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61-607: Avondale House , in Avondale, County Wicklow , Ireland , is the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell . It is set in the Avondale Forest Park, spanning over 2 km (500 acres) of land, approximately 1.5 km from the nearby town of Rathdrum . The river Avonmore flows through the park on its way towards the Irish Sea . The House is now a museum. Avondale House was built in 1777 for Samuel Hayes,

122-502: A barrister who wrote a book on Irish Forestry and was a pioneer of the re-afforestation of Ireland, planting many thousands of trees on the estate. He died childless in 1795 leaving the estate to his cousin Sir John Parnell, 2nd Baronet , with the condition that it pass to a younger son. On Sir John's death in 1801, his third son, William, inherited and changed his surname to Parnell-Hayes. Charles Stewart Parnell, his grandson,

183-729: A 24-hour period at Kippure on the Wicklow-Dublin border, the greatest daily rainfall total ever recorded in Ireland. The hurricane caused severe flooding and up to 1,000 homes had to be evacuated in Bray alone. Other major floods in Wicklow which resulted in loss of life occurred in 1886–87, 1931, 1965 and 2011. There are eight historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for administrative purposes. Their official status

244-529: A multitude of walking, hiking, and climbing options—it is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area and the 16th largest by population. It is also the fourth largest of Leinster's 12 counties by size and the fifth largest in terms of population. During the 5th century Saint Palladius, a bishop from Britain or Gaul was sent to 'the Irish believing in Christ.' He and his companions landed at Wicklow harbour in

305-404: A significant portion of the county, spanning the entire centre of Wicklow and stretching into Dublin and Wexford at their southern and northern fringes. Lugnaquilla , at 925 metres (3,035 ft) above sea level, is the tallest peak in the range, the highest mountain in Ireland outside of County Kerry , and Ireland's 13th-highest mountain overall. The Wicklow Mountains National Park , located in

366-419: A strain on the county's infrastructure and degrade its natural environment. The climate of Wicklow is temperate oceanic ( Köppen climate classification Cfb in most areas, and Cfc oceanic subpolar in some highland areas), with cool, humid summers, and mild, wet winters. The climate of the eastern portion of the county is moderated by the Irish Sea and averages milder winters and cooler summers, while

427-507: Is a county in Ireland . The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 , it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster . It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the east and the counties of Wexford to the south, Carlow to the southwest, Kildare to the west, and South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown to the north. Wicklow

488-489: Is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". The largest barony in Wicklow is Lower Talbotstown, at 88,704 acres (359 km ), and the smallest barony is Rathdown, at 33,463 acres (135 km ). As of the 2016 census , the resident population of Wicklow was 142,425, a 4.2% increase since the Census of Ireland 2011 . The county's population

549-574: Is in Preston . Due to the creation of unitary authorities , some county towns in Great Britain are administratively separate from the county. For example, Nottingham is separated from the rest of Nottinghamshire , and Brighton and Hove is separate from East Sussex . On a ceremonial level, both are in their own respective counties geographically. This list shows towns or cities which held county functions at various points in time. Following

610-449: Is located in the county. County Wicklow was the last of the traditional counties of Ireland to be shired in 1606 from land previously part of counties Dublin and Carlow . Established as a distinct county, it was aimed at controlling local groups such as the O'Byrnes . The Military Road , stretching from Rathfarnham to Aghavannagh crosses the mountains, north to south, and was built by government forces to assist them in defeating

671-409: Is named after its county town of Wicklow , which derives from the name Víkingaló ( Old Norse for "Vikings' Meadow"). Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county, which had a population of 155,258 at the 2022 census . Colloquially known as the "Garden of Ireland" for its scenery—which includes extensive woodlands, nature trails, beaches, and ancient ruins while allowing for

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732-577: Is one of the fastest growing in the country, increasing 38.7 percent in the 20 years between 1996 and 2016. However, its share of the Mid East 's population has steadily fallen as Meath and Kildare have experienced even more rapid population growth. While Bray remains by far the largest town in the county, improved transport links to Dublin such as upgrades to the M11 and the completion of the M50 in 2005 encouraged

793-743: Is open for guided tours. Other facilities in the grounds of the Beyond the Trees Avondale visitor attraction include a Treetop Walk & Viewing Tower, gift shop, picnic areas, walled garden, children's playground. In the surrounding Avondale Forest Park there are forest trails and walks ranging in duration from 30 minutes to five hours. 52°54′48″N 6°13′22″W  /  52.91333°N 6.22278°W  / 52.91333; -6.22278 County Wicklow County Wicklow ( / ˈ w ɪ k l oʊ / WIK -loh ; Irish : Contae Chill Mhantáin [ˈkɔn̪ˠt̪ˠeː ˌçiːl̠ʲ ˈwan̪ˠt̪ˠaːnʲ] )

854-414: Is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by land area, and the 16th most populous. It is the fourth largest of Leinster's 12 counties by size and the fifth most populous. The county is named after the town of Wicklow , located approximately 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Dublin , the capital city of Ireland. The Wicklow Mountains are Ireland's largest continuous upland area and occupy

915-602: Is the county's most prominent coastal headland, and is also the most easterly mainland point of the Republic of Ireland. Wicklow's east coast is a popular domestic summer holiday destination, and the county has numerous beaches including Brittas Bay , Clogga Beach, The Cove, Silver Strand Beach, Sallymount Bay Beach, Ennereilly Beach, Newcastle Beach, Arklow's Porter's Rock Beach and South Beach, Greystones North and South Beaches, Bray Strand, and Magheramore Beach. The county has roughly 37,500 hectares (93,000 acres) of wooded area,

976-516: Is the largest of Wicklow's lakes, covering 2,226 hectares (5,500 acres) in the west of the county. It is the largest artificial lake in Ireland and was created following the damming of the River Liffey at Poulaphouca in 1940. The village of Ballinahown was completed submerged by the reservoir and its 70 families were relocated. Ruins of the old village including buildings, fences and farm machinery can be seen during droughts when water levels in

1037-515: Is the snowiest part of Ireland and can experience 50 or more days of snowfall each year. The county experiences a narrow annual temperature range. Typical daytime highs range from 17–22 °C (63–72 °F) throughout the county in July and August, with overnight lows in the 11–14 °C (52–57 °F) range, although temperatures in the mountains can be 5–10 °C (41–50 °F) lower. Mean January temperatures range from 7 °C (45 °F) on

1098-492: Is very sparsely populated, with only a few small settlements located in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains such as Rathdrum , Laragh , Roundwood and Tinahely . Most small areas in central Wicklow have a population density of less than 20 people per km2, compared with an average of 77 people per km2 in the county as a whole. The gender makeup of the county in 2016 was 50.74% female and 49.26% male. 29.0% of

1159-487: The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly , where it is part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area. County Wicklow was formerly divided into the rural districts of Baltinglass No. 1, Rathdown No. 2, Rathdrum, and Shillelagh, and the urban districts of Arklow , Bray and Wicklow . The rural districts were abolished in 1925. Greystones , in the former rural district of Rathdown No. 2,

1220-613: The Norman invasion of Wales , the Cambro-Normans created the historic shire system (also known as ancient counties). Many of these counties were named for the centre of Norman power within the new county (Caernarfonshire named for Caernarfon, Monmouthshire named for Monmouth) others were named after the previous medieval Welsh kingdoms (Ceredigon becomes Cardigan, Morgannwg becomes Glamorgan). The 1535 Laws in Wales Act established

1281-744: The USS Constitution (now moored in Boston Harbor ) during the War of 1812 . The woodlands were renewed in 1904 when the estate was sold to the government. The house was used as a forestry school and the grounds planted with a great variety of trees, the most successful being conifers from the Pacific coast of North America. The grounds now boast specimens of giant redwoods from California and Sitka spruce from British Columbia. The ruins of Parnell's old sawmill and Parnell's well are located on

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1342-644: The United Kingdom are by far the largest immigrant group, comprising 5.9% of Wicklow's population (8,388 people). Of this group, only around half (4,045 people) stated that they were either UK or dual Irish-UK citizens. The Poles are the second largest immigrant group, constituting 2.0% of the county's population. The census recorded 2,905 Polish citizens in Wicklow, of which 2,759 were born in Poland . The fastest growing major immigrant groups between 2011 and 2016 were Romanians , Indians and Filipinos . There

1403-483: The Wicklow Mountains in the 1790s. Andrew and Hannah Byrne of Glenealy , who both died in 1830, were among the last native speakers speaker in the county. Wicklow is part of the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster . It is bounded by four counties, Dublin to the north; Kildare and Carlow to the west; Wexford to the south; and the Irish Sea to the east. Wicklow

1464-440: The 8th highest total forest cover in Ireland. In terms of forest cover as a proportion of land area, Wicklow ranks second in the country, at 18.5%. Known as the "Garden of Ireland", Wicklow was historically the county with the highest percentage of woodlands. The 2017 National Forestry Inventory revealed that County Leitrim had overtaken it for the first time. Wicklow is in a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome , although

1525-689: The Kings River joins at Blessington Lakes. Multiple other Liffey tributaries flow within the county. The 117.5-kilometre (73.0 mi) River Slaney , which starts at Lugnaquilla, flows west and then south before reaching St George's Channel at Wexford town. The Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers join to form the Avoca River at the Meeting of the Waters in the Vale of Avoca. The River Derreen in

1586-704: The Leinster batholith is the most expansive mass of intrusive igneous rock in Ireland or Britain . The oldest rocks in the county are the quartzites of the Bray Group that include Bray Head and the Little Sugar Loaf and Great Sugar Loaf mountains. These metamorphosed from sandstone deposited in the deep waters of the primeval Iapetus Ocean during the Cambrian period (542-488 million years ago). As with much of Ireland, Wicklow's terrain

1647-630: The Wicklow Mountains for another 4,000–7,000 years. Major rivers include the 132-kilometre (82.0 mi) River Liffey , Ireland's 8th-longest river, which rises near Tonduff mountain and flows through the centre of Dublin City , reaching the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay . Its biggest tributary by volume, the River Dodder , rises along the northern slope of Kippure in the far north of the county, while

1708-404: The Wicklow Mountains from east to west. Several north-south regional roads also traverse the mountains, providing amenity access to the county's interior. County town The concept of a county town is ill-defined and unofficial. Some counties in Great Britain have their administrative bodies housed elsewhere. For example, Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire , but the county council

1769-622: The administrative headquarters in some cases moved away from the traditional county town. Furthermore, in 1965 and 1974 there were major boundary changes in England and Wales and administrative counties were replaced with new metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties . The boundaries underwent further alterations between 1995 and 1998 to create unitary authorities , and some of the ancient counties and county towns were restored. (Note: not all headquarters are or were called County Halls or Shire Halls e.g.: Cumbria County Council's HQ up until 2016

1830-406: The area, or have lived there for a period of 10 years" and must also demonstrate that the house is for their own housing needs, rather than for resale. Further, potential buyers in rural areas must be approved by the council before the homeowner is allowed to sell to them. The primary justification for these restrictions is to avoid one-off housing or other poorly planned developments which could put

1891-528: The coast to 0 °C (32 °F) at high elevations. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, although the wettest months (October and November) receive roughly twice as much rain as the driest months (February, March and April). The driest area of Wicklow is the northeast corner of the county, which is protected from the prevailing south-westerly winds by the Wicklow Mountains and receives around 750 mm (30 in) of rainfall per year. The coastal region of County Dublin immediately to

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1952-744: The county were extended in 1957 by the Local Government Act which "detached lands from the County of Dublin and from the jurisdiction and powers of the Council of the County of Dublin" near Bray and added them to the County of Wicklow. Wicklow was the first county in Ireland to lose the Irish language , with only around 2% of people speaking it in the 1770s. It was spoken on the Western slopes of

2013-439: The county's largest urban areas are clustered in this region along an axis stretching from Bray to Newtownmountkennedy , which incorporates Greystones , Delgany , Enniskerry , Kilmacanogue , Kilpedder and Kilcoole . Outside of this region, Wicklow , Rathnew and Arklow are the only sizable towns in the eastern portion of the county, while Blessington is the only large settlement in west Wicklow. The county's interior

2074-465: The growth of towns further south. Between 2002 and 2016 Bray grew by 5.3 percent. By contrast, over the same period Arklow grew by 32.2 percent, Greystones grew by 53.3 percent and Rathnew grew by 133.9%. The most densely populated areas of the county are concentrated in the northeast, with over 50 percent of Wicklow's residents living within 15 kilometres (9 mi) of the Dublin border. Many of

2135-543: The historic counties in English law , but in Wales they were later replaced with eight preserved counties for ceremonial purposes and the twenty two principal areas are used for administrative purposes. Neither of these subdivisions use official county towns, although their administrative headquarters and ceremonial centres are often located in the historic county town. With the creation of elected county councils in 1889,

2196-580: The largest Church of Ireland affiliation of any county in the Republic of Ireland, at 6.2%, although this figure was historically much higher. The 1901 census recorded that just under 20% of Wicklow's population was affiliated with the Church of Ireland. In 2016 Greystones had the highest percentage of Protestants in the State (10.5%), and was also Ireland's least religious town, with 18.3% of residents stating they did not follow any religion. Just over 0.5% of

2257-770: The largest one in the Glen of Imaal which was previously used by the British Army prior to independence. During the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland , local authorities immediately surrendered without a fight. During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, some of the United Irishmen insurgents took refuge in the Wicklow Mountains, resulting in clashes between British forces and rebels commanded by Joseph Holt near Aughrim and later at Arklow. The boundaries of

2318-401: The majority of Wicklow's forests are commercial conifers . The economic tree line in the region is around 400 metres (1,300 ft), above which hill farming and blanket bog dominates. In terms of urban development, Wicklow County Council imposes the most stringent planning restrictions in Ireland. In order to build a house outside of the main towns, a person must be "born and bred in

2379-524: The middle of the county, is a dedicated protected area covering 205 square kilometres (50,657 acres), making it the largest national park in Ireland. The Wicklow Way was the first long-distance trail in the State, and crosses the range for 131 kilometres (81 mi). The Wicklow Mountains are centred on the Leinster batholith and are primarily composed of granite surrounded by an envelope of mica - schist and much older rocks such as quartzite . Covering 1,500 square kilometres (580 sq mi),

2440-521: The north is the driest location in all of Ireland as a result of the rain shadow created by the mountains. Easterly winds can occur between February and May, and are often associated with extreme snowfall events such as the 2018 " Beast from the East " and the " Big Snow of 1947 ". Much of Wicklow is very vulnerable to heavy snowfall and the county is typically the hardest hit by such events, with some areas recording over 2 feet (61 cm) of snow. During

2501-505: The open countryside outside of any designated settlements, while 9 percent (13,032 people) live in settlements with less than 1,500 people. According to the CSO report Urban and Rural Life in Ireland 2019 , Wicklow (alongside Kildare) has the highest proportion of residents living in satellite towns . The 10 largest settlements in the county are listed below. The county town is marked in bold . As of 2016, around 85% of Wicklow's population

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2562-499: The population adhered to smaller Protestant denominations such as Presbyterian , Apostolic and Pentecostal . A further 1.05% of respondents stated that they were "Christian" but did not specify any denomination. Eastern Orthodox is the fastest growing of the major Christian denominations, increasing from 840 adherents in 2011 to 1,317 in 2016, a 56.7% increase. The largest non-Christian religions were Islam (0.4%) and Hinduism (0.16%). All other stated religions constituted 2.5% of

2623-524: The population were under the age of 19; 58% were between the ages of 19 and 64; and 13.0% were 65 years of age or older. Whites of any ethnic background constituted 95.2% of the population in 2016: 86.0% were White Irish, 0.6% Irish Traveller , and 8.6% White of any other background. Asians were the second largest ethnic group, comprising 1.6% of the county's population, followed by mixed race or other backgrounds at 1.2%. Just over 2,300 people (1.6%) did not state their ethnicity. Accounting for just 0.4% of

2684-572: The population, Wicklow has by far the lowest percentage of black residents in the Greater Dublin Area . The 2016 census recorded 524 black residents in Wicklow, of which 408 (78%) were of African descent and 116 (22%) were of other black backgrounds. The 2016 census recorded that 65 percent of Wicklow's residents lived in urban areas (settlements with a population greater than 1,500) and 35 percent lived in rural areas. Of Wicklow's rural population, roughly 26 percent (36,800 people) live in

2745-489: The population, and 1.8% of respondents did not state their religion. Wicklow is home to several major water supply and hydroelectric facilities. The Turlough Hill pumped-storage scheme , a significant civil engineering project, was carried out in the mountains in the 1960s and 1970s. Wicklow, often called "The Garden of Ireland", has been a popular tourist destination for many years, due to its scenery, beaches, walking, hiking and climbing options, and attractions including

2806-665: The rebels still active in the Wicklow Mountains following the failed Irish Rebellion of 1798 . It provided them with access to an area that had been a hotbed of Irish rebellion for centuries. Several barracks to house the soldiers were built along the route; in 1974 the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation was opened alongside the remains of Glencree barracks. Battalions of the Irish Army use firing ranges in County Wicklow for tactical exercises, especially

2867-400: The reservoir diminish. The lower Vartry Reservoir , constructed between 1862 and 1868, is the county's second largest lake. Wicklow has a relatively short coastline , at 64 kilometres (40 miles) in length. Wicklow's coastline is mostly straight, with few sizable bays or inlets and no offshore islands, giving it a shorter coastline than smaller counties like Louth and Dublin. Wicklow Head

2928-561: The ruins of the monastic city of Glendalough, Wicklow Gaol and water-based activities on reservoirs and the coast. The Wicklow Way is the oldest waymarked long-distance walking trail in Ireland. The popular annual mass participation bike ride Wicklow 200 has taken place in the county every year since 1982. The local government authority is Wicklow County Council which returns 32 councillors from six local electoral areas : Arklow, Baltinglass, Bray East, Bray West, Greystones, and Wicklow. Wicklow County Council sends three members to

2989-467: The site. One of the site's attractions is a trackless Forest Train that runs through the park. The outside of the house is featured in a painting in the R. Barry O'Brien 1898 biography of Parnell. In 2019, Failte Ireland announced a major restoration project for Avondale House and Forest Park. In July 2022, President Michael D. Higgins officially opened Beyond the Trees Avondale, the new World Class Visitor Destination at Avondale Forest Park. Avondale House

3050-463: The south of the county defines a section of the border with Carlow. Most of the county's lakes (or loughs) are glacially derived ribbon and corrie lakes found in scenic trough valleys surrounded by mountains, making them popular with tourists. Notable lakes in the county include Glendalough Upper Lake , Lough Tay ('The Guinness Lake'), Lough Ouler ('The Heart-shaped Lake'), Lough Bray, Lough Dan and Lough Nahanagan. Poulaphouca Reservoir

3111-463: The western inland portion along the Kildare border experiences warmer summers and colder winters. The county's upland interior experiences significantly lower temperatures and higher rainfall year-round. Snow typically falls from December to March, but most low-lying and coastal areas see only a few days of lying snow per year, or may see no snow at all during some winters. The Wicklow Mountains region

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3172-481: The winter of 1947, residents of Rathdrum called upon the Irish Red Cross to drop them food parcels by plane as the village had been inaccessible by road for over a month due to heavy snow. Wicklow is occasionally affected by hurricanes , although they are usually extratropical storms by the time they reach Ireland. On 24 August 1986, during Hurricane Charley , 280 mm (11 in) of rain fell over

3233-413: The year 431 AD. Palladius founded three ancient churches at Donard, Tigroney and Colbinstown. Along with him came two clerics named St. Sylvester and Solonius who died and were buried at Donard. The local tribe in the area were called Cualann and their chief, a man named Naithi was opposed to these Christian missionaries. Despite this hostility however Palladius seems to have gained support elsewhere as he

3294-504: Was able to erect those three churches in the Wicklow area. After a rather unsuccessful stay in the county St. Palladius departed Ireland and journeyed to Scotland. A large number of early Irish saints male and female founded churches, monasteries and convents in Wicklow. Among them were St. Kevin , St. Dagan , St. Ernan , St. Credan , St. Baotan and the holy women St. Cainnear , St. Ceoltigherna, St. Fledh, St. Tartinna, St. Coine and St. Croine. The ancient monastery of Glendalough

3355-415: Was also a large increase in the number of Brazilians (+107%), Italians (+59%) and Spaniards (+53%) living in Wicklow over this period. *Includes Hong Kong SAR The 2016 census showed that religious affiliation in Wicklow was as follows: Catholic 73%, Irreligion 13.3%, Other Christian 8.8%, Other stated religions 3.1%, and not stated 1.8%. The single largest religious denomination in 2016

3416-479: Was born there in 1846 and inherited in 1859. After Parnell's death in 1891 the estate was sold to a Dublin butcher from Phibsboro who felled most of the trees to recoup his investment. The house is Georgian , probably designed by James Wyatt and built in 1777 . It is notable for its fine plasterwork and still contains many original pieces of furniture. The American Room is dedicated to Admiral Charles Stewart (1778-1869) , Parnell's American grandfather who commanded

3477-523: Was born within the Republic of Ireland, and a further 0.9% was born in Northern Ireland . Just over 38% of Wicklow's usually resident population was born within the county, making it the second least indigenous county in Ireland, after Meath. While around 35% of the county's population was born in neighbouring Dublin, it is likely that a significant portion of these are Wicklow natives who were born in one of Dublin's many hospitals. People born in

3538-420: Was called The Courts and has since moved to Cumbria House.) Before 1974, many of the county halls were in towns and cities that had the status of a county borough i.e. a borough outside the county council's jurisdiction. The follow lists the location of the administration of each of the 31 local authorities in the Republic of Ireland, with 26 of the traditional counties. Note – Despite the fact that Belfast

3599-481: Was given town commissioners in 1984. The urban districts of Arklow, Bray and Wicklow and the town commissioners of Greystones became town councils in 2002. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014. The whole county is in the Dáil constituency of Wicklow (5 seats). Wicklow has a well-maintained network of regional roads which connect the county's western portion to its eastern portion, cross-cutting

3660-550: Was sculpted by successive periods of glaciation during the quaternary . Weathering and erosion by ice carved out long valleys known as glens (from the Irish gleann ) such as Glenmacnass , Glen of the Downs , Glenmalure , Glen of Imaal , Glencree and Glendalough . The Irish Sea Ice-Sheet began to retreat shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum ca. 20,000–23,000 years ago but significant ice masses persisted in

3721-508: Was the Roman Catholic Church, with 103,947 adherents. This is a 4.4% decrease from the 2011 census. Catholicism in Wicklow reached its peak percentage in the 1961 census, when 87.5% of the population identified as Catholic. As of 2016, Wicklow is the second least Catholic county in the State, and among the most irreligious. Other Christian denominations comprised 8.8% of the population. As a proportion of population, Wicklow has

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