Wicklow (Cill Mhantáin in Irish) is a county on the east coast of Ireland, immediately south of Dublin. Area: 2,024 km˛ (781 square miles).
The county town is Wicklow (pop. 9,355), although the largest urban centre is Bray (pop. 30,951). Other main towns include Greystones (pop. 11,913) and Arklow (pop. 9,993). All of these towns are situated on the eastern coast.
County Wicklow is sometimes known as 'the last county' as it was the last of the original counties to be established - in 1605 from land previously part of County Dublin.
A 'Military Road' was built through County Wicklow to provide the British army with quick access to the hotbed of Irish rebellion that remained in existence in the Wicklow Mountains right into the 19th century. The Turlough Hill pumped-storage scheme was a significant civil engineering project carried out in the mountains in the 1960s and 1970s.
Wicklow is also known as "The Garden of Ireland". The ancient monastery of Glendalough is located in County Wicklow.
The county is bordered by the Irish Sea and the counties of Carlow, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Kildare, South Dublin and Wexford.
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Last updated: 10-15-2005 15:37:07
