Everything about County Louth totally explained
County Louth is a
county on the
east coast of
Ireland, on the border with
Northern Ireland.
The county town is
Dundalk, which is also the largest town in Louth. The majority of the county's population live in either Dundalk or
Drogheda. The 2006 Census confirmed
Dundalk and
Drogheda as not only the largest towns in the county, but also the largest
towns in
Ireland.
Drogheda has a population marginally larger than that of Dundalk. This however, includes areas and suburbs of Drogheda which lie in
County Meath. in Ireland having a total area of only 821sq kilometres (317sq miles).
Origin of name
The original Irish name of the county
Lughbhaidh comes from the place of worship of the Celtic god Lugh whose festival was celebrated at Lughnasa. The Irish month Lughnasa and day of the week Dé Luain are both derived from Lugh, also.
The names for both county and village are now spelled as
An Lú. This is merely a modern standardised rendering of the older
Lughbhaidh. The name has nothing to do with the comparative/superlative form
lú meaning
smaller or
smallest of the adjective
beag.
History
This is a county steeped in myth, legend and history, going back to the pre-historical days of the
Táin Bó Cúailnge (Cooley Cattle Raid, see
Cúchulainn). Later it saw the influence of the
Vikings as seen in the name of
Carlingford Lough.
There are a number of historic sites in the county, including religious sites at Monasterboice and Mellifont Abbey
In the early fourteenth century the Scottish army of
Edward Bruce (brother of Robert of Bannockburn fame) was defeated in the battle of Faughart near Dundalk, Edward losing not only his claim to the High Kingship Of Ireland, but also his life. The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries featured many skirmishes and battles involving Irish and English forces.
Oliver Cromwell attacked Drogheda in
1649 slaughtering the Royalist garrison (
Siege of Drogheda).
Towards the end of the same century the armies of the warring Kings, James and William, faced off in North Louth during the build-up to the
Battle of the Boyne - the battle takes its name from the river Boyne which reaches the sea at
Drogheda.
Notable settlements in County Louth
Towns
Villages
Further Information
Get more info on 'County Louth'.
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