84-584: Ulster's Solemn League and Covenant , commonly known as the Ulster Covenant , was signed by nearly 500,000 people on and before 28 September 1912, in protest against the Third Home Rule Bill introduced by the British Government in the same year. The Covenant was first drafted by Thomas Sinclair , a prominent unionist and businessman from Belfast. Sir Edward Carson was the first person to sign
168-708: 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
252-491: A blue-white glow. The test is very sensitive and can detect tiny traces even in old samples. Crawford's signature is still a rich red colour today which would be unlikely if it had been blood. Nevertheless, some unionists are not convinced by the evidence. The term " Solemn League and Covenant " recalled a key historic document signed in 1643, by which the Scottish Covenanters made a political and military alliance with
336-574: A current spending net deficit of £1.5m, which had to be raised by London. An annual "Transferred Sum" mechanism was proposed, so that public spending in Ireland could be continued at the same level. The Bill was passed by the Commons by a majority of 10 votes in 1912, but in January 1913 the House of Lords rejected it by 326 votes to 69. Later in 1913, it was reintroduced and again passed by the Commons and rejected by
420-699: 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 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
504-579: A functional government, and Southern Ireland , the governmental institutions of which never functioned completely. Following the Anglo-Irish Treaty , Southern Ireland became the Irish Free State . County Wicklow County Wicklow ( / ˈ w ɪ k l oʊ / WIK -loh ; Irish : Contae Chill Mhantáin [ˈkɔn̪ˠt̪ˠeː ˌçiːl̠ʲ ˈwan̪ˠt̪ˠaːnʲ] ) is a county in Ireland . The last of
588-479: A self-governing Ireland. His tactic was to ensure that neither side would find out before a compromise was implemented. A modified Act of 1914 had been developed by the Cabinet on 17 June. The Act had two amendments enforced by Unionists on 19 July – permanent exclusion and a reduction of Ireland's representation in the Commons. When informed by Lloyd George on 22 July 1916, Redmond accused the government of treachery. This
672-470: 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
756-485: 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
840-566: 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
924-682: 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 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
SECTION 10
#17328375566691008-597: 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,
1092-510: 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
1176-511: 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
1260-399: 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 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
1344-424: 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
1428-756: The Avoca River at the Meeting of the Waters in the Vale of Avoca. The River Derreen in 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
1512-523: 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,
1596-628: The Home Rule Act , and before enactment as the Third Home Rule Bill , was an Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom intended to provide home rule (self-government within the United Kingdom ) for Ireland . It was the third such bill introduced by a Liberal government during a 28-year period in response to agitation for Irish Home Rule . The Act was the first law ever approved by
1680-642: 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 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
1764-547: The Liberals and Conservatives equally matched, with John Redmond 's Irish Parliamentary Party having the balance of power in the House of Commons . The Irish Parliamentary Party, which had campaigned for home rule for Ireland since the 1870s, pledged to assist the Liberals in return for the introduction of a home rule bill. The Parliament Act 1911 then replaced the unlimited veto of
SECTION 20
#17328375566691848-469: 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 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
1932-822: The Ulster Unionist Council voted in favour of a resolution pledging itself to the Covenant. The Covenant had two basic parts: the Covenant signed by 237,368 men and the Declaration signed by 234,046 women. Both the Covenant and Declaration are held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). An online searchable database is available on the PRONI website. In January 1913, the Ulster Volunteers aimed to recruit 100,000 men aged from 17 to 65 who had signed
2016-577: 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
2100-679: The United Kingdom , and in using all means which may be found necessary to defeat the present conspiracy to set up a Home Rule Parliament in Ireland. And in the event of such a Parliament being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognise its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. And further, we individually declare that we have not already signed this Covenant. We, whose names are underwritten, women of Ulster, and loyal subjects of our gracious King , being firmly persuaded that Home Rule would be disastrous to our Country, desire to associate ourselves with
2184-642: The Welsh Church Act 1914 . Although the two controversial Bills had now finally become statute on 18 September 1914, the Suspensory Act ensured that Home Rule would be postponed for the duration of the conflict and would not come into operation until the end of the war. (Eventually Home Rule was considered by the Irish Convention in 1917–18, and by the cabinet from September 1919; the Welsh Church Act
2268-440: 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
2352-543: The Act never became effective; it was finally superseded by a fourth home rule bill, enacted as the Government of Ireland Act 1920 , which partitioned Ireland , creating Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland , both intended to have Home Rule. During 1909, a constitutional crisis began when the House of Lords rejected David Lloyd George 's Finance Bill. Two general elections occurred in January and December 1910, both of which left
2436-595: The Act. The first attempt came in June 1916, when Prime Minister H. H. Asquith sent David Lloyd George , then Minister for Munitions, to Dublin to offer immediate implementation to the leaders of the Irish Party, Redmond and Dillon. The scheme concerned partition, officially a temporary arrangement, as understood by Redmond. Lloyd George however gave the Ulster politician, Carson, a written guarantee that Ulster would not be forced into
2520-550: 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 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
2604-589: The Covenant as a unionist militia. A British Covenant , similar to the Ulster Covenant in opposition to the Home Rule Bill, received two million signatures in 1914. September 28 is today known as "Ulster Day" to unionists. BEING CONVINCED in our consciences that Home Rule would be disastrous to the material well-being of Ulster as well as of the whole of Ireland, subversive of our civil and religious freedom , destructive of our citizenship , and perilous to
Ulster Covenant - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-589: The Covenant at Belfast City Hall with a silver pen, followed by The 6th Marquess of Londonderry (the former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ), representatives of the Protestant churches, and then by Sir James Craig . The signatories, 471,414 in all, were all against the establishment of a Home Rule parliament in Dublin . The Ulster Covenant is immortalised in Rudyard Kipling 's poem " Ulster 1912 ". On 23 September 1912,
2772-405: The Covenant were from Ulster , although the signing was also attended by several thousand southern unionists . Acknowledging this, Carson paid tribute to "my own fellow citizens from Dublin , from Wicklow , from Clare [and], yes, from Cork , rebel Cork, who are now holding the hand of Ulster", to cheers from the crowd. Robert James Stewart, a Presbyterian from Drum , County Monaghan , and
2856-603: The Crown, and in using all means which may be found possible and necessary to defeat the present intention to set up a republic in South Africa. And in the event of a republic being forced upon us, we further solemnly and mutually pledge ourselves to refuse to recognise its authority. In sure confidence that God will defend the right, we hereto subscribe our names. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN. Third Home Rule Bill The Government of Ireland Act 1914 ( 4 & 5 Geo. 5 . c. 90), also known as
2940-525: The Home Rule Bill was increasing in the counties of Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Londonderry. Early in 1912, some of the residents of that area began forming small local militias. By April 1912, the Irish Unionist Alliance 's managing politician, Sir Edward Carson , could review 100,000 marching Ulster Volunteers . On 28 September 1912, more than 500,000 Unionists signed the Ulster Covenant pledging to defy Home Rule by all means possible. The Covenant
3024-563: The Liberal, Conservative, IPP and Irish Unionist parties. The conference, held between 21 and 24 July 1914, achieved very little. With the beginning of World War I on 4 August 1914, Asquith decided to abandon his Amending Bill, and instead rushed through a new bill, the Suspensory Act 1914 , which was presented for royal assent simultaneously with both the Government of Ireland Act 1914 and
3108-508: The Lords with one lasting only 2 years, ensuring that a bill passed by the Commons could not be blocked for more than two years. The Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith , introduced the Bill on 11 April 1912. Allowing more autonomy than its two predecessors, the bill provided that: The financial situation was a concern. Irish taxes had yielded a surplus of £2 million in 1893, but by 1910 that had become
3192-466: The Lords, this time by 302 votes to 64. In 1914, after the third reading, the Bill was passed by the Commons on 25 May 1914 by a majority of 77. Having been defeated a third time in the Lords, the Government used the provisions of the Parliament Act 1911 to override the Lords and send the bill for royal assent . Unionists in Ulster were opposed to a home-rule Ireland governed from Dublin. Hostility to
3276-622: The Parliament of the United Kingdom that provided for a devolved government in any part of the UK proper (as opposed to colonial territories). However, the implementation of both it and the equally controversial Welsh Church Act 1914 was formally postponed for a minimum of twelve months with the beginning of the First World War . The continuation of the war beyond 1915 and subsequent developments in Ireland resulted in further postponements, meaning that
3360-538: 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), the Leinster batholith is the most expansive mass of intrusive igneous rock in Ireland or Britain . The oldest rocks in
3444-556: 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 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
Ulster Covenant - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-406: 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
3612-775: 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 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
3696-528: 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
3780-654: 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 was sculpted by successive periods of glaciation during the quaternary . Weathering and erosion by ice carved out long valleys known as glens (from
3864-439: 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
3948-431: 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 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
4032-618: The establishment of self-government. The end of the war, in November 1918, was followed by the December 1918 general election . In the Irish part of the election , the majority of seats were won by the republican separatist Sinn Féin . In January 1919, the Irish War of Independence broke out, so that the 1914 Act was never implemented. The future of Home Rule was determined by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 . It established Northern Ireland , with
4116-468: 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 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,
4200-729: The grandfather of Heather Humphreys , the Minister for the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in the Republic of Ireland , was one of around 6,000 signatories in County Monaghan, where one quarter of the population was Protestant before the establishment of the Irish Free State . Almost 18,000 people signed either the Covenant or the Declaration in County Donegal . The signature of Frederick Hugh Crawford
4284-413: 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
SECTION 50
#17328375566694368-407: The holy women St. Cainnear , St. Ceoltigherna, St. Fledh, St. Tartinna, St. Coine and St. Croine. The ancient monastery of Glendalough 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
4452-467: The implementation of the Act and the authority of any restored Dublin Parliament by force of arms. On 28 November 1913, Irish Nationalists responded by forming the Irish Volunteers "to secure the rights and liberties common to all the people of Ireland". The government's willingness to effectively oppose the Unionist threat was rendered highly questionable by the Curragh Mutiny of 20 March 1914, when many British Army officers at Curragh in County Kildare,
4536-475: 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
4620-411: The leaders of the English Parliamentarians during the First English Civil War . The Ulster Covenant was used as a template for the "Natal Covenant", signed in 1955 by 33,000 British-descended Natalians against the nationalist South African government's intention of declaring the Union a republic . It was signed in Durban 's City Hall – itself loosely based on Belfast's, so that the Ulster scene
4704-473: The main Army camp in Ireland, threatened to resign or accept dismissal rather than deploy against the Ulster Volunteers, forcing the government to cancel planned troop movements. At the Bill's third reading in the Commons on 21 May 1914 several members asked about a proposal to exclude the whole of Ulster for six years. Asquith was seeking any solution that would avoid a civil war. During the emotional debate which lasted until 25 May 1914, Sir Edward Carson made
4788-401: 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
4872-413: The men of Ulster in their uncompromising opposition to the Home Rule Bill now before Parliament, whereby it is proposed to drive Ulster out of her cherished place in the Constitution of the United Kingdom , and to place her under the domination and control of a Parliament in Ireland. Praying that from this calamity God will save Ireland, we hereto subscribe our names. The majority of the signatories of
4956-399: 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 a multitude of walking, hiking, and climbing options—it
5040-470: 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
5124-457: 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
SECTION 60
#17328375566695208-517: The original Home Rule bill itself) and passed there with amendments on 8 July. Carson and the Irish Unionist Party (mostly Ulster MPs) backed the amending bill, which provided for "temporary exclusion of Ulster" from the workings of the future Act. The Lords' amendments to the amending bill were unacceptable to the government. What was still to be negotiated were the number of counties excluded (four, six or nine) and whether exclusion would be temporary or permanent. The compromise proposed by Asquith
5292-499: 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
5376-524: 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
5460-502: 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
5544-489: 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
5628-400: 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
5712-561: 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
5796-467: 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 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
5880-404: The statement: "I say this to my Nationalist fellow-countrymen, and indeed also to the Government, you have never tried to win over Ulster. You have never tried to understand her position. You have never alleged, and you cannot allege, that this Bill gives her one atom of advantage." A government amending bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 23 June 1914 (before the Lords had considered
5964-425: 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 is named after its county town of Wicklow , which derives from
6048-534: The unity of the Empire , we, whose names are underwritten, men of Ulster, loyal subjects of His Gracious Majesty King George V. , humbly relying on the God whom our fathers in days of stress and trial confidently trusted, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn Covenant , throughout this our time of threatened calamity, to stand by one another in defending, for ourselves and our children, our cherished position of equal citizenship in
6132-458: 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
6216-474: 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
6300-549: Was almost exactly reproduced. Being convinced in our consciences that a republic would be disastrous to the material well-being of Natal as well as of the whole of South Africa, subversive of our freedom and destructive of our citizenship, we, whose names are underwritten, men and women of Natal, loyal subjects of Her Gracious Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, do hereby pledge ourselves in solemn covenant, throughout this our time of threatened calamity, to stand by one another in defending
6384-415: 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
6468-515: 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
6552-477: Was claimed by him to have been written in blood. However, this is disputed. Based on the results of a forensic test that he carried out in September 2012 at PRONI, Dr. Alastair Ruffell of Queen's University Belfast has asserted that he is 90% positive that the signature is not blood. Crawford's signature was injected with a small amount of luminol ; this substance reacts with iron in blood's haemoglobin to produce
6636-453: Was decisive in determining the future fortunes of the Home Rule movement. Lloyd George, now Prime Minister, made a second attempt to implement Home Rule in 1917, with the calling of the Irish Convention directed by Horace Plunkett . This consisted of Nationalist and Unionist representatives who, by April 1918, only succeeded in agreeing on a report with an 'understanding' on recommendations for
6720-533: Was delayed until March 1920). The Ulster question was 'solved' in the same way: through the promise of amending legislation which was left undefined. Dublin was a battlefield for a week during the Easter Rising of 1916. This rebellion would have a major effect on the Home Rule passage and many Home Rulers would be troubled by this event. After the Rising, two attempts were made during the First World War to implement
6804-548: Was developed by Carson and organised by Sir James Craig . This Covenant specifically pledged not to acknowledge any Parliament out of Dublin, nor to obey its laws, nor pay any taxes levied by its government. This would be problematic especially since Ulster was the wealthiest and most prosperous part of Ireland. In January 1913, the Unionist Council reorganised their volunteers into a paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), whose members threatened to resist by physical force
6888-477: 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
6972-473: Was straightforward. Six counties in northeast Ulster were to be excluded "temporarily" from the territory of the new Irish parliament and government, and continue to be governed as before from Westminster and Whitehall. The length of the exclusion remained an issue of some controversy. To save prolonged debate in parliament, George V called the Buckingham Palace Conference with two MPs each from
7056-499: 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
#668331