Guide to County Leitrim in Ireland

County Leitrim

Leitrim is located in the north-west of the country within the provine of Connacht. It is the least densely populated county in Ireland with just 7 houses per square kilometre on average. Leitrim is reported to have the fastest-growing county population in Ireland but with just 29,000 residents there is plenty of room for new arrivals. These remarkable statistics are caused by the fact that the Famine years and mass emigrations of the 19th century affected Leitrim to a much greater extent than many other counties. If the current population of Leitrim was multiplied fivefold it still would not equal the 155,000 county dwellers recorded in the 1841 census.

The county landscape is a panorama of unspoilt scenery featuring everything from barren hillsides to spectacular waterways. Leitrim is literally awash with lakes, large and small. Amongst the more famous, some of which feature in classic Irish poetry, are Lough Allen, Lough Gill, Lough Melvin, Lough Garadice, Lough Glenade, Lough Rynn and Lough MacNean. Other notable water features are Glencar Waterfall and the River Shannon. Leitrim even has a coastline in Donegal Bay, but at just 5 kilometres long, sandwiched between the beaches of Sligo and Donegal, the county is not exactly renowned for seaside activities.

The principal towns are Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton. Other settlements of note include Ballinamore, Carrigallen, Dromahair, Drumshanbo, Drumkeeran, Drumsna, Kinlough, Mohill and Roosky.