Useful Notes / The Magical Counties of Éire

"Our nation is and always will be a 32-county nation"

— Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (1997-2008)

Ireland is an island that is made up of 32 counties (known as contaetha). As a result of the controversial Government of Ireland Act of 1920, only six were part of Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom while the remaining 26 were part of the independent Republic of Ireland.

Thanks to various local governmental reforms on both sides of the border, the Republic now has 31 local governmental areas: 26 county councils, 3 city councils, and 2 city and county councils. The North now consists of 11 districts.

In the Republic, 24 of the traditional counties still exist as official administrative units (sometimes with boundaries slightly redrawn from their historic limits). Cities are currently administered outside the county system; the Republic's three cities are Dublin, Cork, and Galway (each part of the historic county that shares its name). Finally, in 1994, County Dublin was abolished as an administrative entity and split into three new administrative counties: Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin.

In the North, the six traditional counties and the two county boroughs (Belfast and Derry/Londonderry) were replaced by 26 single-tier districts in 1973; a further reform in 2015 merged these into 11.

That said, the traditional counties remain in use for many purposes on both sides of the border, among them vehicle registration plates and numerous sporting and cultural institutions.

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The Four Proud Provinces of Ireland

The island is also divided into provinces, which have no legal status today but are deeply rooted in Irish history. The Irish word for this territorial division, cúige, means "fifth part", indicating that there were once five. However, in the medieval period, there were more. The number of provinces varied over time until their borders were permanently set in 1610 by the English administration of James VI and I.

Today, they're mostly seen in a sporting context. The Gaelic Athletic Association, which governs the traditional Irish sports of Gaelic football, hurling, and camogie, has governing councils for each province, and county sides compete for provincial and All-Ireland championships. In rugby union, the island's four professional teams compete in the United Rugby Championship under the English-language names of their provinces.

The heading for this section is taken from a line in "Ireland's Call", composed in 1995 as a politically neutral anthem for the men's national rugby union team, which represents the entire island. Several other All-Ireland national teams have adopted the anthem.

Connacht (Connacht)

Largest City: Galway (Gaillimh)
Area: 17,711 km2 / 6,838 mi2 (smallest)
Population: 630,720 (smallest)

County Galway (Contae na Gaillimhe)

County Town: Galway (Gaillimh)
Area: 6,151 km2 / 2,375 mi2 (2nd largest)
Population: 258,058 (5th largest)
Established: c. 1569

County Leitrim (Contae Liatroma)

County Town: Carrick-on-Shannon (Cora Droma Rúisc)
Area: 1,589 km2 / 614 mi2 (26th)
Population: 32,044 (smallest)
Established: 1565; borders demarcated in 1583

County Mayo (Contae Mhaigh Eo)

County Town: Castlebar (Caisleán an Bharraigh)
Area: 5,586 km2 / 2,158 mi2 (3rd largest)
Population: 130,507 (17th)
Established: c. 1570

County Roscommon (Contae Ros Comáin)

County Town: Roscommon (Ros Comáin)
Area: 2,548 km2 / 984 mi2 (11th)
Population: 64,544 (27th)
Established: c. 1569

County Sligo (Contae Shligigh)

County Town: Sligo (Sligeach)
Area: 1,837 km2 / 709 mi2 (22nd)
Population: 65,535 (26th)
Established: 1585

Leinster (Laighin)

Largest City: Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath)
Area: 19,801 km2 / 7,645 sq mi (3rd)
Population: 2,630,720 ​(largest)

County Carlow (Contae Cheatharlach)

County Town: Carlow (Ceatharlach)
Area: 897 km2 / 346 mi2 (31st)
Population: 56,932 (30th)
Established: 1210

County Dublin (Contae Bhaile Átha Cliath)

County Town: Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath)
Area: 922 km2 / 356 mi2 (30th)
Population: 1,345,402 (largest)
Established: c. 1190

County Kildare (Contae Chill Dara)

County Town: Naas (An Nás)
Area: 1,695 km2 / 654 mi2 (24th)
Population: 222,504 (7th)
Established: 1297

County Kilkenny (Contae Chill Chainnigh)

County Town: Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh)
Area: 2,073 km2 / 800 mi2 (16th)
Population: 99,232 (21st)
Established: c. 1610

County Laois (Contae Laoise)

County Town: Portlaoise (Port Laoise)
Area: 1,720 km2 / 660 mi2 (23rd)
Population: 84,697 (23rd)
Established: 1557

County Louth (Contae Lú)

County Town: Dundalk (Dún Dealgan)
Area: 826 km2 / 319 mi2 (smallest)
Population: 128,884 (18th)
Established: 1210

County Meath (Contae na Mí)

County Town: Navan (An Uaimh)
Area: 2,342 km2 / 904 mi2 (14th)
Population: 195,044 (8th)
Established: 1297

County Offaly (Contae Uíbh Fhailí)

County Town: Tullamore (Tulach Mhór)
Area: 2,001 km2 / 773 mi2 (18th)
Population: 77,961 (24th)
Established: 1557

County Westmeath (Contae na hIarmhí)

County Town: Mullingar (An Muileann gCearr)
Area: 1,840 km2 / 710 mi2 (21st)
Population: 88,770 (22nd)
Established: 1542

County Wexford (Contae Loch Garman)

County Town: Wexford (Loch Garman)
Area: 2,367 km2 / 914 mi2 (13th)
Population: 149,722 (14th)
Established: 1210

County Wicklow (Contae Chill Mhantáin)

County Town: Wicklow (Cill Mhantáin)
Area: 2,027 km2 / 783 mi2 (17th)
Population: 142,425 (16th)
Established: 1606

Munster (an Mhumhain)

Largest City: Cork (Corcaigh)
Area: 24,675 km2 / 9,527 mi2 (largest)
Population: 1,280,020 (3rd)

County Clare (Contae na Chláir)

County Town: Ennis (Inis)
Area: 3,450 km2 / 1,330 mi2 (7th largest)
Population: 118,817 (19th)
Established: 1565

County Cork (Contae Chorcaí)

County Town: Cork (Corcaigh)
Area: 7,500 km2 / 2,900 mi2 (largest)
Population: 542,868 (3rd)
Established: 1606

County Kerry (Contae Chiarraí)

County Town: Tralee (Trá Lí)
Area: 4,807 km2 / 1,856 mi2 (5th)
Population: 147,707 (15th)
Established: c. 1300

County Limerick (Contae Luimnigh)

County Town: Limerick (Luimneach)
Area: 2,756 km2 / 1,064 mi2 (10th)
Population: 194,899 (9th)
Established: 1210

County Tipperary (Contae Thiobraid Árann)

County Towns: Clonmel (Cluain Meala) & Nenagh (An tAonach)
Area: 4,305 km2 / 1,662 mi2 (6th)
Population: 159,553 (12th)
Established: 1328

County Waterford (Contae Phort Láirge)

County Town: Waterford (Port Láirge)
Area: 1,857 km2 / 717 mi2 (20th)
Population: 116,176 (20th)
Established: 1207

Ulster (Ulaidh/Ulstèr)

Largest City: Belfast (Béal Feirste/Bilfawst)
Area: 8,520 km2 / 8,520 mi2 (2nd largest)
Population: 2,105,666 (2nd largest)

County Antrim (Contae Aontroma/Coontie Antrìm)

County Town: Antrim (Aontroim/Antrìm)
Area: 3,086 km2 / 1,192 mi2 (9th largest)
Population: 618,108 (2nd largest)
Established: c. 1400

County Armagh (Contae Ard Mhacha/Coontie Airmagh)

County Town: Armagh (Ard Mhacha/Airmagh)
Area: 1,327 km2 / 512 mi2 (27th)
Population: 174,792 (11th)
Established: 1584/85

County Cavan (Contae an Chabháin)

County Town: Cavan (An Cabhán)
Area: 1,932 km2 / 746 mi2 (19th)
Population: 76,176 (25th)
Established: 1579

County Donegal (Contae Dhún na nGall/Coontie Dunnygal)

County Town: Lifford (Leifear)
Area: 4,860 km2 / 1,880 mi2 (4th)
Population: 159,192 (13th)
Established: 1585

County Down (Contae an Dúin/Coontie Doon)

County Town: Downpatrick (Dún Pádraig/Doonpetèrick)
Area: 2,490 km2 / 961 mi2 (12th largest)
Population: 531,665 (4th)
Established: c. 1500

County Fermanagh (Contae Fhear Manach/Coontie Fermanay)

County Town: Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann/Inniskillen)
Area: 1,691 km2 / 653 mi2 (25th)
Population: 61,805 (28th)
Established: 1584/85

County Londonderry / County Derry (Contae Dhoire/Coontie Lunnonderrie)

County Town: Coleraine (Cúil Rathain/Cowlrain)
Area: 2,118 km2 / 818 mi2 (15th)
Population: 247,132 (6th)
Established: 1613

County Monaghan (Contae Mhuineacháin)

County Town: Monaghan (Muineachán)
Area: 1,295 km2 / 500 mi2 (28th)
Population: 61,386 (28th)
Established: 1585

County Tyrone (Contae Thír Eoghain/Coontie Owenslann)

County Town: Omagh (An Ómaigh/Omey)
Area: 3,266 km2 / 1,261 mi2 (8th)
Population: 177,986 (10th)
Established: 1585