History of Monaghan
The name Monaghan (Hotels, Monaghan, Ireland) is derived from the Irish-Gaelic word, Muineachan, meaning place of the small thicket hills. The ancient territorial order of Ireland finds present day Monaghan as once belonging to the Kingdom of Oriel, also referred to as McMahons country, after the leading clan. The McMahons and their confederate clans remained in control even after the Norman conquest of Ireland.
Rule of Monaghan was transferred over to the British in 1589. Scottish and English settlers were moved in.
Co. Monaghan
This county, which adjoins Armagh on the south-west, resembles it in respect of size, shape, and surface, except that the highest ground is in the north-west (Slieve Beagh, 1231 ft.), and that the county does not border on Lough Neagh. Like Armagh, it is highly tilled, with undulating Silurian rocks in the south and natter limestones in the north. Considerable rivers are absent, but small lakes are very numerous.
Monaghan (Holiday Cottages, Monaghan, Ireland), the county town, lies in a narrow depression which connects the Lough Neagh and Erne basins, and carries the main road, Great Northern Rail- way, and Ulster Canal in a south-west direction to Clones. The latter town, an early ecclesiastical centre, stands boldly on the top of one of the little round hills which are so numerous on the Silurian area, from Co. Down to Co. Cavan. Carrickmacross in the south, and Castleblancy and Ballybeg in the centre, are bustling market towns.
