Meath, a maritime county of Leinster, Ireland, bounded on the east by the Irish Sea, for 10 miles, and the counties of Dublin and Louth; area, 906 sq. m., or 579,861 acres, of which 34,300 are waste, bog, &c. Maximum length, north to south, 40 miles; maximum breadth, east to west, 47 miles. Pop. (1841) 183,116; (1861) 110,373; (1881) 87,469; (1891) 76,987, of whom about 70,000 were Roman Catholics. The soil is a rich loam, and extremely fertile; but close upon 67 per cent. of it is devoted to pasture, the extent under crops (chiefly oats and potatoes) being about one-fourth of the total. The surface is for the most part undulating, being the eastern part of the great limestone plain of Ireland. The chief rivers are the Boyne and Blackwater; the Royal Canal passes along the southern border of the county. The principal towns are Trim, Navan, and Kells. A little linen and coarse woollen is manufactured. Anciently, Meath, which included West Meath, Longford, and parts of the adjoining counties, formed one of the kingdoms into which Ireland was divided, the royal seat being Tara (q.v.), where ancient earthworks still remain. After the English invasion it was occupied by Strongbow, and was erected into a county palatine by Henry II., who conferred it on Hugh de Lacy. In the end of the reign of Henry VIII. it was separated into East and West Meath. Celtic remains abound along the Boyne and Blackwater. John's Castle at Trim is one of the most extensive monuments of English rule in Ireland. There are a round tower and sculptured crosses at Kells, and a round tower at Donougmore. Monastic ruins survive at Bective, Clonard, and
Duleek. Meath returns two members to parliament.