Heading northeast from Lanesborough on the N63 brings you to the county town of LONGFORD, which has little of special interest but makes a good base for visiting the county’s main attraction, Carriglas Manor. East of the manor Edgeworthstown celebrates the county’s other famous author, nineteenth-century novelist Maria Edgeworth, while, in August, Longford’s traditional musicians gather in the town of Granard for the famous harp festival.

There’s a tourist office (Mon-Thurs 9.30am-5.30pm, Fri 9.30am-5pm; tel 043/46566), and accommodation is plentiful, including the recently renovated Longford Arms on Main St (tel 043/46296, _ longfordarms@tinet.ie_; £70-90/€88.88-114.28), which does good food. There are also numerous B&Bs, most of them on Dublin Road, such as Tivoli (tel 043/41569; £33-40/€41.90-50.79), though it may be worth travelling a few miles out of town to the hamlet of Newtonforbes to stay in the comfort of Mandy Etherton’s Olde Schoolhouse (tel 043 24854; £33-40/€41.90-50.79).