County Fermanagh is the south-west county of Northern Ireland, covering 715 square miles (1,851 km2) including its lakes. The 2021 census counted 63,585 residents, the smallest population of the six counties. Enniskillen, built on an island in the River Erne, is the county town and the only town of any size.
Fermanagh has not been a unit of local government since 1973, though it kept its own district council longer than most: Fermanagh District Council survived until 2015, when it merged with Omagh. The county is the only one in Northern Ireland that does not touch Lough Neagh, and water covers close to a third of it.
| Country | Northern Ireland, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Province | Ulster |
| Status | Traditional county, not administrative |
| Area | 715 sq mi (1,851 km2) including water |
| Land area | 653 sq mi (1,691 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 63,585 |
| Density | 34 people per km2 (89 per sq mi) |
| County town | Enniskillen |
| Highest point | Cuilcagh, 665 m (2,182 ft) |
| Council | Fermanagh and Omagh District Council |
Towns and Villages in County Fermanagh
Fermanagh lies entirely within Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, which also covers west County Tyrone. About 55 named places sit on the Fermanagh side, listed below with the main islands of Lough Erne.
Towns and villages
- Aghadrumsee
- Ardess
- Arney
- Ballinamallard
- Ballycassidy
- Belcoo
- Bellanaleck
- Belleek
- Blaney
- Boho
- Brookeborough
- Clabby
- Clonelly
- Coa
- Cooneen
- Corranny
- Culky
- Derrygonnelly
- Derrylin
- Donagh
- Drumcard
- Drumskinny
- Ederny
- Enniskillen
- Florencecourt
- Garrison
- Holywell
- Irvinestown
- Kesh
- Killadeas
- Killesher
- Kinawley
- Lack
- Leitrim
- Letterbreen
- Lisbellaw
- Lisnarrick
- Lisnaskea
- Mackan
- Magheraveely
- Maguiresbridge
- Marble Arch
- Milltown
- Monea
- Newtownbutler
- Portinode
- Rosscor
- Rosslea
- Scribbagh
- Springfield
- Tamlaght
- Teemore
- Tempo
- Wattlebridge
Islands of Lough Erne
- Boa Island
- Devenish Island
- Inishmacsaint
- Inishmore
- White Island
Geography
Fermanagh runs south-west to north-east along the Erne valley. County Tyrone lies to the north-east, and counties Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland wrap around the rest. More of Fermanagh’s boundary is international frontier than not.
The River Erne enters from Cavan, widens into Upper Lough Erne, passes Enniskillen, and widens again into Lower Lough Erne before crossing into Donegal at Belleek. The two loughs and the river cover nearly a third of the county’s surface, which is why the smaller total land area of 1,691 km2 is often quoted instead.
Cuilcagh, on the Cavan border, is the highest ground at 665 m; its blanket bog feeds the Marble Arch Caves, a limestone cave system that shares a UNESCO Global Geopark with Cavan. The limestone country around Boho and Belcoo is riddled with sinkholes and dry valleys.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 63,585 residents, about 34 people per square kilometre. That makes Fermanagh the most sparsely populated county in Northern Ireland by a wide margin. Enniskillen, with about 14,500 people, holds nearly a quarter of them.
Lisnaskea and Irvinestown are the next largest settlements, each under 3,000. Everything else is a village or a crossroads. Fermanagh is one of the counties in Northern Ireland with a Catholic majority, and the split runs geographically: the west and south of the county lean Catholic, the Erne east shore and the Brookeborough area lean Protestant.
Economy and Local Life
Farming carries the county. The land is heavy and wet, so beef and dairy dominate, with sheep on the higher ground around Cuilcagh and the Sligo border. Dairy processing at Enniskillen and Lisnaskea is the largest industrial employer, alongside quarrying and engineering.
Tourism runs on the water. Cruisers work the Erne system and the Shannon–Erne Waterway, reopened in 1994, which links Lough Erne to the Shannon at Leitrim. Angling brings visitors to Lough Melvin and the Erne. Belleek Pottery, founded in 1857 at the western tip of the county, still makes parian china and runs a visitor centre. Castle Coole and Florence Court, both National Trust properties, sit within a few miles of Enniskillen.
History
The county name comes from Fir Manach, “men of Manach”, the tribal name of the people who held the Erne basin. Fermanagh was Maguire territory: the family ruled from Enniskillen and from crannogs and island strongholds on the loughs until the Flight of the Earls in 1607.
Plantation followed, and the planter castles at Monea, Tully, Crom and Castle Balfour date from that period. Enniskillen Castle became a garrison, and two British Army regiments, the Inniskilling Dragoons and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, took their names from the town. The county was on the front line of the border from 1921. Fermanagh County Council was abolished in 1973; Fermanagh District Council, which covered the same ground, lasted until 2015.
Getting There
There is no motorway in Fermanagh. The A4 runs east from Enniskillen to Dungannon and the M1, and west to Belcoo and the Sligo road. The A32 runs north to Omagh, the A46 follows the Lower Lough Erne shore to Belleek, and the A509 runs south to Cavan.
The county has had no railway since 1957, when the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties and the Great Northern lines closed. Buses connect Enniskillen to Belfast, Derry, Dublin and Sligo. The nearest airports are Belfast International, about 85 miles away, and Ireland West Airport Knock and City of Derry, both about 70 miles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of County Fermanagh?
63,585 at the 2021 census, the smallest of the six counties of Northern Ireland.
Which council covers County Fermanagh?
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, formed in 2015. The whole county lies inside it, along with west Tyrone.
What is the largest town in County Fermanagh?
Enniskillen, with about 14,500 residents. Lisnaskea and Irvinestown follow, both under 3,000.
How many towns and villages are in County Fermanagh?
About 55 named towns, villages and hamlets, plus the inhabited islands of Lough Erne.
What postcodes does County Fermanagh use?
BT74 for Enniskillen, BT92 for the south and the Erne shore, BT93 for the north-west around Kesh and Belleek, and BT94 for the east around Irvinestown, Lisbellaw and Tempo.
Why is so much of Fermanagh under water?
The River Erne widens into Upper and Lower Lough Erne through the middle of the county. Together with smaller lakes they cover close to a third of its surface.