County Monaghan
County Monaghan is one of three Ulster counties within the boundries of the Republic of Ireland, the others being Donegal and Cavan. It is known simply as 'Drumlin country', mainly as a result of all the little hills (Drumlins) spread throughout the county. Monaghan was involved in the Irish Troubles, as it shares its northern border with Fermanagh, Tyrone and Armagh. The Dublin-Monaghan bombing of 1974 saw a bombing attack in Monaghan Town center, with five deaths and twenty injuries, with Unionist paramilitaries being reponsible [1].
History
Monaghan was once a part of the Ulster territory, the Kingdom of Oriel. The dominant families of the region - the Mc Mahons, the McKennas and O'Connollys practically ruled the area until the English administration reformed the regions in the 16th century.
After the defeat of the rebellion of O'Neill and the Ulster chieftains in 1603, the county was not planted like the other counties of Ulster. The lands were instead left in the hands of the native chieftains. In 1641 the McMahons and their allies joined the general rebellion of Irish Catholics, and following their defeat there was some plantation of the county with Scottish and English families.