County Fermanagh

County in Northern Ireland Not to be confused with Fermanagh, an ancient Gaelic kingdom. County in Northern Ireland, United KingdomCounty Fermanagh Contae Fhear Manach (Irish)Coontie Fermanay (Ulster-Scots)County Coat of armsNickname: The Lakeland CountyMotto:  Feor Magh Eanagh   (Irish)"the Country of the Lakes"CountryUnited KingdomConstituent countryNorthern IrelandProvinceUlsterEstablished1584/85County townEnniskillenArea • Total715 sq mi (1,851 km2) • Land653 sq mi (1,691 km2) • Rank25thHighest elevation (Cuilcagh)2,182 ft (665 m)Population (2021) • Total63,585 • Rank29thTime zoneUTC±0 (GMT) • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)Postcode areaBTArea code028Contae Fhear Manach is the Irish name; Countie Fermanagh, Coontie Fermanagh and Coontie Fermanay are Ulster Scots spellings (the latter used only by Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council). County Fermanagh (/fərˈmænə/, fər-MAN-ə; from Irish Fir Manach / Fear Manach, meaning 'men of Manach') is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and had a population of 63,585 as of 2021. Enniskillen is the county town and largest in both size and population. Fermanagh is one of four counties of Northern Ireland to have a majority of its population from a Catholic background, according to the 2011 census.

[edit] The Cuilcagh range, on the Cavan/Fermanagh border. Lower Lough Erne Fermanagh spans an area of 1,851 km2 (715 sq; mi), accounting for 13.2% of the landmass of Northern Ireland. Nearly a third of the county is covered by lakes and waterways, including Upper and Lower Lough Erne and the River Erne. Forests cover 14% of the landmass (42,000 hectares). It is the only county in Northern Ireland that does not border Lough Neagh. The county has three prominent upland areas: the expansive West Fermanagh Scarplands to the southwest of Lough Erne, which rise to about 350m, the Sliabh Beagh hills, situated to the east on the Monaghan border, and the Cuilcagh mountain range, located along Fermanagh's southern border, which contains Cuilcagh, the county's highest point, at 665m. The county borders: County Tyrone to the north-east, County Monaghan to the south-east, County Cavan to the south-west, County Leitrim to the west, and County Donegal to the north-west. Fermanagh is by far the least populous of Northern Ireland's six counties, with just over one-third the population of Tyrone, the next least populous county. It is approximately 120 km (75 mi) from Belfast and 160 km (99 mi) from Dublin. The county town, Enniskillen, is the largest settlement in Fermanagh, situated in the middle of the county. The county enjoys a temperate oceanic climate (Cfb') with cool winters, mild humid summers, and a lack of temperature extremes, according to the Köppen climate classification. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty manages three sites of historic and natural beauty in the county: Crom Estate, Florence Court, and Castle Coole. Geology[edit] The oldest sediments in the county are found north of Lough Erne. These so-called red beds were formed approximately 550 million years ago. Extensive sandstone can be found in the eastern part of the county, laid down during the Devonian, 400 million years ago. Much of the rest of the county's sediments are shale and limestone dating from the Carboniferous, 354 to 298 million years ago. These softer sediments have produced extensive cave systems such as the Shannon Cave, the Marble Arch Caves and the Caves of the Tullybrack and Belmore hills. The carboniferous shale exists in several counties of northwest Ireland, an area known colloquially as the Lough Allen basin. The basin is estimated to contain 9.4 trillion cubic metres of natural gas, equivalent to 1.5 billion barrels of oil. The county is situated over a sequence of prominent faults, primarily the Killadeas – Seskinore Fault, the Tempo – Sixmilecross Fault, the Belcoo Fault and the Clogher Valley Fault which cross-cuts Lough Erne.

[edit] This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The Menapii are the only known Celtic tribe specifically named on Ptolemy's 150 AD map of Ireland, where they located their first colony—Menapia—on the Leinster coast c. 216 BC. They later settled around Lough Erne, becoming known as the Fir Manach, and giving their name to Fermanagh and Monaghan. Mongán mac Fiachnai, a 7th-century King of Ulster, is the protagonist of several legends linking him with Manannán mac Lir. They spread across Ireland, evolving into historic Irish (also Scottish and Manx) clans. The Annals of Ulster which cover medieval Ireland between AD 431 to AD 1540 were written at Belle Isle on Lough Erne near Lisbellaw. In the early 9th century, the Erne was considered to be the boundary of Connacht and Ulster, specifically the over-kingdom of Airgíalla. The Fir Manach proper, Tirkennedy and Magherastephana, along with Clankelly were part of the western Airgíalla group-kingdom of Uí Creamthainn with its seat at Clogher, whereas Lurg was associated with the northern Airgíalla branch of Uí Fiachrach centred at Ardstraw. Fermanagh was a stronghold of the Maguire clan and Donn Carrach Maguire (died 1302) was the first of the chiefs of the Maguire dynasty. However, on the confiscation of lands relating to Hugh Maguire, Fermanagh was divided in a similar manner to the other five escheated counties among Scottish and English undertakers and native Irish. The baronies of Knockninny and Magheraboy were allotted to Scottish undertakers, those of Clankelly, Magherastephana and Lurg to English undertakers and those of Clanawley, Coole, and Tyrkennedy, to servitors and natives. The chief families to benefit under the new settlement were the families of Cole, Blennerhasset, Butler, Hume, and Dunbar. Fermanagh was made into a county by a statute of Elizabeth I, but it was not until the time of the Plantation of Ulster that it was finally brought under civil government. The closure of all the lines of Great Northern Railway (Ireland) within County Fermanagh in 1957 left the county as the first non-island county in the UK without a railway service.

[edit] Historical populationYearPop.±%16535,498—    16597,102+29.2%1821130,997+1744.5%1831149,763+14.3%1841156,481+4.5%1851116,047−25.8%1861105,768−8.9%187192,794−12.3%188184,879−8.5%189174,170−12.6%190165,430−11.8%191161,836−5.5%192657,984−6.2%193754,569−5.9%195153,044−2.8%196151,531−2.9%196649,886−3.2%197150,255+0.7%198151,594+2.7%199154,033+4.7%200157,527+6.5%201161,805+7.4%202163,585+2.9% The county was administered by Fermanagh County Council from 1899 until the abolition of county councils in Northern Ireland in 1973. With the creation of Northern Ireland's district councils, Fermanagh District Council became the only one of the 26 that contained all of the county from which it derived its name. After the re-organisation of local government in 2015, Fermanagh was still the only county wholly within one council area, namely Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, albeit that it constituted only a part of that entity. For the purposes of elections to the UK Parliament, the territory of Fermanagh is part of the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Parliamentary Constituency. This constituency elected Provisional IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands as a member of parliament in the April 1981 Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election, shortly before his death.

[edit] Religious Background in Fermanagh (2021) Religion Per cent Catholic &#8201; 58.8% Protestant and Other Christian &#8201; 35.5% None &#8201; 4.6% Other faiths &#8201; 1.1% 2011 census[edit] On Census Day (27 March 2011), the usually resident population of Fermanagh Local Government District, the borders of the district were very similar to those of the traditional County Fermanagh, was 61,805. Of these: 0.93% were from an ethnic minority population and the remaining 99.07% were white (including Irish Traveller) 59.16% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 37.78% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion 37.20% indicated that they had a British national identity, 36.08% had an Irish national identity and 29.53% had a Northern Irish national identity 2021 Census[edit] On Census Day (2021), the usually resident population of Fermanagh Local Government District, the borders of the district were very similar to those of the traditional County Fermanagh, was 63,585. Of these: 58.8% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic religion and 35.5% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and Other Christian (including Christian related)' religion. Community background and religion[edit] Religion or religion brought up in (2021 Census) Religion or religion brought up in Number (%) Catholic 37,399 58.8 Protestant and other Christian 22,559 35.5 None (no religion) 2,947 4.6 Other 680 1.1 Total 63,585 100.0 Religion (2021 Census) Religion Number (%) Christian 55,892 87.9 Catholic 35,412 55.7 Church of Ireland 13,065 20.5 Methodist 2,552 4.0 Presbyterian 1,989 3.1 Other Christian (including Christian related) 2,874 4.5 Protestant and Other Christian: Total 20,480 32.2 Other 601 0.9 Islam 216 0.3 Hinduism 50 0.08 Other religions 335 0.5 None/not stated 7,092 11.2 No religion 5,885 9.3 Religion not stated 1,207 1.9 Total 63,585 100.0 Religious affiliation of Fermanagh residents according to Historical Censuses Year Total population % Roman Catholics Number of Roman Catholics % Presbyterians Number of Presbyterians % Church of Ireland and other Episcopalians Number of Church of Ireland and other Episcopalians % Methodists Number of Methodists % Other denominations Number of Other denominations 1861 105,788 56.5% 59,751 1.8% 1,909 38.4% 40,608 3.3% 3,455 <0.1% 45 1871 92,768 55.9% 51,876 1.9% 1,813 37.8% 35,072 4.1% 3,794 0.3% 239 1881 84,879 55.8% 47,359 2.0% 1,708 36.4% 30,874 5.7% 4,863 0.1% 75 1891 74,170 55.4% 41,102 1.8% 1,312 36.2% 26,869 6.4% 4,779 0.2% 107 1901 65,430 55.3% 36,198 2.0% 1,282 35.3% 23,099 7.2% 4,744 0.2% 107 1911 61,836 56.2% 34,740 2.0% 1,264 34.2% 21,123 6.5% 4,028 1.1% 681 1926 57,984 56.0% 32,455 2.5% 1,461 33.6% 19,496 6.3% 3,663 1.6% 909 1937 54,569 55.3% 30,196 3.0% 1,616 33.4% 18,252 6.4% 3,486 1.9% 1,019 1951 53,044 55.6% 29,461 3.4% 1,799 32.8% 17,411 6.4% 3,399 1.8% 974 1961 51,531 53.2% 27,422 3.9% 2,021 33.3% 17,141 6.7% 3,465 2.9% 1,482 Ethnicity[edit] Ethnic group (2021 Census) Ethnic group Number (%) White: Total 62,583 98.4 White: British/Irish/Northern Irish/English/Scottish/Welsh (with or without non-UK or Irish national identities) 60,244 94.7 White: Other 2,199 3.5 White: Irish Traveller 135 0.2 White: Roma 4 0.006 Other ethnic groups: Total 1,002 1.6 Asian or Asian British 501 0.8 Black or Black British 122 0.2 Mixed 304 0.5 Other: Any other ethnic group 75 0.1 Total 63,585 100.0 Country of birth[edit] Country of birth, 2021 Census Country of birth Number (%) United Kingdom and Ireland 60,433 95.0 Northern Ireland 52,063 81.9 England 3,477 5.5 Scotland 420 0.7 Wales 98 0.2 Republic of Ireland 4,375 6.9 Europe 2,139 3.4 European Union 2,047 3.2 Other non-EU countries 92 0.2 Rest of World 1,013 1.6 Middle East and Asia 468 0.7 North America, Central America and Caribbean 243 0.4 Africa 187 0.3 Antarctica, Oceania and Other 85 0.1 South America 30 0.05 Total 63,585 100.0 Main languages[edit] Main languages of all usual residents over the age of 3 (2021 Census) Main language Usual residents aged 3+ (%) English 59,081 96.4 Polish 649 1.1 Lithuanian 389 0.6 Bulgarian 200 0.3 Irish 138 0.2 Latvian 115 0.2 All other languages 745 1.2 Total (usual residents aged 3+) 61,316 100.0 Knowledge of Irish[edit] Ability in Irish of all usual residents over the age of 3 (2021 Census) Ability in Irish Number (%) Speaks, reads, writes and understands Irish 2,703 4.4 Speaks and reads but does not write Irish 509 0.8 Speaks but does not read or write Irish 2,336 3.8 Understands but does not read, write or speak Irish 3,114 5.1 Other combination of skills 929 1.5 Has some knowledge of Irish: Total 9,591 15.6 No ability in Irish 51,725 84.4 Total (usual residents aged 3+) 61,316 100.0 In County Fermanagh, 1.91% claim to use Irish daily and 0.22% claim that Irish is their main language. Knowledge of Ulster Scots[edit] Ability in Ulster Scots of all usual residents over the age of 3 (2021 Census) Ability in Ulster Scots Number (%) Speaks, reads, writes and understands Ulster Scots 490 0.8 Speaks and reads but does not write Ulster Scots 319 0.5 Speaks but does not read or write Ulster Scots 1,194 1.9 Understands but does not read, write or speak Ulster Scots 2,468 4.0 Other combination of skills 395 0.6 Has some knowledge of Ulster Scots: Total 4,866 7.9 No ability in Ulster Scots 56,450 92.1 Total (usual residents aged 3+) 61,316 100.0 0.99% claim to use Ulster Scots daily in County Fermanagh. National identity[edit] National identity (2021 Census) National identity Number % Irish only 24,341 38.3% British only 16,678 26.2% Northern Irish only 13,543 21.3% British and Northern Irish only 2,863 4.5% Irish and Northern Irish only 1,168 1.8% British, Irish and Northern Irish only 602 0.9% British and Irish only 305 0.5% Other identity 4,086 6.4% Total 63,585 100.0% All Irish identities 26,653 41.9% All British identities 20,920 32.9% All Northern Irish identities 18,481 29.1%

[edit] Agriculture and tourism are two of the most important industries in Fermanagh. The main types of farming in the area are beef, dairy, sheep, pigs and some poultry. Most of the agricultural land is used as grassland for grazing and silage or hay rather than for other crops. The waterways are extensively used by cabin cruisers, other small pleasure craft and anglers. The main town of Fermanagh is Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann, 'Ceithleann's island'). The island town hosts a range of attractions including the Castle Coole Estate and Enniskillen Castle, which is home to the museum of The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Fermanagh is also home to The Boatyard Distillery, a distillery producing gin. Attractions outside Enniskillen include: Belleek Pottery Castle Archdale Crom Estate Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail Devenish Island Florence Court Marble Arch Caves Tempo Manor

[edit] The classification of settlements by NISRA defines six categories following the 2011 census (ignoring Belfast and Derry City which have their own separate categories), namely; Large towns, Medium towns, Small towns, Intermediate settlements, Villages and Small villages or hamlets. The majority of the settlements in County Fermanagh lie within the final category, five within the village category and one each in the intermediate settlements and medium towns categories. No settlements in the county are classified as Large towns or Small towns. Large towns[edit] (population of 18,000 or more and under 75,000 at 2021 Census) none Medium towns[edit] (population of 10,000 or more and under 18,000 at 2021 Census) Enniskillen Small towns[edit] (population of 5,000 or more and under 10,000 at 2021 Census) none Intermediate settlements[edit] (population of 2,250 or more and under 4,500 at 2021 Census) Irvinestown Lisnaskea Villages[edit] (population of 1,000 or more and under 2,250 at 2021 Census) Ballinamallard Kesh Lisbellaw Maguiresbridge Small villages or hamlets[edit] (population of less than 1,000 at 2021 Census) Aghadrumsee Arney Ballycassidy Belcoo Bellanaleck Belleek Boho Brookeborough Carrybridge Clabby Coa Derrygonnelly Derrylin Donagh Ederney Florencecourt Garrison Killadeas Killesher Kinawley Lack Letterbreen Lisnarick Magheraveely Monea Newtownbutler Pettigo (partially) Rosslea Springfield Tamlaght Teemore Tempo Wattlebridge Population of Settlements[edit] Settlement Irish 2001 Population 2011 Population 2021 Population Arney / Skea an Arna / Sceach 114 125 134 Ballinamallard Béal Átha na Mallacht 1,340 1,432 1,364 Ballycassidy / Laragh / Trory Baile Uí Chaiside / Lathrach / Treabhraigh 315 363 357 Belcoo / Holywell Béal Cú / Dabhach Phádraig 486 540 439 Bellanaleck Bealach na Leice 213 532 714 Belleek Béal Leice 836 904 968 Brookeborough Achadh Lon 517 452 438 Clabby Clabaigh 198 268 282 Derrygonnelly Doire Ó gConaíle 594 678 574 Derrylin Doire Loinne 423 640 656 Donagh Domhnach 255 179 164 Ederney Eadarnaidh 554 587 553 Enniskillen Inis Ceithleann 13,599 13,790 14,120 Florencecourt / Drumlaghy Mullach na Seangán / Druim Lathaighe 135 91 102 Garrison an Garastún 357 351 392 Irvinestown Na Cairn / Baile an Irbhinigh 1,801 2,264 2,320 Kesh an Cheis 972 1,036 1,101 Killadeas Cill Chéile Dé 90 63 82 Killesher / Derrylester Cill Laisre / Doire an Leastair N/A N/A 59 Kinawley Cill Náile 75 141 142 Lack an Leac 114 111 111 Letterbreen Leitir Bhruín N/A 68 51 Lisbellaw Lios Béal Átha 1,046 1,102 1,085 Lisnarick Lios na nDaróg 219 238 203 Lisnaskea Lios na Scéithe 2,739 2,960 3,006 Magheraveely Machaire Mhílic N/A 66 N/A Maguiresbridge Droichead Mhig Uidhir 774 1,038 1,029 Monea Maigh Niadh 114 206 248 Newtownbutler an Baile Nua 943 987 972 Pettigo (Portion in Co. Fermanagh) Paiteagó 81 63 76 Roslea Ros Liath 554 528 482 Springfield Achadh an Fhuaráin 69 73 69 Tamlaght Tamhlacht 276 409 341 Teemore an Tigh Mór N/A 184 161 Tempo an tIompú Deiseal 533 489 458 Population statistics were not made available from the 2001, 2011 and 2021 censuses, where noted with an "N/A".

[edit] Baronies Baronies of County Fermanagh within Northern Ireland with civil parish boundaries Main article: Baronies of Ireland Clanawley Clankelly Coole Knockninny Lurg Magheraboy Magherastephana Tirkennedy Parishes Main article: List of civil parishes of County Fermanagh Townlands Main article: List of townlands in County Fermanagh

[edit] Newspapers The Fermanagh Herald The Impartial Reporter

[edit] There are 41 primary schools currently in operation in County Fermanagh, 10 secondary schools, one special school and one further education college. Primary Schools Aghadrumsee Primary School Ballinamallard Primary School Belleek Primary School Brookeborough Primary School Bunscoil an Traonaigh, Lisnaskea-The only Irish Medium School in the county Derrygonnelly Primary School Enniskillen Integrated Primary School Enniskillen Model Primary School Florencecourt Primary School Holy Trinity Primary School -Amalgamation of St. Theresa's and St. Michael's PS Irvinestown Primary School Jones Memorial Primary School Kesh Primary School Killyhommon Primary School, Boho Lack Primary School Lisbellaw Primary School Maguiresbridge Primary School Moat Primary School, Lisnaskea St Columban's Primary School, Belcoo St Davog's Primary School, Belleek St John the Baptist Primary School, Roscor St Joseph's Primary School, Donagh St Joseph's Primary School, Ederney St Macartan's Primary School, Aghadrumsee - Amalgamation of Cornagague PS, Magheraveely and Corranny PS St Martin's Primary School, Garrison St Mary's Primary School, Brookeborough St Mary's Primary School, Killesher St Mary's Primary School, Maguiresbridge St Mary's Primary School, Arney St Mary's Primary School, Newtownbutler St Mary's Primary School, Teemore St Mary's Primary School, Tempo St Naile's Primary School, Kinawley St Ninnidh's Primary School, Derrylin St Patrick's Primary School, Derrygonnelly St Patrick's Primary School, Mullanaskea St Paul's Primary School, Irvinestown St Ronan's Primary School, Lisnaskea St Tierney's Primary School, Roslea Tattygar Primary School, Lisbellaw Tempo Primary School Secondary Schools Devenish College, Enniskillen - Amalgamation of Ballinamallard Duke of Westminster, Kesh Duke of Westminster and Lisnaskea High School Enniskillen Royal Grammar School - Amalgamation of Potora Royal School and Collegiate Grammar School Erne Integrated College, Enniskillen Mount Lourdes Grammar School, Enniskillen - Girls Catholic Grammar Saint Kevin's College, Lisnaskea- Amalgamation of St Eugene's College, Roslea and St. Comhghall's College, Lisnaskea St Aidan's High School, Derrylin St Fanchea's College, Enniskillen St Joseph's College, Enniskillen St Mary's College, Irvinestown St Michael's College, Enniskillen - Boys Catholic Grammar Further Education College South West College, Enniskillen Campus Special School Willowbridge Special School Closed Schools St Mary's High School, Belleek -Brollagh Closed 2021 St. Eugene’s College, Roslea - Closed 2017 St. Eugene’s Primary School, Knocks - Closed 2013 Lisnaskea High School - Closed 2013 Corranny Primary School - Closed 2012 Cornagague Primary School- Closed 2012 Duke of Westminster High School, Ballinamallard - Closed 2004 Kesh Duke of Westminster - Closed 2004 Ashwoods Primary School - Closed 1968 St Mary's Primary School, Bannagh - Closed 1960/70s

[edit] Main article: Fermanagh GAA Fermanagh GAA has never won a Senior Provincial or an All-Ireland title in any Gaelic games, it is only one of two counties to win neither title. There are 22 GAA clubs in the county, this is the second least of all 32 counties (Longford now has the least, with 21 GAA clubs). Only Ballinamallard United F.C. take part in the Northern Ireland football league system. All other Fermanagh clubs play in the Fermanagh & Western FA league systems. Fermanagh Mallards F.C. played in the Women's Premier League until 2013. Enniskillen RFC was founded in 1925 and is still going. There is also a rugby league team, the Fermanagh Redskins Famous football players from Fermanagh include – Sandy Fulton Jim Cleary Roy Carroll Harry Chatton Barry Owens Kyle Lafferty

[edit] See also: Category:People from County Fermanagh Famous people born, raised in or living in Fermanagh include: John Armstrong (1717–1795), born in Fermanagh, Major General in the Continental Army and delegate in the Continental Congress Samuel Beckett (1906–1989), author and playwright from Foxrock in Dublin, educated at Portora Royal School Darren Breslin, traditional musician The 1st Viscount Brookeborough, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, 1943–1963 Denis Parsons Burkitt (1911–1993), doctor, discoverer of Burkitt's lymphoma Roy Carroll (born 1977), association footballer Edward Cooney (1867–1960), evangelist and early leader of the Cooneyite and Go-Preachers Brian D'Arcy (born 1945), C.P., Passionist priest and media personality Brendan Dolan (born 1973), professional darts player for the PDC Adrian Dunbar (born 1958), actor Arlene Foster, Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (born 1970), politician Neil Hannon (born 1970), musician Robert Kerr (1882–1963), athlete and Olympic gold medalist Kyle Lafferty (born 1987), Northern Ireland International association footballer Charles Lawson (born 1959), actor (plays Jim McDonald in Coronation Street) Francis Little (1822–1890), born in Fermanagh, Wisconsin State Senator Terence MacManus (c. 1823–1861), leader in Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 Michael Magner (1840–97), recipient of the Victoria Cross Peter McGinnity, Gaelic footballer, Fermanagh's first winner of an All-Star Award Martin McGrath, Gaelic footballer, All-Star winner Ciarán McMenamin (born 1975), actor Gilla Mochua Ó Caiside (12th century), poet Aurora Mulligan, director Barry Owens, Gaelic footballer, two-time All-Star winner Sean Quinn (born 1947), entrepreneur Michael Sleavon (1826–1902), recipient of the Victoria Cross Joan Trimble (1915–2000), pianist and composer Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), author and playwright, educated at Portora Royal School Gordon Wilson (1927–1995), peace campaigner and Irish senator

[edit] The most common surnames in County Fermanagh at the time of the United Kingdom Census of 1901 were: Maguire McManus Johnston Armstrong Gallagher Elliott Murphy Reilly Cassidy Wilson

[edit] The railway lines in County Fermanagh connected Enniskillen railway station with Derry from 1854, Dundalk from 1861, Bundoran from 1868 and Sligo from 1882. The railway companies that served the county, prior to the establishment by the merger of Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway, Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway the Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway which was later named the Irish North Western Railway, thus forming the Great Northern Railway (Ireland). By 1883 the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) absorbed all the lines except the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway, which remained independent throughout its existence. In October 1957 the Government of Northern Ireland closed the GNR line, which made it impossible for the SL&NCR continue and forced it also to close. The nearest railway station to Enniskillen is Sligo station which is served by trains to Dublin Connolly and is operated by Iarnród Éireann. The Dublin-Sligo railway line has a two-hourly service run by Iarnród Éireann. The connecting bus from Sligo via Manorhamilton to Enniskillen is route 66 operated by Bus Éireann.