Longford —County Longford

The county town on the south bank of the River Camlin and on the main Dublin-Sligo road is a progressive town and the County Administrative centre. The town is spaciously laid out with wide streets, pleasant buildings and recent impressive urban development and provides a wide range of facilities and amenities. The dome of the 19th century St. Mel's Cathedral, a renaissance style building of grey limestone with lofty tower may be seen from quite a long way outside the town. There is an ecclesiastical museum attached to the cathedral. The courthouse is the oldest building in the town and was erected in 1792.
The town received its name from the ancient castle of the O'Farrells. Prince Annaly founded the Dominican priory here in 1400. No trace of either building has survived, but there are fragmentary remains of the castle erected in 1627 by the first Earl of Longford. During the confederate wars of 1641 the English captured this castle and later it withstood a siege of several weeks by Owen Roe O'Neill.