Welcome to Leinster

Leinster is traditionally derived from the invasions of the Gauls armed with spear-heads called Laighne. The province was called in Irish Laighin after them - the Province of Spearmen. Dublin (Baile Á Cliath) is the capital city (pop.one and a half million) and Kilkenny is the other city in Leinster. There 12 counties in Leinster - Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.

Leinster offers a timeline of history second to none. Over 5,000 years ago the megalithic tombs of Co.Meath were built. Newgrange the finest passage tomb in the world is located there. In 432 AD St. Patrick arrived in Leinster from Wales. 600 AD the monastic settlements of Clonmacnoise and Kells become part of the roots of christianity. 988 AD the vikings invade Dublin. 1014 Brian Ború, King of Ireland defeats the Vikings at Clontarf but was murdered. 1169 Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster forms an alliance with Strongbow - the Norman leader and Ireland is taken. 1366 the Statutes of Kilkenny forbid intermarriage of English and Irish. Gaelic culture is unsuccessfully repressed. 1690 King James 2nd is defeated at the battle of the Boyne. In the 18th century parliament is created in Dublin. 1916 the Easter Rising, Irish rebels fall at the GPO in Dublins O'Connell Street and are executed at Kilmainham gaol.

Wexford Town, Athlone(crossing of the Shannon), Birr, Portlaoise, Carlow, Mullingar, Tullamore, Kildare, Dundalk, Longford, Navan and Drogheda are all prominent bustling towns in Leinster.

The main rivers are the Slaney, the Liffey and the Shannon which separates Leinster and Connacht. Bogland is a feature of much of Leinsters landscape. The Bog of Allen, Irelands biggest Bog encompasses Offaly, Laois, Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Dublin and Wicklow mountains are the main upland terrain on the East coast. Nestling on the the coastline are beautiful silver sand beaches and some beautiful seaside towns such as Arklow and Courtown.