2.1 Ireland’s Counties and Provinces

The island of Ireland is comprised of 32 counties – 26 of these counties are within the Republic of Ireland, while the remaining 6 are in Northern Ireland.

Irish Counties

The counties of Ireland were formed at different points in time.

The original counties of Ireland were formed at different points between the 9th and 14th centuries; many of the counties were developed during the Anglo-Norman invasion, while others (such as Dublin) were established during Viking settlements on the island (Wright 2020). The counties that developed during this historical span include:

•     Dublin
•     Carlow
•     Cork
•     Kerry
•     Kildare
•     Kilkenny
•     Limerick
•     Louth
•     Meath
•     Tipperary
•     Waterford
•     Wexford

Alongside these counties, new counties emerged under different monarchies in the country; for example, counties Laois and Offaly were established as King’s and Queen’s counties under the reign of Queen Mary in the mid-16th century. Elizabeth I was the monarch of Ireland from the mid-16th to early-17th centuries, and established a series of additional counties, among them:

•     Armagh
•     Clare
•     Cavan
•     Derry
•     Donegal
•     Fermanagh
•     Galway
•     Leitrim
•     Longford
•     Mayo
•     Roscommon
•     Sligo
•     Tyrone

The remaining two counties –  Down and Antrim – do not have clear dates of establishment, while the “final county” to be formed was Wicklow in 1605.

Each county in Ireland has a distinct culture and heritage, as well as a unique landscape. As you read through the subsequent chapters, you will learn more about these distinct counties in relation to key themes and highlights. For example – in Chapter One, you have already learned about important physical landscapes found in counties Louth and Mayo. (Can you recall what these historical landmarks are and how they inform our understandings of the lived environment in these counties?)

Each Irish county is governed by local authorities, which can have real impacts in moments of change. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the lifting of lockdown restrictions began within each county, where residents could travel within their county but not cross a county borderline.

In the below map, you can get a sense of the different counties, and where they are situated in relation to the different provinces on the island:

As well as knowing the county names, it is important to have a sense of how these counties are related to each other in terms of their positioning on the island (i.e., east, west, south, and north), as well as their relation to particular geographic points. For example, in our later chapter on waterways, you will become familiar with how major canals passed through particular counties and how this shaped the economies of those regions. Likewise in our chapter on mountains, you will begin to get a sense of where mountains are situated within these counties and how that shapes the cultural, economic, and social life in these counties.

Irish Provinces

The 32 counties of Ireland are divided up into four provinces, known as:

•     Connacht
•     Ulster
•     Munster
•     Leinster

These four distinct provinces are known for particular cultural, creative, commercial and physical attributes. Many of the attributes that provinces are known for span multiple counties within the province. For example, as you read through this textbook, you will find that Munster is known for its green pastures and thus, by extension, its successful dairy farming industry.