Fermanagh << fuhr MA nuh >>, County, is the most westerly of the six historic counties of Northern Ireland. County Fermanagh ceased to be an administrative area when local government was reorganized in 1973. However, local people continue to recognize the county as a distinct region and still refer to it as a county.
Fermanagh was also the name of a local government district from 1973 to 2015. The district covered the same general area as historic County Fermanagh. In 2015, the Fermanagh district was combined with the Omagh district to form the Fermanagh and Omagh local government district.
The area of historic County Fermanagh includes the River Erne basin and the land on either side of the two large lakes Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne. The main town is Enniskillen. Tourism is a major industry in the region. Visitors are attracted by Fermanagh’s caves, fishing, water sports, and magnificent scenery.
Little of the land in Fermanagh is cultivated. But farmers do raise cattle, hogs, and sheep. Farm products include cheese, meat, and milk. Food processing is the largest local industry. A famous, fine porcelain is produced at the village of Belleek, near the most westerly point in Northern Ireland.
See also Northern Ireland.
