Louth

Louth (pron. soft th, as in loathe), a maritime county of the province of Leinster, and the smallest county in Ireland, is washed for 49 miles on the east, from Carlingford Lough to the river Boyne, by the Irish Sea. The average width of the county is 10 miles. Pop. (1841) 128,240; (1881) 77,684; (1891) 71,038. Area, 202,123 acres—89,815 under tillage. Potatoes, oats, barley, and turnips are the principal crops; 40 per cent. of the total area is under grass. The surface is flat, with the exception of a range on the north, which culminates in Carlingford Mountain (1935 feet), overlooking the bay of that name. The soil of the level districts is fertile, and agriculture reaches a high state of efficiency. Coarse linens are manufactured. The fisheries are valuable, especially the oyster-fishing in Carlingford Lough. The chief towns are Drogheda, Dundalk, and Ardee. Louth, which anciently formed part of the territory of Orgial or Argial, was occupied by De Courcy in 1183, and formed into a county by King John in 1210. It abounds with Celtic antiquities, some of great interest. There are two round-towers, at Monasterboice and at Dromiskin. At Mellifont are the remains of a beautiful abbey. In Drogheda several ruined abbeys are still visible, as also at Louth and Carlingford. But the most interesting of all the relics of antiquity are the sculptured crosses of Monasterboice, of which the larger is 18 feet in height. The county returns two members to the imperial parliament.