23 Facts About County Wicklow

County Wicklow was the last of the traditional counties of Ireland to be shired in 1606 from land previously part of counties Dublin and Carlow.

The Military Road, stretching from Rathfarnham to Aghavannagh crosses the mountains, north to south, was built by government forces to assist them in defeating the rebels still active in the County Wicklow Mountains following the failed Irish Rebellion of 1798.

County Wicklow is part of the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster.

County Wicklow is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by land area, and the 16th most populous.

Wicklow Mountains are Ireland's largest continuous upland area and occupy a significant portion of the county, spanning the entire centre of Wicklow and stretching into Dublin and Wexford at their southern and northern fringes.

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The Wicklow Mountains National Park, located in the middle of the county, is a dedicated protected area covering 205 square kilometres, making it the largest national park in Ireland.

The County Wicklow Way was the first long-distance trail in the State, and crosses the range for 131 kilometres .

County Wicklow Mountains are centred on the Leinster batholith and are primarily composed of granite surrounded by an envelope of mica-schist and much older rocks such as quartzite.

County Wicklow has a relatively short coastline, at 64 kilometres in length.

County Wicklow's coastline is mostly straight, with few sizable bays or inlets and no offshore islands, giving it a shorter coastline than smaller counties like Louth and Dublin.

County Wicklow is in a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome, although the majority of County Wicklow's forests are commercial conifers.

In terms of urban development, Wicklow County Council imposes the most stringent planning restrictions in Ireland.

Climate of County Wicklow is temperate oceanic, with cool, humid summers, and mild, wet winters.

Much of Wicklow is very vulnerable to heavy snowfall and the county is typically the hardest hit by such events, with some areas recording over 2 feet of snow.

County Wicklow is occasionally affected by hurricanes, although they are usually extratropical storms by the time they reach Ireland.

Catholicism in County Wicklow reached its peak percentage in the 1961 census, when 87.

County Wicklow is home to several major water supply and hydroelectric facilities.

County Wicklow, often called "The Garden of Ireland", has been a popular tourist destination for many years, due to its scenery, beaches, walking, hiking and climbing options, and attractions including the ruins of the monastic city of Glendalough, County Wicklow Gaol and water-based activities on reservoirs and the coast.

County Wicklow Way is the oldest waymarked long-distance walking trail in Ireland.

Wicklow County Council sends three members to the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, where it is part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area.

County Wicklow was formerly divided into the rural districts of Baltinglass No 1, Rathdown No 2, Rathdrum, and Shillelagh, and the urban districts of Arklow, Bray and Wicklow.

County is serviced by a National secondary road in western Wicklow, and a National primary road in eastern Wicklow which becomes a motorway at Junction 14 north of Ashford.

County Wicklow is twinned with Wurzburg, Germany and Seminole County, Florida, USA.