35 Facts About County Carlow

1.

County Carlow is a county located in the South-East Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster.

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2.

County Carlow is the second smallest and the third least populous of Ireland's 32 traditional counties.

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3.

The town of Carlow was founded by the Normans in 1207 and the county was shired shortly thereafter, making it one of the oldest counties in Ireland.

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4.

County Carlow is the second-smallest of Ireland's 32 counties by area, and the third-smallest in terms of population.

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5.

County Carlow is landlocked and bordered by five counties - Kilkenny to the west, Wicklow to the east, Wexford to the southeast, and Laois and Kildare to the north.

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6.

County Carlow is in a maritime temperate oceanic region according to Koppen climate classification.

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7.

The north of the county is generally flat, while central and southern Carlow are characterised by an undulating to rolling topography which becomes progressively hillier towards the south and east.

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8.

The last boundary change of a barony in County Carlow was in 1841, when the barony of St Mullin's was divided into St Mullin's Lower and St Mullin's Upper.

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9.

Local government in County Carlow is governed by the Local Government Acts, the most recent of which established a unitary structure of local government.

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10.

County Carlow is part of the Dail constituency of County Carlow–Kilkenny which returns 5 TDs.

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11.

County Carlow is part of the European Parliament constituency of South .

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12.

County Carlow was paid by the Anglo-Normans for his "services" in keeping the roads and trade routes of the area free of bandits, but in reality this amounted to nothing more than rent exacted by MacMurrough-Kavanagh as recognition of his sovereignty over the area.

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13.

County Carlow's authority was so absolute that the MacMurrough-Kavanagh's retained control over large portions of the county for centuries, despite radical political changes.

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14.

Large areas on the northern and eastern fringes of the Liberty of County Carlow gradually fell completely to the O'Moores, O'Byrnes and other chiefdoms.

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15.

County Carlow retained its Irish Sea border, though control of this land became disputed with the ruling chiefs of the area who were petitioning for their own shire.

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16.

The present-day boundary of County Carlow therefore represents the core Norman holdings in the area which had persisted since the 12th century, propped up by the Caomhanach dynasty.

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17.

County Carlow was one of four counties set aside by the Commonwealth government for the payment of public debt, although much of the land in these counties eventually ended up in the hands of notable regicides, considered "friends of the Republic".

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18.

The rebellion in Carlow is particularly infamous for the sectarian excesses committed within the county.

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19.

Cathedral of the Assumption in County Carlow town was built in a Gothic Revival style in the early 1800s and is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.

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20.

Six centuries, Carlow Castle was the oldest and most imposing stone castle in the county.

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21.

Ireland's flagship long-distance trail – the Wicklow Way – ends in Clonegal in northeastern County Carlow, after crossing the Wicklow Mountains for 131 kilometres .

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22.

Cathedral of the Assumption in County Carlow is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.

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23.

The early 19th-century Scot's Church in Carlow town is the county's largest Presbyterian church, and the Carlow Islamic Cultural Centre is located in Carlow town.

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24.

The Irish Sugar Manufacturing Company was created in 1926 by County Carlow businessman Edward Duggan, and was a landmark moment in the industrialisation of the nascent Irish State.

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25.

County Carlow, which is headquartered in London, is listed on the Irish Stock Exchange and recorded a revenue of just under €1.

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26.

County Carlow is located along the main Dublin to Waterford motorway, the M9.

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27.

County Carlow is served by the following national primary roads and secondary roads:.

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28.

Rail coverage in Carlow is sparse, with only one active rail line currently serving the county.

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29.

County Carlow has two airstrips which are used for light aircraft and recreational flying.

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30.

In GAA, Carlow is recognised as a dual county, meaning that Gaelic football and Hurling are equally popular.

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31.

That year, County Carlow progressed to the All-Ireland semi-final, in which they were beaten by Kerry.

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32.

At provincial level, clubs from Carlow have won 6 Leinster Senior Club Football Championship titles, the 3rd most of any county.

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33.

Several County Carlow landlords were involved in the formation of the Phoenix Cricket Club in 1830.

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34.

County Carlow donated his properties to the Carlow Urban Council in 1944 for the "common welfare", specifically stipulating that the properties could not be privately sold or used to subsidise the local rates.

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35.

The Taste of County Carlow Festival is centred around local cuisine and showcases locally produced bread, cheese, pastries and Craft Beers.

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