A-Z Placefinder
Towns of Longford
Granard —County Longford
Granard is the second largest town in County Longford and lies on the N55 route from the Midlands Region to the Northern Counties. It is surrounded by beautiful lakes such as Lough Gowna and forests like Derrycassin Woods. The name Granard has many meanings - 'The Hill of the Sun', 'The Hill of the Grain' or 'Ugly Height'. All of these could be attributed to the most memorable feature in Granard - the great Norman earthwork, the largest in Ireland, which rises up at the west end of the main street. This became the site for a castle built in 1199 by Richard Tuite who had been granted the lands by Hugh de Lacy. Granard has had a varied and colourful history and is well worth a visit.
