Genealogy Centres in Longford
Longford Research Centre
Longford Roots
1 Church Street
Longford
Co Longford
Ireland
Open daily Monday to Friday
Some Common County Longford Surnames
Today, O'Farrell or Farrell is still the most dominant surname in the County. Other common surnames are, Quinn, Kenny, Kiernan, Mulvey, Smith, Leavy, Kelly, Glennon, Keenan, Casey and Murphy.
Some People with Longford Ancestry
In a historical context the County has associations with four famous literary figures namely Oliver Goldsmith, born at Pallas, Abbeyshrule in the County, Maria Edgeworth of Edgeworthstown, Padraic Colum born at Longford Workhouse where his father was Master, and Leo Casey author of 'The Rising of the Moon' and approximately two hundred other ballads.
Facts about Longford
Longford is in the Irish Midlands. It lies in the basin of the River Shannon, and the upper part of the County is in the catchment area of the River Erne, having Lough Gowna on its border with neighbouring County Cavan.
The physical features of the County comprise lakeland, bogland, pastureland and wetland. There are some neolithic remains in the northern part of the County near the town of Granard. There are a number of early Christian sites in the county with monastic remains at Ardagh, Abbeylara, Abbeyderg and Inchcleraun Island in the River Shannon. Some field-monuments connected with the coming of the Normans in the thirteenth century are scattered throughout the county.
County Longford is a comparatively small county. Longford town with a population of 6,500, is the administrative headquarters for the county. The origin of the town goes back to the year 1400 with a local chieftain named O'Farrell established a stronghold. This fortress became known as Longford O'Farrell. Since then the O'Farrells have been the ruling clan in the county, having had at one stage a total of seven castles in the southern part of the County.
Longford town has a fine County Museum which reflects the social history of the area through the centuries.