CARLOW

Irish Ceatharlach urban district and county seat, County Carlow, Ireland, on the left bank of the River Barrow. An Anglo-Norman stronghold, the town received charters of incorporation in the 13th and 17th centuries. The keep (innermost citadel) of a 13th-century stronghold remains at the confluence of the Barrow and Burren rivers. Local industries include sugar-beet and flour processing and the manufacture of footwear and machinery. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 11,275. Irish Ceatharlach (The Four Lakes) county in the province of Leinster, Ireland. The second smallest Irish county, it is bounded by County Kildare (north), Counties Wicklow and Wexford (east), and Counties Kilkenny and Laoighis (west). The town of Carlow is the county seat. In the east are the granitic mountains of the Leinster Chain, which are crossed by the River Slaney and flanked to the west by the River Barrow valley; west of the valley is the ridge of Old Loughlin bog. The intensively cultivated county is particularly suited for barley; wheat and sugar beets are other major crops. The railway from Dublin to Kilkenny and Waterford crosses the county. Ceatharlach formed part of the medieval lordship of Leinster. Historic relics in the county include megalithic tombs, Norman castles, and monastic settlements. Area 346 square miles (896 square km). Pop. (1991 prelim.) 40,946.