Ireland is often referred to as the 32 counties, with its two states, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, being nicknamed respectively the Six Counties and the 26 Counties. The counties were in fact a creation of British rule in Ireland and were first set up in the 19th century to provide a framework for local government. Subsequently adopted by sporting and cultural organisations such as the Gaelic Athletic Association, which organises its activities on county lines, today they attract strong loyalties, particularly in the sporting field.
Ironically, in strict local government terms the 32 counties no longer exist. Within the six-county Northern Ireland, a major re-organisation of local government in 1973 replaced the six large counties by 26 "single-tier" districts. In the Republic of Ireland, six of the original 26 counties have been subdivided for administrative purposes, producing a total of 34 "county-level" authorities. The cities of Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Waterford are administered separately from the counties bearing those names, while County Dublin has been divided into Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin. Tipperary, meanwhile, has long been administered as two counties: Tipperary North Riding and Tipperary South Riding.
Outside the field of local government, however, the "traditional" 32 counties remain in universal use as the basis of local identity and loyalties.
Below is a list of the original 32 counties, as created under British rule. (c) indicates a change in boundaries or counties subdivided to create new counties.
The Original 32 Counties
See also Provinces of Ireland
See also Irish Vehicle Registration Plates, identifiable on a per-county basis.
