County Offaly (pronounced 'OFF-a-lee') is a county in Ireland. It is located in the middle of the country. Offaly is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster.

The county gets its name from the ancient Kingdom of Uí Failghe. It was once known as King's County. This name honored Philip II of Spain, who was king at the time. Offaly County Council is the local government for the county. In 2022, about 82,668 people lived in County Offaly.

History of Offaly
- How Offaly County Was Formed
Places to Visit in Offaly
People in Offaly
Population of Offaly
Economy of Offaly
Transport in Offaly
Media in Offaly
- Radio
- Newspapers
Sports in Offaly
See also

History of Offaly

Clonmacnoise Monastery is a very old site.

One of the oldest places where people lived in County Offaly is Boora Bog. This site dates back to the Stone Age. Scientists found stone tools like axes and arrowheads there. These tools are from about 6,800 to 6,000 BCE.

The Dowris Hoard was found in a bog near Birr. It is from the Late Bronze Age. This hoard is the largest collection of Bronze Age items ever found in Ireland.

After Christianity came to Ireland, a large monastery was built. This was Clonmacnoise Monastery, located by the River Shannon. Today, it is a popular place for tourists to visit.

How Offaly County Was Formed

The county was officially formed in 1556. This happened during a time when English rulers wanted to expand their control in Ireland. The areas of Laois and Offaly were made into new counties. Offaly was called "King's County" back then. It was named after King Philip II of Spain.

Before this, the area was made up of smaller kingdoms. One of these was the Kingdom of Uí Failghe. This is where the name 'Offaly' comes from. Other kingdoms like Firceall and Éile also existed. These old kingdoms were replaced by the county system we know today.

Places to Visit in Offaly

Birr Castle has beautiful gardens.

The Sculpture in the Parklands at Boora Bog.

Birr is a town known for its castle and gardens. Birr Castle has a huge 19th-century telescope. It was called the Leviathan of Parsonstown.
The Sculpture in the Parklands is an outdoor art display. It is located around Lough Boora in Boora Bog.
Charleville Castle is a historic castle in Tullamore.
Clonmacnoise is an ancient Christian site. It has old high crosses and a round tower. There is also a visitor center.
Kinnitty Castle is another historic castle.
The Slieve Bloom Mountains offer amazing views. You can see across Counties Offaly and Laois.
Banagher is on the River Shannon. It's a great place for boat trips.
The Boora bog reserve is home to many animals. It has the last group of grey partridge birds in Ireland.
Durrow Abbey has an old abbey and a high cross.
The Tullamore Dew Visitor Centre teaches about Irish whiskey.
Clara Bog Nature Reserve is a special place for nature.
Leap Castle is known as one of Ireland's most haunted castles.
The old churches of Rahan and Lynally are very old.
Croghan Hill is a 230-meter (750-foot) high hill. An ancient mummy, the Croghan Bog Man, was found here. It is now in the National History Museum.
Moneygall is famous as the ancestral home of former US President Barack Obama. There is a visitor center there called the Obama Plaza.

People in Offaly

Many interesting people come from or have lived in County Offaly:

George Brent, a famous Hollywood actor.
Brian Cowen, a former leader of Ireland (Taoiseach).
Neil Delamere, a popular comedian.
Alex Dunne, a talented racing driver.
Shane Lowry, a professional golfer. He won The Open Championship in 2019.
Mundy, a well-known musician.
William Parsons, an astronomer. He built the famous "Leviathan" telescope at Birr Castle.
George Johnstone Stoney, a physicist who first used the word "electron."
Seán William McLoughlin (Jacksepticeye), a very popular YouTuber.

Population of Offaly

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1600	3,435	—
1610	6,756	+96.7%
1653	7,654	+13.3%
1659	8,310	+8.6%
1821	131,088	+1477.5%
1831	144,225	+10.0%
1841	146,857	+1.8%
1851	112,076	−23.7%
1861	90,043	−19.7%
1871	75,900	−15.7%
1881	72,852	−4.0%
1891	65,563	−10.0%
1901	60,187	−8.2%
1911	56,832	−5.6%
1926	52,592	−7.5%
1936	51,308	−2.4%
1946	53,686	+4.6%
1951	52,544	−2.1%
1956	51,970	−1.1%
1961	51,533	−0.8%
1966	51,717	+0.4%
1971	51,829	+0.2%
1979	57,342	+10.6%
1981	58,312	+1.7%
1986	59,835	+2.6%
1991	58,494	−2.2%
1996	59,117	+1.1%
2002	63,663	+7.7%
2006	70,868	+11.3%
2011	76,687	+8.2%
2016	77,961	+1.7%
2022	82,668	+6.0%

The population of County Offaly has grown in recent years. In 2006, it was the highest since 1881. This growth is partly because more people moved to Offaly. It is also close to Dublin, making it a good place to live.

Many towns in Offaly have seen their populations increase. For example, the population of Tullamore grew by almost 29% between 1996 and 2006. Edenderry grew by over 50% in the same period. In 2016, about 34.7% of the people in Offaly were under 25 years old.

Economy of Offaly

Making peat was a big industry in Offaly.

For a long time, farming and industry were key to Offaly's economy. The county has large areas of bogland. These bogs are part of the Bog of Allen.

Bord na Móna is a company that used to harvest peat from the bogs. They made peat briquettes for homes. They also supplied peat to power stations. Many people in Offaly worked for Bord na Móna. However, some power stations have closed as peat resources decrease. Now, many bogs are used for nature or tourism.

The Grand Canal opened in the 1700s. This canal helped towns like Banagher and Tullamore grow. It made it easier and cheaper to transport goods. This brought more business to the county.

More recently, the economy has grown. New business parks have opened in Birr, Edenderry, and Tullamore. Many people living in eastern Offaly also work in Dublin.

Transport in Offaly

Rail Travel

Clara railway station is one of Offaly's train stations.

Offaly has good train connections. There are train stations in Tullamore and Clara. These stations are on the main line from Dublin to Westport/Galway. Many people use these trains to travel to Dublin.

Portarlington railway station is just outside Offaly, in County Laois. It is also used by people in southeastern Offaly. This station is on the main line from Dublin to Cork.

Road Network

Map showing the roads in Offaly.

Three main national roads cross Offaly. The N52 road goes through Tullamore and Birr. The N62 passes through Ferbane and Birr. The N80 starts in Tullamore and goes southeast.

While there are no main national motorways directly in the county, the M6 and M7 motorways are very close. The M6 is to the north, and the M7 is to the south. Road travel has improved with new bypasses, like the Tullamore bypass.

Bus Services

Bus Éireann provides public bus services in Offaly. There are regular buses to Limerick and Waterford. Other private bus companies also offer direct services. For example, you can take a bus from Birr to Dublin.

Waterways

A radio transmitter in Ballycommon.

The Grand Canal connects Dublin to the River Shannon. It passes through Edenderry and Tullamore. This canal was once very important for transport and trade. Now, it is mostly used for boating and fun activities.

Media in Offaly

Radio

Midlands 103 is a local radio station. It broadcasts to Offaly, Laois, and Westmeath. Its main studios are in Tullamore.

Newspapers

Several local newspapers are published in Offaly. These include the Offaly Independent and Tullamore Tribune. The Midland Tribune covers news in the west and south of the county. The Offaly Express used to be a newspaper. Now, it is an online news website for the county.

Sports in Offaly

Gaelic Games

Seir Kieran GAA hurlers from 1938.

Golfer Shane Lowry won The Open Championship in 2019.

County Offaly facts for kids

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