“ Westmeath is essentially a county of the great Carboniferous Limestone plain, with numerous lakes occupying the hollows. Two or three little inliers of Old Red Sandstone, as at Killucan and Moate, form distinctive hills, about 500 ft. in height. At Sron Hill near Killucan, a core of Silurian strata appears within the sandstone dome. A considerable system of eskers, notably north of Tullamore, diversifies the surface of the limestone plain.
The soil is generally a rich loam of great depth resting on limestone, and is well adapted both for tillage and pasturage. ”

“ The average height of the surface of the county is over 250 ft. above sea-level. The highest summits are Knocklayde (795 ft.) , Hill of Ben (710 ft.) and Knockayon (707 ft.) . A large surface is occupied by bog. A special feature of Westmeath is the number of large loughs, which Jiave a combined area of nearly 17,000 acres. In the north, on the borders of Cavan, is Lough Sheelin, with a length of 5 m., and an average breadth of between 2 and 3 m., and adjoining it is the smaller Lough Kinale. In the centre of the county there is a group of large loughs, of which Lough Dereveragh is 6 ni. ”

“ To the north of it are Loughs Lene, Glore, Bawn and others, and to the south Loughs Iron and Owel. Farther south is Lough Enncll or Belvidcre, and in the south-west Lough Ree, a great expansion of the river Shannon, forming part of the bou-idary with Roscommon. ”