County Fermanagh

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County Fermanagh (Contae Fhear Manach or Fear Manach in Irish), is the westernmost of the six counties that form Northern Ireland. It belongs to the province of Ulster. Fermanagh is often referred to as Ireland's Lake District. The county is approximately 120 km from Belfast and 160 km from Dublin.

In Northern Ireland the county borders County Tyrone to the north-east, and in the Republic of Ireland the county borders County Monaghan to the south-east, County Cavan and County Leitrim to the south-west and County Donegal to the north-west. Fermanagh is the only county of Northern Ireland that does not border Lough Neagh.

Contents

1 Administration
2 Geography
3 Industry and Tourism
4 Notable People
5 References
6 External links
7 See also

Administration

Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas.

Fermanagh is part of the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Parliamentary Constituency, renowned for high levels of voting and for electing Provisional IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands as a Member of Parliament in a by-election shortly before his death in 1981.

Geography

Map from www.irelandstory.com

County Fermanagh is a predominantly rural region with its geography dominated by two lakes: Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne. This 70-km stretch of lakes, known collectively as Lough Erne, is now linked to the River Shannon and its waterways via the Shannon-Erne Waterway canal, making the entire system the longest navigable inland waterway in Europe. Smaller lakes in the county include Lough Scolborn. In addition, Fermanagh shares many lakes: Lough Melvin (with the Republic of Ireland), Lough Macnean Upper and Lough Macnean Lower (both lying on the Cavan border).

The peak of Cuilcagh, part of the Cuilcagh Mountains range, on the Fermanagh/Cavan border is the highest point in Fermanagh (665 metres, 2,182 feet). Other mountains/ranges include Belmore Mountain, Tappghan Mountain (on the border with Tyrone), Brougher Mountain (on the border with Tyrone), Molly Mountain, Slieve Rushen (on the border with Cavan), Derrin Mountain and Slieve Beagh (on the Tyrone border). Much of the western and eastern areas of the county are forested.

Industry and Tourism

Agriculture and tourism are two of the most important industries in Fermanagh. The main types of farming in the area are beef, dairy, sheep, pigs and some poultry. Most of the agricultural land is used as grassland for grazing and silage or hay rather than for other crops.

The waterways are extensively used by cabin cruisers, other small pleasure craft and anglers. The main town of Fermanagh is Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann, Ceithleann's island). The island town hosts a range of attractions including the Castle Coole Estate and Enniskillen Castle, which is home to the museum of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.

Attractions outside of Enniskillen include:

The Belleek Pottery
Crom Estate
Devenish Island
Florence Court
Loughnavar Forest Park
The Marble Arch Caves
Necarne Castle

Notable People

Famous people born, raised in or living in Fermanagh.

John Armstrong, US congressman
Samuel Beckett, author and playwright (educated in Enniskillen)
Denis P Burkitt, doctor - discoverer of Burkitt's lymphoma
Roy Carroll, footballer
Nigel Dodds, politician
Adrian Dunbar, actor
Neil Hannon, musician
Bobby Kerr, athlete & Olympic Gold Medalist
Ciarán McMenamin, actor
Sean Quinn, entrepreneur
Sinead Quinn, singer (Fame Academy runner up 2003)
Gordon Wilson, Peace campaigner and Irish senator
Oscar Wilde, author and playwright (educated in Enniskillen)
Fr Salvian Maguire C.P. Former Head of Mt Argus

References

Clogher Record, Journal of the Clogher Historical Society/Cumann Seanchais Chlochair, published 1953-2005, online index [Clogherhistory.ie]
Fermanagh: its special landscapes: a study of the Fermanagh countryside and its heritage /Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. - Belfast: HMSO, 1991 ISBN 0337082766
Friel, Charles P.. - Fermanagh's railways : a photographic tribute / Charles P. Friel, Norman Joh. - Newtownards, Co. Down: Colourpoint Press, 1998. ISBN 1898392390
Livingstone, Peadar. - The Fermanagh story :a documented history of the County Fermanagh from the earliest times to the present day - Enniskillen: Cumann Seanchais Chlochair, 1969.
Lowe, Henry N. - County Fermanagh 100 years ago: a guide and directory 1880. - Belfast: Friar's Bush Press, 1990. ISBN 0946872295
Parke, William K. - A Fermanagh Childhood. Derrygonnelly, Co Fermanagh: Friar's Bush Press, 1988. ISBN 0946872120