County Offaly Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
county in Ireland
About County Offaly
The county is named for the ancient Kingdom ofUí Failghewhich covered much of it. The Normans divided Ireland into shires or counties, but they were repulsed from the midlands to shelter behind the palisades (the "Pale") of Leinster. The Tudors resumed the land-grab, swept aside the old Irish kingdoms, and in 1556 renamed this area "King's County". That king was Philip II of Spain, married to Queen Mary of England: but she died childless, one of the great "what-ifs" of British history. And King's County it officially remains. All sorts of royal names were replaced at Irish independence (Kingstown to Dún Laoghaire, Queenstown to Cobh, and so on); but it's some measure of Offaly's importance that the legislators clean forgot to change this one. Offaly has the Slieve Bloom Mountains along its
County Offaly Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: