Longford (An Longfort in Irish) is the county town of County Longford in the Midlands of Ireland. The town's original full name was Longphort Uí Fhearghail (stronghold of O'Farrell), reflecting the fact that it grew up around the ancient castle of the O'Farrells (chieftains of the territory of Anghaile or Annaly) and the Dominican priory they founded there in 1400. Today's town has a population of around 8,000. Longford's main industries are food production, steelworking and the production of medical equipment. The town is also a local commercial centre, with many retail outlets. It is the cathedral town of the Roman Catholic diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.

Transport

Longford is situated some 91 km from Sligo and 122 km from the capital city, Dublin.

The town lies on the Dublin-Sligo route of the Irish railway network, and is served by Sligo-Dublin intercity services. Despite its distance from Dublin, the town also has a regular commuter service to Dublin which is well utilised. Journeys to the capital by rail take from one and a half to two hours.

Longford is the point where the N4 road from Dublin to Sligo leaves the N5 road, which continues onwards to Westport, County Mayo. Traffic congestion is a problem in the town at weekends, as all motorists travelling on the N5 must pass through the town en-route to their destinations - only the N4 Sligo road has a bypass.

See also: List of towns in the Republic of Ireland