falls into the sea.
The coal district lies to the south of the bag above mentioned, between the town of Killenaule and the county of Kilkenny. The coal is the car bonaceous or stone coal, known by the name of Kilkenny coal. It is wrought on the borders of Queen's county. Lead and copper veins have been wrought near the Sliechbloom mountains, and fine millstones have also been quarried here.
The climate of Tipperary is very mild. Vegeta tion is seldom checked by the winter frosts, and the cattle remain out on the pasture grounds dur ing the whole year.
The lands of the county are chiefly occupied in grazing, every variety of pasture land being found in the county. The cattle, which are long horned, are reckoned among the best in Ireland; and Mr. Wakefield is of opinion that many of the flocks of long-woolled sheep are not inferior to those of Leicestershire. Tillage farms are generally of small extent, one of 90 Irish acres being thought large.
A species of flax, which grows to a great height, is raised on the rich lands, and seems well fitted for sail-cloth. The graziers in this county have often leasehold properties of much greater value than the freeholds. The estates in Tipperary are of various sizes. There arc some from £10,000 to £15,000 per annum, and many from £4000 to X6000. Lord Landaff is the chief proprietor.
The principal towns in Tipperary are Clonmel and Carrick, both upon the Suir, Cashel, Fethard, Cahir, Thurles, Roscrea, Nenagh, and Tipperary. Carrick has a manufacture of ribbons. Fethard was once a walled town, but is now in a state of decay. Thurles is a long straggling town of one street, with a neat modern church and barracks. Roscrea is a neat thriving place, with an ancient church, near which is one of the largest round towers in Ireland, all built with square stone. Nenagh was formerly defended by a strong castle. Tipperary is in a ruinous condition. See our articles CASHEL, Vol. V. p. 471, and CLONNIEL, Vol. VI. p. 535, for an account of these towns.
Tipperary sends four members to parliament, two for the county and two for each of the burghs of Cashel and Clonmel. There were about 12,000 freeholders in this county under the old act.
The trade of Tipperary, which consists princi• pally in its cattle, and beef, and corn, is facilitated by the river Suir, by which it has access to Water ford and the sea on the south, and by the Barrow and Nase, and a branch of the Grand Canal, by which it communicates with Dublin on the east.
In 1792, the number of houses in the county, ac cording to Dr. Beaufort, was 30,073, and reckon ing 31 persons to a house, the population will be 169,000, or according to Mr. Bushe, if we give 61 to each house, the population will be 190,000. By the census of 1821, the population was found to be 353,000. The number of Protestants is very small: in some places not above one in a hundred. See Wakefield's Statistical „Recount of Ireland, passim, the Statistical .Recount of the Parish of Carrick in 1815. Dr. Beaufort's Memoir of a Map of Ireland, and the article IRELAND, in this work.