Job Category Any Hospitality   Chef Jobs   Fitness, Leisure & Beauty   Hotels   Irish Pubs Abroad   Pubs, Bars & Clubs   Restaurants / Catering   Travel / Tourism Manual / Trades   Construction / Trades   Drivers   Operative / Manual / Labouring   Security   Warehousing / Logistics Finance   Accountancy / Finance   Banking / Insurance   Financial Services Career Level   Graduate   Managers / Supervisors   Voluntary Work   Work Experience / Internship Science / Technology   IT / Programming   Manufacturing / Engineering   Pharmaceutical / Science Other Categories   Healthcare / Childcare / Nursing   HR / Recruitment   Legal   Media / New Media   Teaching / Training Administration   Call-Centre (English Speaking)   Multi-lingual   Secretarial / Admin   Tech Support Retail   Retail - Fashion   Retail - Other Other   Architecture / Design   Crazy / Random Jobs   Miscellaneous Sales & Marketing   Marketing / Market research   Promotions / Merchandising   Sales - €35k+   Sales - Up to €35k Region Any Dublin (All) ----------------- Abroad Carlow Cavan Clare Cork Donegal Dublin City Centre Dublin North Dublin South Dublin West Galway Kerry Kildare Kilkenny Laois Leitrim Limerick Longford Louth Mayo Meath Monaghan Northern Ireland Offaly Roscommon Sligo Tipperary Waterford Westmeath Wexford Wicklow

Sister Sites Visit: AntrimLive.comArmaghLive.comBelfastLive.netCarlowLive.comCavanLive.comClareGuideLive.comCorkLive.comDerryLive.comDonegalLive.comDownLive.comDublinGuideLive.comDundrum.comFermanaghLive.comGalwayLive.comIrishguidelive.comKerryLive.comKildareLive.comKilkennyLive.comLaoisLive.comLeitrimLive.comLimerickLive.comLongfordLive.comLouthLive.comMayoLive.comMeathLive.comMonaghanLive.comOffalyLive.comRathfarnhamLive.comRathmines.comRoscommonLive.comSligoLive.comTallaghtLive.comTipperaryLive.comTyroneLive.comWaterfordLive.comWestCorkLive.comWestmeathLive.comWexfordLive.comWicklowLive.com

Back to Top

About Longford

Situated in the basin of the River Shannon, Longford's history dates back as far as prehistoric times. A comparatively small county, Longford town is the administrative headquarters for the county and is spaciously laid out with wide streets, pleasant buildings and recent impressive urban development. Its origins date back to the year 1400 when a local chieftain, by the name of O'Farrell established a stronghold in the area. This fortress became known as Longford O'Farrell. For centuries, the county was the centre of power of the O'Farrell family, having had at one stage a total of seven castles in the southern part of the County in their possession.

During the 1798 Rising, the British Army under Lord Cornwallis defeated a combined army of French and Irish at Ballinamuck, north of Longford. With the outbreak of the famine in the nineteenth century the county saw massive emigration; with many traveling to Argentina, where a Longford descendent Edel Miro O'Farrell became president in 1914.

The small of Lanesboro is the site of one of Ireland's first turf-fired generating stations. Lanesboro is in a pivoted position located on the River Shannon at the northern entrance to Lough Ree. The town's name is derived from the family name Lane who once owned large tracts of land in the surrounding area. The River Shannon divides Lanesboro from Ballyleague which is located on the Roscommon side. Lanesboro today has blossomed into a thriving little town with plenty of facilities for visitors and locals.

An attractive little Estate Village, Ardagh lies to the south east of Longford town and has given its name to the diocese in which the greater part of the county is situated. St. Patrick is said to have founded a church here in the fifth century and installed Saint Mel as bishop here. The ancient ruins of Saint Mel's Cathedral are near the present Church of Ireland and St. Mel himself is said to be buried within the walls.

Some of the other attractions to look out for in Longford include:

Bogwood Sculpture Artists
Bogwood is found in Irish Bogs where it has been preserved for 5,000 years. This wood was part of the great forest that covered the central plains of Ireland. Michael and Kevin Casey are artists who create beautiful sculptures from this wood. Their workshop and studio is beside Lough Ree on the River Shannon. Here the story of bogwood is told through video, photographs, charts and finally the finished pieces of sculpture.

Battle of Ballinamuck Heritage Centre
This lively exhibition, located in the historic former R.I.C. barracks provides information on the Year of the French and the Battle of Ballinamuck in 1798.

Corlea Visitor Centre
This centre tells the story of the local Iron Age bog road, built in the year 148BC across the boglands close to the River Shannon. It's the largest road of its kind to be uncovered in Europe and was excavated by Professor Barry Raftery of University College Dublin in 1985.

Carriglass Manor Garden
This charming woodland garden nestled between the historic family owned mansion and the magnificent Gandon Stableyards, provides a haven for small nesting birds, bees and butterflies. Light and shade dictate a planting scheme that is as wonderfully natural. A stream bordered by water loving plants creates a linear layout of banks of old roses and mixed borders leading to a lower pond - colour themes abound.