View source for County Wicklow

{{Short description|County in Ireland}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date= July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                   = County Wicklow
|native_name            = {{lang|ga|Contae Chill Mhantáin}}
|settlement_type        = [[Counties of Ireland|County]]
|native_name_lang       = gle
|image_shield           = Wicklow Coat of Arms.png
|nickname               = The Garden of Ireland
| motto = {{force singular}} {{native name|ga|Meanma Saor}}<br />"Free Spirits"
|image_map              =
|area_footnotes         = <ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cso.ie//studentscorner/statsfactswicklow.htm |publisher= Central Statistics Office |website= cso.ie |title= Stats Facts about your County – Wicklow |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111114162831/http://www.cso.ie//studentscorner/statsfactswicklow.htm |archive-date= 14 November 2011 |quote= Area (Source: Ordnance Survey) / 202,662 Hectares |access-date= 24 August 2021 |url-status= bot: unknown }}</ref>
|area_total_km2         = 2027
|area_rank              = [[List of Irish counties by area|17th]]
|seat_type              = [[County town]]
|seat                   = [[Wicklow]]
|parts_type             = Largest settlement
|parts                  = [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]]
|blank_name_sec1        = [[Vehicle registration plates of Ireland|Vehicle index<br />mark code]]
|blank_info_sec1        = WW
|population_total       = 155,851
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_rank        = [[List of Irish counties by population|16th]]
|population_as_of       = [[2022 census of Ireland|2022]]
|population_footnotes   = <ref name=cso2022>{{cite web |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpr/censusofpopulation2022-preliminaryresults/geographicchanges/ |title=Census of Population 2022 – Preliminary Results |date=23 June 2022 |publisher=[[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)]] |access-date=26 May 2023}}</ref>
|leader_title           = [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|Local authority]]
|leader_name            = [[Wicklow County Council]]
|leader_title2          = [[Dáil constituency]]
|leader_name2           = {{ubl|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]|[[Wicklow–Wexford]]}}
|leader_title3          = [[European Parliament constituencies in the Republic of Ireland|EP constituency]]
|leader_name3           = [[South (European Parliament constituency)|South]]
|subdivision_type       = [[Sovereign state|Country]]
|subdivision_name       = Ireland
|subdivision_type1      = [[Provinces of Ireland|Province]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Leinster]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[NUTS statistical regions of Ireland|Region]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Eastern and Midland Region|Eastern and Midland]]
|website                = {{official website}}
|timezone               = [[Western European Time|WET]]
|utc_offset             = ±0
|timezone_DST           = [[Irish Standard Time|IST]]
|utc_offset_DST         = +1
| established_title     = Established
| established_date      = 1606<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/geographical-loyalty-counties-palatinates-boroughs-and-ridings/|title='Geographical loyalty'? Counties, palatinates, boroughs and ridings|date=6 March 2013|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=23 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623214300/https://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/geographical-loyalty-counties-palatinates-boroughs-and-ridings/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in the Republic of Ireland|Telephone area codes]]
| area_code = 01, 0402, 0404 <small>(primarily)</small>
| postal_code_type       = [[Eircode]] routing keys
| postal_code            = A63, A67, A98 <small>(primarily)</small>
| elevation_max_m        = 925
| elevation_max_point    = [[Lugnaquilla]]
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 8
| iso_code               = IE-WW
}}

'''County Wicklow''' ({{IPAc-en|'|w|ɪ|k|l|o:}} {{respell|WIK|loh}}; {{langx|ga|Contae Chill Mhantáin}} {{IPA|ga|ˈkɔn̪ˠt̪ˠeː ˌçiːl̠ʲ ˈwan̪ˠt̪ˠaːnʲ|}}) is a [[Counties of Ireland|county]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as [[1606 in Ireland|1606]], it is part of the [[Eastern and Midland Region]] and the [[Provinces of Ireland|province]] of [[Leinster]]. It is bordered by the [[Irish Sea]] to the east and the counties of [[County Wexford|Wexford]] to the south, [[County Carlow|Carlow]] to the southwest, [[County Kildare|Kildare]] to the west, and [[South Dublin]] and [[Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown]] to the north.

Wicklow is named after its [[county town]] of [[Wicklow]], which derives from the name {{lang|non|Víkingaló}} ([[Old Norse]] for "Vikings' Meadow"). [[Wicklow County Council]] is the [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local authority]] for the county, which had a population of 155,258 at the [[2022 census of Ireland|2022 census]].<ref name=cso2022/> Colloquially known as the "Garden of Ireland"<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gardenexhibition.ie/|title= Index of /|website=www.gardenexhibition.ie|access-date= 23 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120614195630/http://www.gardenexhibition.ie/|archive-date= 14 June 2012|url-status= dead}}</ref> for its scenery{{emdash}}which includes extensive woodlands, nature trails, beaches, and ancient ruins while allowing for a multitude of walking, hiking, and climbing options{{emdash}}it is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 counties by area<ref name=wright>{{cite book|last= Wright|first= G. N.|title= A Guide to the County of Wicklow|year= 1822|publisher= Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy|location= London|page= v}}</ref> and the 16th largest by population.<ref>{{cite book| first= Eoghan| last= Corry| title= The GAA Book of Lists| publisher= Hodder Headline Ireland| year= 2005| pages= 186–191| isbn= 0-340-89695-7}}</ref> It is also the fourth largest of Leinster's 12 counties by size and the fifth largest in terms of population.

==History==
=== Missions and monasteries ===
[[File:Glendalough, Co. Wicklow - 2022.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kevin of Glendalough|Saint Kevin's]] monastery at [[Glendalough]].]]
During the 5th century Saint Palladius, a bishop from Britain or Gaul was sent to 'the Irish believing in Christ.' He and his companions landed at Wicklow harbour in the year 431 AD.<ref name="heritage.wicklowheritage.org">{{Cite web |date=2020-06-12 |title=2. Saint Palladius and the Dunlavin area |url=https://heritage.wicklowheritage.org/new-contributions/saint-palladius-and-the-dunlavin-area |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=County Wicklow Heritage |language=en}}</ref> Palladius founded three ancient churches at Donard, Tigroney and Colbinstown.<ref name="heritage.wicklowheritage.org"/> Along with him came two clerics named St. Sylvester and Solonius who died and were buried at Donard. The local tribe in the area were called Cualann and their chief, a man named Naithi was opposed to these Christian missionaries.<ref name="heritage.wicklowheritage.org"/> Despite this hostility however Palladius seems to have gained support elsewhere as he was able to erect those three churches in the Wicklow area. After a rather unsuccessful stay in the county St. Palladius departed Ireland and journeyed to Scotland.<ref name="heritage.wicklowheritage.org"/>

A large number of early Irish saints male and female founded churches, monasteries and convents in Wicklow. Among them were St. [[Kevin of Glendalough|Kevin]], St. [[Dagán|Dagan]], St. [[Ernan]], St. [[Credan]], St. Baotan and the holy women [[Cainnear (name)|St. Cainnear]], St. Ceoltigherna, St. Fledh, St. Tartinna, St. Coine and St. Croine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-20 |title=Wicklow's Past: Fame and Rivalry of Wicklow's Saints – WicklowNews |url=https://wicklownews.net/2018/06/wicklows-past-fame-and-rivalry-of-wicklows-saints/ |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=wicklownews.net |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marcella |title=Saint Cróine, January 27 |url=http://www.omniumsanctorumhiberniae.com/2015/01/saint-croine-january-27.html |access-date=2023-03-22 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Saint Fledh of Ireland - 12 September |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VkwGhOFVYU |access-date=2024-01-29 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cell Aird {{!}} Monastic Matrix |url=https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/monasticmatrix/monasticon/cell-aird |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=arts.st-andrews.ac.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marcella |title=Saint Coine of Kilkine, April 4 |url=http://www.omniumsanctorumhiberniae.com/2013/04/saint-coine-of-kilkine-april-4.html |access-date=2024-01-29 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The ancient [[monastery]] of [[Glendalough]] is located in the county.

=== 17th century onwards ===
County Wicklow was the last of the traditional counties of Ireland to be shired in [[1606 in Ireland|1606]] from land previously part of counties [[County Dublin|Dublin]] and [[County Carlow|Carlow]]. Established as a distinct county, it was aimed at controlling local groups such as the [[Fiach McHugh O'Byrne|O'Byrnes]]. The ''[[R115 road (Ireland)|Military Road]]'', stretching from [[Rathfarnham]] to [[Aghavannagh]] crosses the mountains, north to south, and was built by government forces to assist them in defeating the rebels still active in the [[Wicklow Mountains]] following the failed [[Irish Rebellion of 1798]].<ref name="niahwicklow">''See'' Philip Smith (writer), ''An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of County Wicklow.'' Dublin: [[Wordwell Press]] / [[Government of Ireland]], Department of the Environment, Heritage, and Local Government, National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, 2004.</ref> It provided them with access to an area that had been a hotbed of Irish rebellion for centuries. Several barracks to house the soldiers were built along the route; in 1974 the [[Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation]] was opened alongside the remains of Glencree barracks. Battalions of the [[Irish Army]] use firing ranges in County Wicklow for tactical exercises, especially the largest one in the [[Glen of Imaal]] which was previously used by the [[British Army]] prior to independence.<ref>{{cite web |title=Glen of Imaal – Walking Route Closures |publisher=[[Irish Defence Forces]] |date=2022 |url=https://www.military.ie/en/public-information/glen-of-imaal-walking-route-closures/ |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bourke |first=Wesley |title=On the History Trail in the Glen of Imaal |publisher=Irelandsmilitarystory.ie |date=20 June 2020 |url=https://irelandsmilitarystory.ie/category/glen-of-imaal/ |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Glen of Imaal |publisher=[[Irish Defence Forces]] |date=2022 |url=https://www.military.ie/ga/faisneis-phoibli/glen-of-imaal/ |access-date=25 September 2022 }}</ref>

There was a brief [[Wicklow gold rush]] in the year 1795 near the village of [[Woodenbridge]] that lasted for a month, during which as many as 80 kilograms of gold was recovered by unlicensed prospectors before the government took over.{{sfn|McArdle|2011|page=22}}

During the [[Cromwellian conquest of Ireland]], local authorities immediately surrendered without a fight. During the Irish Rebellion of 1798, some of the [[Society of United Irishmen|United Irishmen]] insurgents took refuge in the Wicklow Mountains,<ref>{{cite web |last=Godden |first=John |title=The Military Road |publisher=www.glendalough.connect.ie |year=1999 |url=http://www.glendalough.connect.ie/pages/articles/militaryroad/militaryroad.html |access-date=23 March 2023}}</ref> resulting in clashes between British forces and rebels commanded by [[Joseph Holt (rebel)|Joseph Holt]] near Aughrim and later at Arklow.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The ruthless Michael Dwyer |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/braypeople/localnotes/the-ruthless-michael-dwyer-27641730.html |date=16 March 2011 |access-date=23 March 2023|publisher=[[Bray People]] |archive-date=23 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023100844/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/braypeople/localnotes/the-ruthless-michael-dwyer-27641730.html}}</ref>

The boundaries of the county were extended in 1957 by the Local Government Act<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1957|type=prv|number=1|name=Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation Act 1957|access-date=8 February 2022|date=1 July 1957|archive-date=2 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202230824/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1957/en/act/prv/0001/print.html}}</ref> which "detached lands from the [[County Dublin|County of Dublin]] and from the jurisdiction and powers of the Council of the County of Dublin" near Bray and added them to the County of Wicklow.

=== Irish language ===
Wicklow was the first county in Ireland to lose the [[Irish language]], with only around 2% of people speaking it in the 1770s. It was spoken on the Western slopes of the [[Wicklow Mountains]] in the 1790s. Andrew and Hannah Byrne of [[Glenealy, County Wicklow|Glenealy]], who both died in 1830, were among the last native speakers in the county.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-27 |title=The Irish Language in Co. Wicklow |url=https://heritage.wicklowheritage.org/places/county_wicklow_historical_societies/wicklow_historical_society/wicklow_historical_society-2/the_irish_language_in_co_wicklow#:~:text=Andrew%20and%20Hannah%20Byrne%20of,the%20Wicklow%20Mountains%20(13). |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=County Wicklow Heritage |language=en}}</ref>

==Geography==
{{Further|Wicklow Mountains|Wicklow Mountains National Park|Wicklow Way}}

===Location===
[[File:Wicklow Mountains topographic map-fr.svg|thumb|left|Topographic map of County Wicklow]]
Wicklow is part of the [[Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly|Eastern and Midland Region]] of Ireland, within the province of [[Leinster]]. It is bounded by four counties, [[County Dublin|Dublin]] to the north; [[County Kildare|Kildare]] and [[County Carlow|Carlow]] to the west; [[County Wexford|Wexford]] to the south; and the [[Irish Sea]] to the east. Wicklow is the 17th largest of Ireland's 32 traditional counties by land area, and the 16th most populous. It is the fourth largest of Leinster's 12 counties by size and the fifth most populous. The county is named after the town of [[Wicklow]], located approximately {{convert|50|km|mi}} south of [[Dublin]], the capital city of Ireland.

[[File:Croaghanmoira Mountain.jpg|thumb|The [[Wicklow Mountains]] occupy the whole of central Wicklow]]
The [[Wicklow Mountains]] are Ireland's largest continuous upland area and occupy a significant portion of the county, spanning the entire centre of Wicklow and stretching into Dublin and Wexford at their southern and northern fringes. [[Lugnaquilla]], at {{convert|925|m|ft}} above sea level, is the tallest peak in the range, the highest mountain in Ireland outside of [[County Kerry]], and Ireland's 13th-highest mountain overall.<ref name="mountainviews">{{Cite web |url=https://mountainviews.ie/summit/13/ |title=MountainViews: Lugnaquilla |access-date=24 August 2021 |archive-date=24 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025232/https://mountainviews.ie/summit/13/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Wicklow Mountains National Park]], located in the middle of the county, is a dedicated protected area covering {{convert|205|km2|acre|0}}, making it the largest [[List of national parks of the Republic of Ireland|national park]] in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web | location = IE | url = https://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/ | title = Wicklow Mountains National Park | publisher = wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie | access-date = 22 August 2021 | archive-date = 13 August 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210813094758/https://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The [[Wicklow Way]] was the first [[Lists of long-distance trails in the Republic of Ireland|long-distance trail]] in the State, and crosses the range for {{convert|131|km|mi}}.<ref>{{cite web |location=IE |url=https://www.glendalough.ie/things-to-do/walking/ |title=Glendalough, things to do – Hiking/Walking |work=Glendalough Official Website |date=6 February 2014 |publisher=glendalough.ie |access-date=22 August 2021 |archive-date=22 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822113243/https://www.glendalough.ie/things-to-do/walking/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Geology===
The Wicklow Mountains are centred on the Leinster [[batholith]] and are primarily composed of [[granite]] surrounded by an envelope of [[mica]]-[[schist]] and much older rocks such as [[quartzite]]. Covering {{convert|1,500|km2|mi2}}, the Leinster batholith is the most expansive mass of [[Intrusive rock|intrusive]] [[igneous rock]] in Ireland or [[Great Britain|Britain]].<ref>{{cite journal | location = UK | url = https://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/175/2/229 | title = Multiple intrusive phases in the Leinster Batholith, Ireland: geochronology, isotope geochemistry and constraints on the deformation history | journal = Journal of the Geological Society | year = 2018 | publisher = Geological Society of London | doi = 10.1144/jgs2017-034 | access-date = 24 August 2021 | archive-date = 24 August 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025241/https://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/175/2/229 | url-status = live | last1 = Fritschle | first1 = Tobias | last2 = Daly | first2 = J. Stephen | last3 = Whitehouse | first3 = Martin J. | last4 = McConnell | first4 = Brian | last5 = Buhre | first5 = Stephan | volume = 175 | issue = 2 | pages = 229–246 | bibcode = 2018JGSoc.175..229F | s2cid = 134435310 | url-access = subscription }}</ref> The oldest rocks in the county are the quartzites of the Bray Group that include [[Bray Head]] and the [[Little Sugar Loaf]] and [[Great Sugar Loaf]] mountains.{{sfn|Holland|2003|p=22}} These [[metamorphism|metamorphosed]] from [[sandstone]] deposited in the deep waters of the primeval [[Iapetus Ocean]] during the [[Cambrian]] [[period (geology)|period]] (542-488 million years ago).{{sfn|Jackson|Parkes|Simms|2010|p=142}}

As with much of Ireland, Wicklow's terrain was sculpted by successive periods of glaciation during the [[quaternary]]. Weathering and erosion by ice carved out long valleys known as [[glens]] (from the [[Irish language|Irish]] ''gleann'') such as [[Glenmacnass Waterfall|Glenmacnass]], [[Glen of the Downs]], [[Glenmalure]], [[Glen of Imaal]], [[Glencree]] and [[Glendalough]]. The Irish Sea Ice-Sheet began to retreat shortly after the [[Last Glacial Maximum]] ca. 20,000–23,000 years ago but significant ice masses persisted in the Wicklow Mountains for another 4,000–7,000 years.{{sfn|Tomkins|Dortch|Tonkin|Barr|2017|p=6}}

===Hydrology===
[[File:Powerscourt Waterfall, Wicklow - panoramio (3).jpg|thumb|left|[[Powerscourt Waterfall]], the second highest in Ireland]]
Major rivers include the {{convert|132|km|mi|adj=on|sigfig=3}} [[River Liffey]], Ireland's 8th-longest river, which rises near [[Tonduff]] mountain and flows through the centre of [[Dublin|Dublin City]], reaching the Irish Sea at [[Dublin Bay]].<ref name="RvrsStrmsDubReg">{{cite book| title = The Rivers and Streams of the Dublin Region | date = 2018 | isbn = 9780956636386 | pages = 33–35}}</ref> Its biggest tributary by volume, the [[River Dodder]], rises along the northern slope of [[Kippure]] in the far north of the county, while the Kings River joins at Blessington Lakes. Multiple other Liffey tributaries flow within the county.<ref name="RvrsStrmsDubReg"/>

The {{convert|117.5|km|mi|adj=on|sigfig=3}} [[River Slaney]], which starts at Lugnaquilla, flows west and then south before reaching [[St George's Channel]] at [[Wexford]] town.<ref>[http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf South Eastern River Basin District Management System. Page 38] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222354/http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}</ref> The [[Avonmore River|Avonmore]] and [[River Avonbeg|Avonbeg]] rivers join to form the [[River Avoca|Avoca River]] at the ''Meeting of the Waters'' in the Vale of Avoca.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf|title=South Eastern River Basin District Management System Initial Characterisation Report: Physical Description|website=South Eastern River Basin District|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222354/http://www.serbd.com/MultiDownloads/Creport/Chapters/Physical%20Description%20Ch3.pdf|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead|access-date=2015-03-02}}</ref> The [[River Derreen]] in the south of the county defines a section of the border with Carlow.

[[File:Poulaphouca Reservoir, Co. Wicklow (506145) (25719049964).jpg|thumb|The [[Poulaphouca Reservoir]] near [[Blessington]] is Ireland's largest artificial lake]]
Most of the county's lakes (or loughs) are glacially derived [[Ribbon lake|ribbon]] and [[Tarn (lake)|corrie lakes]] found in scenic [[trough valley]]s surrounded by mountains, making them popular with tourists.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/lough-tay-guinness-lake/ |title=Lough Tay – The Guinness Lake |work=Visit Wicklow |date=25 February 2015 |publisher=visitwicklow.ie |access-date=24 August 2021 |archive-date=24 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025228/https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/lough-tay-guinness-lake/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Notable lakes in the county include [[Glendalough Upper Lake]], [[Lough Tay]] ('The [[Guinness Estate|Guinness]] Lake'), [[Tonelagee#Gallery|Lough Ouler]] ('The Heart-shaped Lake'), Lough Bray, [[Lough Dan]] and Lough Nahanagan.

[[Poulaphouca Reservoir]] is the largest of Wicklow's lakes, covering {{convert|2226|ha|acres|sigfig=3}} in the west of the county.<ref>{{cite web |location=IE |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/debate/dail/1936-11-04/50/ |title=Liffey Reservoir Bill, 1936—Second Stage |work=Government of Ireland |publisher=oireachtas.ie |access-date=22 August 2021 |archive-date=24 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025233/https://www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/debate/dail/1936-11-04/50/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is the largest artificial lake in Ireland and was created following the damming of the [[River Liffey]] at [[Poulaphouca]] in 1940. The village of Ballinahown was completed submerged by the reservoir and its 70 families were relocated. Ruins of the old village including buildings, fences and farm machinery can be seen during droughts when water levels in the reservoir diminish.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/localnotes/memories-come-flooding-back-35872128.html |title=Memories come flooding back |work=Wicklow People |date=30 June 2017 |publisher=independent.ie |access-date=24 August 2021 |archive-date=24 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025227/https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wicklowpeople/localnotes/memories-come-flooding-back-35872128.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The lower [[Vartry Reservoir]], constructed between 1862 and 1868, is the county's second largest lake.

===Coast===
[[File:Brittas Bay (Jul 2013).jpg|thumb|right|Beach at [[Brittas Bay]]. The county is a popular seaside destination]]
Wicklow has a relatively [[List of Irish counties by coastline|short coastline]], at {{convert|64|km|miles}} in length.<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272771499905073 |title= The Relative Lengths of Seashore Substrata Around the Coastline of Ireland as Determined by Digital Methods in a Geographical Information System |date= 22 April 1999 |publisher= Environmental Sciences Unit, Trinity College Dublin |doi= 10.1006/ecss.1999.0507 |access-date= 13 July 2021 |archive-date= 13 July 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210713111748/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272771499905073 |url-status= live |last1= Neilson |first1= Brigitte |last2= Costello |first2= Mark J. |journal= Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science |volume= 49 |issue= 4 |pages= 501–508 |bibcode= 1999ECSS...49..501N |s2cid= 128982465 |url-access= subscription }}</ref> Wicklow's coastline is mostly straight, with few sizable bays or inlets and no offshore islands, giving it a shorter coastline than smaller counties like [[County Louth|Louth]] and Dublin. [[Wicklow Head]] is the county's most prominent coastal headland, and is also the most easterly mainland point of the Republic of Ireland.<ref>{{cite book |last=Winn |first=Christopher |year=2015 |title=I Never Knew That about the Irish |publisher=Random House |page=145 |isbn=9780091960254}}</ref> Wicklow's east coast is a popular domestic summer holiday destination, and the county has numerous beaches including [[Brittas Bay]], Clogga Beach, The Cove, Silver Strand Beach, Sallymount Bay Beach, Ennereilly Beach, Newcastle Beach, Arklow's Porter's Rock Beach and South Beach, Greystones North and South Beaches, Bray Strand, and Magheramore Beach.

===Forest===
The county has roughly {{convert|37,500|ha|acres}} of wooded area, the 8th highest total forest cover in Ireland. In terms of forest cover as a proportion of land area, Wicklow ranks second in the country, at 18.5%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/823b8-irelands-national-forest-inventory/|title=National Forestry Inventory, Fourth Cycle 2012|work=DAFM|date=16 December 2020 |access-date=12 June 2023}}</ref> Known as the "Garden of Ireland", Wicklow was historically the county with the highest percentage of woodlands. The 2017 National Forestry Inventory revealed that [[County Leitrim]] had overtaken it for the first time. Wicklow is in a [[temperate broadleaf and mixed forests]] [[biome]], although the majority of Wicklow's forests are commercial [[conifer]]s. The economic [[tree line]] in the region is around {{convert|400|m|ft}}, above which [[hill farming]] and [[blanket bog]] dominates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coford.ie/media/coford/content/publications/projectreports/speciesmanual.pdf|title=A Guide to Forest Tree Species Selection and Silviculture in Ireland|work=Council for Forest Research and Development|access-date=24 August 2021|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112022515/http://www.coford.ie/media/coford/content/publications/projectreports/speciesmanual.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Geography of County Wicklow|state=collapsed}}

===Urban development===
In terms of urban development, [[Wicklow County Council]] imposes the most stringent planning restrictions in Ireland. In order to build a house outside of the main towns, a person must be "born and bred in the area, or have lived there for a period of 10 years" and must also demonstrate that the house is for their own housing needs, rather than for resale. Further, potential buyers in rural areas must be approved by the council before the homeowner is allowed to sell to them. The primary justification for these restrictions is to avoid [[one-off housing]] or other poorly planned developments which could put a strain on the county's infrastructure and degrade its natural environment.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/planning-headaches-in-co-wicklow-1.2176655 |title= Planning headaches in Co Wicklow |date= 16 April 2015 |publisher= [[The Irish Times]] |access-date= 23 August 2021 |archive-date= 12 November 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201112012040/https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/planning-headaches-in-co-wicklow-1.2176655 |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = [[Ashford, County Wicklow|Ashford]], County Wicklow (1999–2020), 12 m[[Ordnance datum|AOD]]
|collapsed = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 17.8
|Feb record high C = 17.4
|Mar record high C = 19.6
|Apr record high C = 20.4
|May record high C = 24.1
|Jun record high C = 27.0
|Jul record high C = 29.2
|Aug record high C = 27.1
|Sep record high C = 25.3
|Oct record high C = 21.6
|Nov record high C = 18.5
|Dec record high C = 16.4
|Jan high C = 9.2
|Feb high C = 9.4
|Mar high C = 11.2
|Apr high C = 12.8
|May high C = 15.7
|Jun high C = 18.7
|Jul high C = 20.4
|Aug high C = 19.8
|Sep high C = 18.1
|Oct high C = 14.9
|Nov high C = 11.6
|Dec high C = 9.6
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 6.1
|Feb mean C = 6.1
|Mar mean C = 7.1
|Apr mean C = 8.8
|May mean C = 11.4
|Jun mean C = 14.0
|Jul mean C = 15.6
|Aug mean C = 15.5
|Sep mean C = 13.9
|Oct mean C = 11.3
|Nov mean C = 8.2
|Dec mean C = 6.4
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 2.9
|Feb low C = 2.8
|Mar low C = 3.4
|Apr low C = 4.7
|May low C = 6.9
|Jun low C = 9.5
|Jul low C = 11.3
|Aug low C = 11.2
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 7.4
|Nov low C = 4.8
|Dec low C = 3.1
|Jan record low C = -7.1
|Feb record low C = -5.4
|Mar record low C = -6.6
|Apr record low C = -1.8
|May record low C = -0.8
|Jun record low C = 1.8
|Jul record low C = 4.6
|Aug record low C = 4.3
|Sep record low C = 1.9
|Oct record low C = -1.1
|Nov record low C = -6.4
|Dec record low C = -6.8
|year low C = 6.5
|Jan rain mm = 86
|Feb rain mm = 61.8
|Mar rain mm = 63.6
|Apr rain mm = 60.7
|May rain mm = 65.8
|Jun rain mm = 72.1
|Jul rain mm = 67
|Aug rain mm = 69.8
|Sep rain mm = 72.1
|Oct rain mm = 118.9
|Nov rain mm = 110.9
|Dec rain mm = 85.6
|year rain mm = 935
|Jan precipitation days = 14
|Feb precipitation days = 10
|Mar precipitation days = 9
|Apr precipitation days = 10
|May precipitation days = 10
|Jun precipitation days = 10
|Jul precipitation days = 10
|Aug precipitation days = 10
|Sep precipitation days = 9
|Oct precipitation days = 13
|Nov precipitation days = 13
|Dec precipitation days = 11
|year precipitation days =
|unit precipitation days=1&nbsp;mm
|Jan sun = 68.0
|Feb sun = 83.2
|Mar sun = 136.8
|Apr sun = 180.4
|May sun = 204.0
|Jun sun = 197.7
|Jul sun = 171.0
|Aug sun = 158.5
|Sep sun = 135.9
|Oct sun = 103.3
|Nov sun = 77.7
|Dec sun = 65.9
|year sun =
|source 1 = Met Éireann<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/historical-data | title = Historical Data – Ashford (Glanmore Gardens) | access-date = 24 August 2021 | archive-date = 24 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195529/https://www.met.ie/climate/available-data/historical-data | url-status = live }}</ref>
|source 2 = Ashford Weather Station<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wicklowweather.com/extremes.htm|title=Wicklow Weather|publisher=Ashford Weather Station|access-date=24 August 2021|archive-date=10 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810145224/http://www.wicklowweather.com/extremes.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>|date=December 2012}}
[[File:Wicklow Mountains National Park Ireland.jpg|thumb|Autumn leaves at [[Glendalough Upper Lake|Upper Lake]]]]
The climate of Wicklow is [[temperate]] [[oceanic climate|oceanic]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfb'' in most areas, and ''Cfc'' [[Oceanic climate#Subpolar variety (Cfc, Cwc)|oceanic subpolar]] in some highland areas), with cool, humid summers, and mild, wet winters. The climate of the eastern portion of the county is moderated by the [[Irish Sea]] and averages milder winters and cooler summers, while the western inland portion along the [[County Kildare|Kildare]] border experiences warmer summers and colder winters. The county's upland interior experiences significantly lower temperatures and higher rainfall year-round.<ref name="wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/getting-here/weather/|title=Wicklow Mountains National Park – Weather|website=wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie|access-date=21 July 2021|archive-date=16 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116083127/https://www.wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie/getting-here/weather/|url-status=live}}</ref> Snow typically falls from December to March, but most low-lying and coastal areas see only a few days of lying snow per year, or may see no snow at all during some winters. The Wicklow Mountains region is the snowiest part of Ireland and can experience 50 or more days of snowfall each year.

[[File:Military Road Laragh-Glenmalure.jpg|thumb|left|On average, Wicklow receives more snowfall than any other county]]
The county experiences a narrow annual temperature range. Typical daytime highs range from {{convert|17-22|C|F}} throughout the county in July and August, with overnight lows in the {{convert|11-14|C|F}} range, although temperatures in the mountains can be {{convert|5-10|C|F}} lower.<ref name="wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie"/> Mean January temperatures range from {{convert|7|C|F}} on the coast to {{convert|0|C|F}} at high elevations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/temperature|title=The Current Irish Climatology and the Long Term Average (LTA)|website=met.ie|access-date=21 August 2021|archive-date=24 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025228/https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/temperature|url-status=live}}</ref> Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, although the wettest months (October and November) receive roughly twice as much rain as the driest months (February, March and April). The driest area of Wicklow is the northeast corner of the county, which is protected from the prevailing south-westerly winds by the Wicklow Mountains and receives around {{convert|750|mm|0|abbr=on}} of rainfall per year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/rainfall|title=Climate of Ireland – Rainfall|website=met.ie|access-date=21 July 2021|archive-date=21 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721150345/https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/rainfall|url-status=live}}</ref> The coastal region of [[County Dublin]] immediately to the north is the driest location in all of Ireland as a result of the [[rain shadow]] created by the mountains.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=European Climate Assessment & Dataset |title=Climatology details for station DUBLIN (RINGSEND), IRELAND and index RR: Precipitation sum |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1981-2010&indexid=RR&stationid=1958 |access-date=21 December 2012 |archive-date=1 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201182200/http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1981-2010&indexid=RR&stationid=1958 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Easterly winds can occur between February and May, and are often associated with extreme snowfall events such as the 2018 "[[2018 British Isles cold wave|Beast from the East]]" and the "[[Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom|Big Snow of 1947]]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/wind#:~:text=Easterly%20winds%20occur%20most%20often,southerly%20direction%20at%20Dublin%20Airport.|title=Climate of Ireland – Wind|website=met.ie|access-date=21 August 2021|archive-date=24 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025237/https://www.met.ie/climate/what-we-measure/wind#:~:text=Easterly%20winds%20occur%20most%20often,southerly%20direction%20at%20Dublin%20Airport.|url-status=live}}</ref> Much of Wicklow is very vulnerable to heavy snowfall and the county is typically the hardest hit by such events, with some areas recording over {{convert|2|ft|cm}} of snow.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wicklownews.net/2019/02/when-the-beast-from-the-east-came-to-wicklow/|title=When the Beast from the East came to Wicklow|website=wicklownews.net|date=28 February 2019|access-date=10 August 2021|archive-date=24 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025227/https://wicklownews.net/2019/02/when-the-beast-from-the-east-came-to-wicklow/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the winter of 1947, residents of [[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]] called upon the [[Irish Red Cross Society|Irish Red Cross]] to drop them food parcels by plane as the village had been inaccessible by road for over a month due to heavy snow.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/big-snow-1947-death-isolation-and-entire-towns-snowed-in-1.3412613 |title= Big Snow 1947: Death, isolation and entire towns snowed in |date= 2 March 2018 |publisher= [[The Irish Times]] |access-date= 24 July 2021 |archive-date= 24 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025228/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/big-snow-1947-death-isolation-and-entire-towns-snowed-in-1.3412613 |url-status= live }}</ref>

Wicklow is occasionally affected by [[tropical cyclone|hurricanes]], although they are usually [[extratropical]] storms by the time they reach Ireland. On 24 August 1986, during [[Hurricane Charley (1986)|Hurricane Charley]], {{convert|280|mm|0|abbr=on}} of rain fell over a 24-hour period at [[Kippure]] on the Wicklow-Dublin border, the greatest daily rainfall total ever recorded in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hurricane-charley-storm-that-travelled-from-the-us-to-ireland-1.2910412 |title= Hurricane Charley: storm that travelled from the US to Ireland |date= 31 December 2016 |publisher= [[The Irish Times]] |access-date= 16 August 2021 |archive-date= 8 November 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201108170546/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hurricane-charley-storm-that-travelled-from-the-us-to-ireland-1.2910412 |url-status= live }}</ref> The hurricane caused severe flooding and up to 1,000 homes had to be evacuated in Bray alone.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.rte.ie/archives/2013/0826/470325-hurricane-charley-hits-bray-1986/ |title= Bray Worst Hit by Hurricane Charley |date= 25 August 1986 |publisher= [[RTÉ]] |access-date= 18 August 2021 |archive-date= 24 August 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210824025227/https://www.rte.ie/archives/2013/0826/470325-hurricane-charley-hits-bray-1986/ |url-status= live }}</ref> Other major floods in Wicklow which resulted in loss of life occurred in 1886–87, 1931, 1965 and 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.irishtimes.com/news/garda-who-died-in-floods-laid-to-rest-1.633814 |title= Garda who died in floods laid to rest |date= 29 October 2011 |publisher= [[The Irish Times]] |access-date= 19 August 2021}}</ref>
[[File:Wicklow Way.jpg|thumb|right|Hiking waymakers, such as this one for [[Saint Kevin's Way]], dot the Wicklow landscape]]

===Subdivisions===
====Baronies====
There are eight historic [[Barony (Ireland)|baronies]] in the county.<ref>[https://www.logainm.ie/ga/ Placenames Database of Ireland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401060534/https://www.logainm.ie/ga/ |date=1 April 2020 }} – Baronies.</ref> While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units". The largest barony in Wicklow is Lower Talbotstown, at {{convert|88,704|acres|km2|sigfig=3}}, and the smallest barony is Rathdown, at {{convert|33,463|acres|km2|sigfig=3}}.
* [[Arklow (barony)|Arklow]] (''An tInbhear Mór'')
* [[Ballinacor North]] (''Baile na Corra Thuaidh'')
* [[Ballinacor South]] (''Baile na Corra Theas'')
* [[Newcastle (County Wicklow barony)|Newcastle]] (''An Caisleán Nua'')
* [[Rathdown (County Wicklow barony)|Rathdown]] (''Ráth an Dúin'')
* [[Shillelagh (barony)|Shillelagh]] (''Síol Éalaigh'')
* [[Lower Talbotstown]] (''Baile an Talbóidigh Íochtarach'')
* [[Upper Talbotstown]] (''Baile an Talbóidigh Uachtarach'')

====Townlands====
{{Main|List of townlands of County Wicklow}}

====Towns and villages====
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Aghavannagh]]
* [[Annacurra]]
* [[Annamoe]]
* [[Arklow]]
* [[Ashford, County Wicklow|Ashford]]
* [[Aughrim, County Wicklow|Aughrim]]
* [[Avoca, County Wicklow|Avoca]]
* [[Ballinaclash]]
* [[Ballinakil]]
* [[Baltinglass]]
* [[Blessington]]
* [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]]
* [[Brittas Bay]]
* [[Carnew]]
* [[Coolafancy]]
* [[Coolboy]]
* [[Coolkenno]]
* [[Delgany]]
* [[Donard]]
* [[Dunlavin]]
* [[Enniskerry]]
* [[Glencree]]
* [[Glendalough]]
* [[Glenealy, County Wicklow|Glenealy]]
* [[Grangecon]]
* [[Greenan, County Wicklow|Greenan]]
* [[Greystones]]
* [[Hollywood, County Wicklow|Hollywood]]
* [[Kilbride, County Wicklow|Kilbride]]
* [[Kilcoole]]
* [[Killincarrig]]
* [[Kilmacanogue]]
* [[Kilpedder]]
* [[Kiltegan]]
* [[Knockananna]]
* [[Lacken, County Wicklow|Lacken]]
* [[Laragh, County Wicklow|Laragh]]
* [[Manor Kilbride]]
* [[River Avoca|Meeting of the Waters]]
* [[Newcastle, County Wicklow|Newcastle]]
* [[Newtownmountkennedy]]
* [[Poulaphouca]]
* [[Rathnew]]
* [[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]]
* [[Redcross]]
* [[Roundwood]]
* [[Shillelagh, County Wicklow|Shillelagh]]
* [[Stratford-on-Slaney]]
* [[Tinahely]]
* [[Valleymount]]
* [[Wicklow]]
* [[Woodenbridge]]
{{Div col end}}

==Demographics==
===Population===
[[File:County Wicklow Population Density Map (2016).png|thumb|upright=1.12|Wicklow's population is primarily concentrated along the east coast|right]]
{{Historical populations
|state=collapsed
|1659|6066
|1821|110767
|1831|121557
|1841|126143
|1851|98979
|1861|86479
|1871|78697
|1881|70386
|1891|62136
|1901|60824
|1911|60711
|1926|57591
|1936|58569
|1946|60451
|1951|62590
|1956|59906
|1961|58473
|1966|60428
|1971|66295
|1979|83950
|1981|87449
|1986|94542
|1991|97265
|1996|102683
|2002|114676
|2006|126194
|2011|136640
|2016|142425
|2022|155485
||footnote=<ref name=cso2022/><ref>For 1653 and 1659 figures from Civil Survey Census of those years, Paper of Mr Hardinge to Royal Irish Academy 14 March 1865.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.cso.ie/census|title= Server Error 404 – CSO – Central Statistics Office|website= www.cso.ie|access-date= 23 March 2018|archive-date= 20 September 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100920090814/http://cso.ie/census|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507023856/http://www.histpop.org/|url-status=dead|title=HISTPOP.ORG – Home|archivedate=7 May 2016|website=www.histpop.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/front|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217095720/http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census|url-status=dead|title=Home|archivedate=17 February 2012|website=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
|last= Lee|first= JJ| author-link = J. J. Lee (historian)|editor-last= Goldstrom|editor-first= J. M.|editor2-last= Clarkson
|editor2-first= L. A.|title= Irish Population, Economy, and Society: Essays in Honour of the Late K. H. Connell
|year= 1981|publisher= Clarendon Press|location= Oxford, England
|chapter= On the accuracy of the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Pre-famine]] Irish censuses}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Mokyr | first1 = Joel
 | author-link = Joel Mokyr | last2 = Ó Gráda | first2 = Cormac
 | author2-link = Cormac Ó Gráda | title = New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700–1850 | journal = The Economic History Review | volume = 37 | issue = 4
 | pages = 473–488 | series = Volume |date= November 1984
 | url = http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120035880/abstract | archive-url = https://archive.today/20121204160709/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120035880/abstract | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2012-12-04 | doi = 10.1111/j.1468-0289.1984.tb00344.x 
| hdl = 10197/1406| hdl-access = free }}</ref><ref name=cso2016>{{cite web | url = http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=CTY31&Geog_Code=2AE19629149E13A3E055000000000001 | title = Census 2016 Sapmap Area: County Wicklow | publisher = [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)]] | access-date = 8 January 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190108100913/http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=CTY31&Geog_Code=2AE19629149E13A3E055000000000001 | archive-date = 8 January 2019 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2016 Republic of Ireland census|2016 census]], the resident population of Wicklow was 142,425, a 4.2% increase since the [[Census of Ireland 2011]].<ref name="cso2016" /> The county's population is one of the fastest growing in the country, increasing 38.7 percent in the 20 years between 1996 and 2016. However, its share of the [[Mid-East Region, Ireland|Mid East]]'s population has steadily fallen as Meath and Kildare have experienced even more rapid population growth.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Planning/Development-Plans-Strategies/National-Regional-County-Plans/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan-2010-2016 |title=Wicklow County Development Plajn 2010–2016 |website=wicklow.ie |accessdate=21 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906233913/https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Planning/Development-Plans-Strategies/National-Regional-County-Plans/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan-2010-2016 }}</ref> While Bray remains by far the largest town in the county, improved transport links to Dublin such as upgrades to the [[N11 road (Ireland)|M11]] and the completion of the [[M50 motorway (Ireland)|M50]] in 2005 encouraged the growth of towns further south. Between 2002 and 2016 Bray grew by 5.3 percent. By contrast, over the same period [[Arklow]] grew by 32.2 percent, [[Greystones]] grew by 53.3 percent and [[Rathnew]] grew by 133.9%.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Planning/Development-Plans-Strategies/National-Regional-County-Plans/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan-2016-2022 | title = Wicklow County Development Plan 2016–2022 | publisher = [[Wicklow County Council]] | access-date = 6 September 2021 | archive-date = 6 September 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210906213846/https://www.wicklow.ie/Living/Services/Planning/Development-Plans-Strategies/National-Regional-County-Plans/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan/Wicklow-County-Development-Plan-2016-2022 | url-status = live }}</ref>

The most densely populated areas of the county are concentrated in the northeast, with over 50 percent of Wicklow's residents living within {{convert|15|km|mi|0}} of the [[County Dublin|Dublin]] border.<ref name="SAPMAPS, Settlements">{{cite web | url = https://cso.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4d19cf7b1251408c99ccde18859ff739 | title = SAPMAPS, Settlements | publisher = [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)]] | access-date = 28 August 2021 | archive-date = 24 June 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210624201559/https://cso.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4d19cf7b1251408c99ccde18859ff739 | url-status = live }}</ref> Many of the county's largest urban areas are clustered in this region along an axis stretching from [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]] to [[Newtownmountkennedy]], which incorporates [[Greystones]], [[Delgany]], [[Enniskerry]], [[Kilmacanogue]], [[Kilpedder]] and [[Kilcoole]]. Outside of this region, [[Wicklow]], [[Rathnew]] and [[Arklow]] are the only sizable towns in the eastern portion of the county, while [[Blessington]] is the only large settlement in west Wicklow.

The county's interior is very sparsely populated, with only a few small settlements located in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains such as [[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]], [[Laragh, County Wicklow|Laragh]], [[Roundwood]] and [[Tinahely]]. Most [[Small Area Population Statistics|small areas]] in central Wicklow have a population density of less than 20 people per km2, compared with an average of 77 people per km2 in the county as a whole.<ref name="SAPMAPS, Settlements"/>

The gender makeup of the county in 2016 was 50.74% female and 49.26% male. 29.0% of the population were under the age of 19; 58% were between the ages of 19 and 64; and 13.0% were 65 years of age or older.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Profile 3 – An Age Profile of Ireland. E3006 – Population 2011 to 2016 |website=CSO |accessdate=26 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=25 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825074214/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;"
|+ '''Wicklow ethnic composition of population'''
|-
! Ethnicity !! Population (2016) !! Percentage
|-
| White || 134,274 || 95.2% 
|-
| Asian || 2,310 || 1.6%
|-
| Others including mixed || 1,659 || 1.2%
|-
| Black || 524 || 0.4% 
|-
| Not stated || 2,313 || 1.6%
|}

Whites of any ethnic background constituted 95.2% of the population in 2016: 86.0% were White Irish, 0.6% [[Irish Traveller]], and 8.6% White of any other background.

Asians were the second largest ethnic group, comprising 1.6% of the county's population, followed by mixed race or other backgrounds at 1.2%. Just over 2,300 people (1.6%) did not state their ethnicity.

Accounting for just 0.4% of the population, Wicklow has by far the lowest percentage of black residents in the [[Greater Dublin Area]]. The 2016 census recorded 524 black residents in Wicklow, of which 408 (78%) were of African descent and 116 (22%) were of other black backgrounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Profile 8 – Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and Religion. E8001 – Population Usually Resident and Present in the State 2011 to 2016 |website=CSO |accessdate=26 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=25 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825074214/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref>

===Urban areas===
[[File:Bray Promenade-1.jpg|thumb|right|Bray]]
[[File:Greystones harbour.jpg|thumb|right|Greystones]]
[[File:North Quay, Arklow - geograph.org.uk - 305880.jpg|thumb|right|Arklow]]
The 2016 census recorded that 65 percent of County Wicklow's residents lived in urban areas (settlements with a population greater than 1,500) and 35 percent lived in rural areas. Of County Wicklow's rural population, roughly 26 percent (36,800 people) live in the open countryside outside of any designated settlements, while 9 percent (13,032 people) live in settlements with less than 1,500 people.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/healthy-ireland/partnerships/wicklow.pdf | title = Wicklow Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) 2016–2022 | publisher = [[Health Service Executive]] | access-date = 27 August 2021 | archive-date = 6 September 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210906213851/https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/healthy-ireland/partnerships/wicklow.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>  According to the [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|CSO]] report ''Urban and Rural Life in Ireland 2019'', County Wicklow (alongside County Kildare) has the highest proportion of residents living in [[satellite town]]s.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30970798.html | title = CSO report highlights differences between urban and rural life in Ireland | date = 16 December 2019 | newspaper = [[Irish Examiner]] |first=Kevin |last=O'Neill | access-date = 31 August 2021 | archive-date = 6 September 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210906213846/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30970798.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

The 10 largest settlements in the county are listed below. The county town is marked in '''bold'''.
{| class=wikitable
|+ Most populous settlements in County Wicklow
|-
! Rank
! City
! Population ([[2022 census of Ireland|2022]])<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/ireland/towns/WW__wicklow/ | website=City Population | title=Towns in County Wicklow | accessdate=16 May 2025 }}</ref>
|-
| 1
| [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]]{{efn|group=othco|Part in [[County Dublin]].}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,512
|-
| 2
| [[Greystones]]–[[Delgany]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 22,009
|-
| 3
| [[Arklow]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 13,399
|-
| 4
| '''[[Wicklow]]'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 12,957
|-
| 5
| [[Blessington]]{{efn|group=othco|Part in [[County Kildare]].}}
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,611
|-
| 6
| [[Kilcoole]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 4,569
|-
| 7
| [[Newtownmountkennedy]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 3,539
|-
| 8
| [[Rathnew]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 3,482
|-
| 9
| [[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 2,264
|-
| 10
| [[Enniskerry]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 2,000
|}
{{notelist|group=othco}}

===Migration===
As of 2016, around 85% of Wicklow's population was born within the Republic of Ireland, and a further 0.9% was born in [[Northern Ireland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Profile 7 – Migration and Diversity. E7050 – Population Usually Resident and Present in the State 2011 to 2016 |website=CSO |accessdate=26 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=25 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825074214/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref> Just over 38% of Wicklow's usually resident population was born within the county, making it the second least indigenous county in Ireland, after Meath. While around 35% of the county's population was born in neighbouring Dublin, it is likely that a significant portion of these are Wicklow natives who were born in one of Dublin's many hospitals.

People born in the [[United Kingdom]] are by far the largest immigrant group, comprising 5.9% of Wicklow's population (8,388 people). Of this group, only around half (4,045 people) stated that they were either UK or dual Irish-UK citizens. The [[Polish people|Poles]] are the second largest immigrant group, constituting 2.0% of the county's population. The census recorded 2,905 Polish citizens in Wicklow, of which 2,759 were born in [[Poland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp7md/p7md/p7anii/ |title=Census of Population 2016 – Profile 7 Migration and Diversity |website=CSO |accessdate=26 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101174351/https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cp7md/p7md/p7anii/ }}</ref> The fastest growing major immigrant groups between 2011 and 2016 were [[Romanians]], [[Indian people|Indians]] and [[Filipinos]]. There was also a large increase in the number of [[Brazilians]] (+107%), [[Italians]] (+59%) and [[Spaniards]] (+53%) living in Wicklow over this period.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Main immigrant groups, 2016<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Profile 7 – Migration and Diversity. E7050 – Population Usually Resident and Present in the State 2011 to 2016 |website=CSO |accessdate=26 August 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=25 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825074214/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref>
|-
! Country of birth
! {{flag|United Kingdom}}
! {{flag|Poland}}
! {{flag|United States}}
! {{flag|Lithuania}}
! {{flag|Philippines}}
! {{flag|Romania}}
! {{flag|India}}
! {{flag|Germany}}
! {{flag|South Africa}}
! {{flag|China}}*
|-
| Population (2016)
| 8,388
| 2,759
| 849
| 767
| 644
| 624
| 498
| 458
| 409
| 404
|-
| % of total population
| 5.9%
| 2.0%
| 0.6%
| 0.5%
| 0.46%
| 0.44%
| 0.35%
| 0.32%
| 0.29%
| 0.29%
|-
| % of immigrant population
| 39.8%
| 13.1%
| 4.0%
| 3.6%
| 3.1%
| 3.0%
| 2.4%
| 2.2%
| 1.9%
| 1.9%
|-
| Change since 2011
| −203 ({{decrease|}} 2.4%)
| 164 ({{increase|}} 6.3%)
| 10 ({{increase|}} 1.2%)
| −45 ({{decrease|}} 5.5%)
| 73 ({{increase|}} 12.8%)
| 309 ({{increase|}} 98.1%)
| 107 ({{increase|}} 27.4%)
| 10 ({{increase|}} 2.2%)
| −27 ({{decrease|}} 6.2%)
| −45 ({{decrease|}} 10.0%)
|}
<small>''*Includes [[Hong Kong SAR]]''</small>

===Religion===
[[File:County Wicklow - St Patrick's Church - 20200910180158.jpg|thumb|right|St. Patrick's Church, Wicklow]]
{{bar box
|title=Religion in County Wicklow (2016)
|titlebar=
|left1=Affiliation
|right1=Percent
|float=left
|bars=
{{bar percent|Catholic|DarkOrchid|73.0}}
{{bar percent|No religion|Grey|13.3}}
{{bar percent|Other Christian|Blue|8.8}}
{{bar percent|Other stated religions|Yellow|3.1}}
{{bar percent|Not stated|pink|1.8}}
}}

The 2016 census showed that religious affiliation in Wicklow was as follows: [[Catholic]] 73%, [[Irreligion]] 13.3%, Other Christian 8.8%, Other stated religions 3.1%, and not stated 1.8%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Profile 8 – Irish Travellers, Ethnicity and Religion. E8055 – Population 2011 to 2016 |website=CSO |accessdate=6 September 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906105851/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref>

The single largest religious denomination in 2016 was the Roman Catholic Church, with 103,947 adherents. This is a 4.4% decrease from the 2011 census. Catholicism in Wicklow reached its peak percentage in the 1961 census, when 87.5% of the population identified as Catholic. As of 2016, Wicklow is the second least Catholic county in the State, and among the most irreligious.

Other Christian denominations comprised 8.8% of the population. As a proportion of population, Wicklow has the largest [[Church of Ireland]] affiliation of any county in the Republic of Ireland, at 6.2%, although this figure was historically much higher. The 1901 census recorded that just under 20% of Wicklow's population was affiliated with the Church of Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://data.cso.ie/ |title=Census 2011 – This is Ireland Part 1. CDD36 – Population. |website=CSO |accessdate=6 September 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906105851/https://data.cso.ie/ }}</ref> In 2016 [[Greystones]] had the highest percentage of Protestants in the State (10.5%), and was also Ireland's least religious town, with 18.3% of residents stating they did not follow any religion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/one-in-five-has-no-religion-in-town-closely-linked-to-church-37284183.html |title=One in five has 'no religion' in town closely linked to Church |website=independent.ie |date=5 September 2018 |accessdate=4 September 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=6 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906213845/https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/one-in-five-has-no-religion-in-town-closely-linked-to-church-37284183.html }}</ref>

Just over 0.5% of the population adhered to smaller Protestant denominations such as [[Presbyterian]], [[Apostolic Church (disambiguation)|Apostolic]] and [[Pentecostal]]. A further 1.05% of respondents stated that they were "Christian" but did not specify any denomination. [[Eastern Orthodox]] is the fastest growing of the major Christian denominations, increasing from 840 adherents in 2011 to 1,317 in 2016, a 56.7% increase.

The largest non-Christian religions were [[Islam]] (0.4%) and [[Hinduism]] (0.16%). All other stated religions constituted 2.5% of the population, and 1.8% of respondents did not state their religion.

==Economy==
===Built environment===
Wicklow is home to several major water supply and hydroelectric facilities. The [[Turlough Hill]] [[pumped-storage hydroelectricity|pumped-storage scheme]], a significant [[civil engineering]] project, was carried out in the mountains in the 1960s and 1970s.

===Leisure and tourism===
Wicklow, often called "The Garden of Ireland", has been a popular tourist destination for many years, due to its scenery, beaches, walking, hiking and climbing options, and attractions including the ruins of the monastic city of Glendalough, Wicklow Gaol and water-based activities on reservoirs and the coast.

The [[Wicklow Way]] is the oldest [[waymarking|waymarked]] [[long-distance trail|long-distance walking trail]] in Ireland.

The popular annual mass participation bike ride [[Wicklow 200]] has taken place in the county every year since 1982.<ref>[[Wicklow 200]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=January 2018}}

==Governance and politics==
[[File:Island of Ireland location map Wicklow.svg|thumb|The island of Ireland, showing location of County Wicklow.]]
[[File:County Buildings, Wicklow - 2025-03-09 02.jpg|thumb|[[County Buildings, Wicklow]]]]

===Local government===
{{main|Wicklow County Council}}
The local government authority is [[Wicklow County Council]] which returns 32 councillors from six [[local electoral area]]s: Arklow, Baltinglass, Bray East, Bray West, Greystones, and Wicklow.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=County of Wicklow Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018|year=2018|type=si|number=638|date=19 December 2018}}; {{cite Irish legislation|name=County Of Wicklow Local Electoral Areas And Municipal Districts (Amendment) Order 2019|year=2019|type=si|number=7|date=17 January 2019}}</ref> Wicklow County Council sends three members to the [[Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly]], where it is part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area.<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=2014|type=si|number=573|name=Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014|date=16 December 2014|access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|-
!colspan="2"|Political Party
! Members
|-
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
| align="right"| 9
|-
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
| align="right"| 4
|-
| {{party name with colour|Social Democrats (Ireland)}}
| align="right"| 3
|-
| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
| align="right"| 2
|-
| {{party name with colour|Green Party (Ireland)}}
| align="right"| 2
|-
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
| align="right"| 1
|-
| {{party name with colour|Independent Ireland}}
| align="right"| 1
|-
| {{party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
| align="right"| 10
|}

===Former districts===
County Wicklow was formerly divided into the [[rural district (Ireland)|rural district]]s of Baltinglass No. 1, Rathdown No. 2, Rathdrum, and Shillelagh, and the [[Urban and rural districts (Ireland)|urban districts]] of [[Arklow]], [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]] and [[Wicklow]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1926 Census: Table 9: Population, Area and Valuation of urban and rural districts and of all towns with a population of 1,500 inhabitants or over, showing particulars of town and village population and of the number of persons per 100 acres |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/census1926results/volume1/C_1926_V1_T9.pdf |publisher=Central Statistics Office |pages=23 |access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> The rural districts were abolished in 1925.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1925|parl=ifs|number=5|name=Local Government Act 1925|date=26 March 1925|section=3|stitle=Abolition of rural district councils|access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref> [[Greystones]], in the former rural district of Rathdown No. 2, was given [[town commissioners]] in 1984.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|type=si|year=1983|number=162|name=Towns Improvement (Ireland) Act 1854 (Greystones) Order 1983|date=1 April 1948}}</ref> The urban districts of Arklow, Bray and Wicklow and the town commissioners of Greystones became [[town council (Ireland)|town councils]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=[[Local Government Act 2001]]|year=2001|schedno=6|stitle=Local Government Areas (Towns)|number=37|date=21 July 2001|access-date=7 August 2022}}</ref> All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=[[Local Government Reform Act 2014]]|year=2014|section=24|stitle=Dissolution of town councils and transfer date|number=1|date=27 January 2014|access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>

===National politics===
The whole county is in the [[Dáil constituency]] of [[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]] (5 seats).<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2017|number=39|schedule=y|name=[[Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017]]|date=23 December 2017|access-date=20 December 2021}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|-
! TD
! colspan="2"| Party
|-
| [[John Brady (Sinn Féin politician)|John Brady]]
| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
|-
| [[Jennifer Whitmore]]
| {{party name with colour|Social Democrats (Ireland)}}
|-
| [[Simon Harris]]
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
| [[Stephen Donnelly]]
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|-
| [[Steven Matthews]]
| {{party name with colour|Green Party (Ireland)}}
|}

==Transportation==
===Road===
[[File:M11-Wicklow.jpg|thumb|[[N11 road (Ireland)|M11]] motorway south of Wicklow town]]
[[File:Scarr Mountain, Wicklow.jpg|thumb|View from the Sally Gap along the [[R759 road (Ireland)|R759]]]]
Wicklow has a well-maintained network of [[Regional road (Ireland)|regional roads]] which connect the county's western portion to its eastern portion, cross-cutting the Wicklow Mountains from east to west. Several north-south regional roads also traverse the mountains, providing amenity access to the county's interior.

The county is also serviced by a [[National secondary road]] (N81) in western Wicklow, and a [[National primary road]] (N11) in eastern Wicklow which becomes a [[Motorways in the Republic of Ireland|motorway]] at Junction 14 north of Ashford. The N11/M11 is the main route used by Wicklow commuters heading northbound to Dublin. Southbound traffic can also be heavy on weekends due to the influx of Dublin visitors into Wicklow and [[County Wexford|Wexford]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://n11m11.ie |title=Junction 4 to Junction 14 Improvement Scheme |website=n11m11.ie |accessdate=26 October 2021 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all |archive-date=26 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526072909/https://n11m11.ie/ }}</ref>

Major routes include:
* [[File:IRL N11.svg|30px]][[File:M11-IE.svg|32px]] [[N11 road (Ireland)|N11/M11]] – Runs near the east coast for {{convert|129|km|mi|abbr=on}}, linking [[Dublin]] and [[Wexford]]. Becomes the M11 at Junction 14 north of [[Ashford, County Wicklow|Ashford]].
* [[File:IRL N81.svg|30px]] [[N81 road (Ireland)|N81]] – National secondary road that runs from Dublin to [[Tullow]], crossing through western Wicklow from [[Blessington]] to [[Baltinglass]].
* [[File:IRL R115.svg|30px]] [[R115 road (Ireland)|R115]] – Ireland's highest paved mountain pass. Follows the route of the old Military Road, constructed by the [[British Army]] from 1800 to 1809 to put down insurgents in the Wicklow mountains. Terminates at [[Laragh, County Wicklow|Laragh]].
* [[File:IRL R412.svg|30px]] [[R412 road (Ireland)|R412]] – Regional road that runs north–south from the outskirts of [[Naas]], crossing through western Wicklow for {{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}}, terminating at the N81 near Loughmogue.
* [[File:IRL R725.svg|30px]] [[R725 road (Ireland)|R725]] – {{convert|53|km|mi|abbr=on}} long regional road that crosses the Wicklow Mountains from east to west, connecting [[Gorey]] to [[Carlow]].
* [[File:IRL R747.svg|30px]] [[R747 road (Ireland)|R747]] – Crosses the southern foothills of the Wicklow Mountains through [[Tinahely]], connecting [[Arklow]] to [[Ballitore]].
* [[File:IRL R750.svg|30px]] [[R750 road (Ireland)|R750]] – Runs for {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} in eastern Wicklow from [[Rathnew]] to the northern outskirts of Arklow.
* [[File:IRL R755.svg|30px]] [[R755 road (Ireland)|R755]] – North-south regional road that runs for {{convert|36|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the N11 at [[Kilmacanogue]] to [[Rathdrum, County Wicklow|Rathdrum]].
* [[File:IRL R756.svg|30px]] [[R756 road (Ireland)|R756]] – Runs west-east through the [[Wicklow Gap]] for {{convert|32|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Dunlavin]] to Laragh, intersecting the N81 at the village of [[Hollywood, County Wicklow|Hollywood]]. The section from Hollywood to Laragh is known as the ''Wicklow Gap Road''.
* [[File:IRL R759.svg|30px]] [[R759 road (Ireland)|R759]] – Runs south-east to north-west through the Sally Gap. The road is {{convert|27|km|mi|abbr=on}} in length, and in winter can be dangerous or impassable as it is not treated by the Local Authority.
* [[File:IRL R761.svg|30px]] [[R761 road (Ireland)|R761]] – {{convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} long regional road that runs through several settlements in northeastern Wicklow (Bray, Greystones, Kilcoole, Newcastle) south to Rathnew.

==Culture==
===Architecture===
[[File:The Cottage, The Scalp near Kilternan Abbey, circa 1895 2.jpg|thumb|A [[thatched]] cottage on the Dublin-Wicklow border circa 1895]]
The [[Architecture of Ireland|vernacular architecture]] of County Wicklow conformed to that of Ireland as a whole. Unlike neighbouring [[County Wexford]] however, Wicklow was not a county generally associated with [[Thatching|thatched roofing]].<ref name = CC>{{cite web | last=Corlett|first=Christiaan| date =  30 March 2020 |title=Evidence for thatch in Ballyknockan |url= https://heritage.wicklowheritage.org/topics/message/evidence_for_thatch_in_ballyknockan |website= heritage.wicklowheritage.org |access-date=9 November 2024}}</ref> Historian Christiaan Corlett contends that thatch was "formerly very common in Wicklow until about the 1930s", when afterwards "during the 1930s, 40s and 50s the fashion in Wicklow was to replace thatch roofs with [[Corrugated galvanised iron|galvanised]] ones".<ref name = CC/> Sometimes the old thatched roof was kept in place underneath the sheets of galvanising to act as a layer of insulation and dampen the noise of heavy rain.<ref name = CC/>

===Media===
[[File:Plains of East Wicklow-Ire2500.JPG|thumb|Lowlands in east Wicklow, west of [[Greystones]].]]
Mermaid, County Wicklow Arts Centre is based in Bray. Mermaid is the county's hub of artistic activity and creation, offering a programme in many art forms: visual arts, theatre productions, opera, dance performances, arthouse cinema, comedy and a music programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mermaidartscentre.ie/about|title=About Us|website=Mermaid Arts Centre|access-date=23 August 2019|archive-date=24 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824021635/https://www.mermaidartscentre.ie/about|url-status=live}}</ref> Two of the county's festivals take place in Arklow, the Arklow Music Festival and the Arklow Seabreeze Festival.

The county is a popular film-making location in Ireland. [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]] is home to [[Ardmore Studios]], where many of Ireland's best known feature films, including [[John Boorman]]'s ''[[Excalibur (film)|Excalibur]]'' and ''[[Zardoz]]'', [[Jim Sheridan]]'s [[Academy Award|Oscar]]-winning ''[[In the Name of the Father]]'', ''[[Rawhead Rex (film)|Rawhead Rex]]'', and several [[Neil Jordan]] films, have been shot. The [[BBC]] series ''[[Ballykissangel]]'' was also filmed in County Wicklow. Scenes from the movie ''[[P.S. I Love You (film)|P.S. I Love You]]'' were shot in the [[Wicklow Mountains National Park]] while several scenes from other movies, from ''[[Barry Lyndon]]'' to ''[[Haywire (2011 film)|Haywire]]'', have been filmed in the county.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wicklow.ie/Business/Film/Film-History |title=Film History |publisher=Wicklow Film Office – Wicklow Local Enterprise Office |year=2018 |access-date=24 July 2018 |archive-date=24 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724183557/https://www.wicklow.ie/Business/Film/Film-History |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Media==

* Local newspapers include ''The Bray People'', ''Wicklow Times'' and ''Wicklow People''.
* WicklowNews.net is a popular news website in the county. See [[Wicklow#News media|Wicklow News]].
* The local radio station in Wicklow is [[East Coast FM]]. In 2010, [[Radio Nova 100FM (Ireland)|Radio Nova]] became the second local radio service to be licensed for North Wicklow. The station broadcasts to Bray, Greystones, Kilmacanogue, Enniskerry and Blessington, in addition to Dublin, North Kildare and South Meath. It broadcasts to North Wicklow on 95.7 from Bray Head and 100.3 FM. [[Beat 102-103]] also can be picked up in parts of South and West Wicklow where the borders of Wexford and Carlow meet.

===Filming locations===
[[File:Kattegat, Vikings TV series, Wicklow.jpg|thumb|The set for Kattegat for the ''Vikings'' TV series, Ashford Studios]]
Much of the television series ''[[Vikings (2013 TV series)|Vikings]]'', ([[Amazon Prime]]), was filmed at [[Ashford Studios]] in the county, particularly scenes that required a green screen for subsequent CGI work. Some on-location filming was done elsewhere in the county. For example, certain scenes for [[Vikings (season 6)]] were filmed at and [[Powerscourt Waterfall]] and [[Powerscourt Estate]] and in [[Lough Tay]]. Ashford Studios was also the base for production of this final season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vikings Season 6 Filming Locations Guide: Where is Vikings filmed?|date=10 October 2019|url=https://www.atlasofwonders.com/2016/02/vikings-filming-locations.html|work=Atlas of Wonders|access-date=7 January 2020|archive-date=26 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226033320/https://www.atlasofwonders.com/2016/02/vikings-filming-locations.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Vikings season 6 location: Where is Vikings filmed? Where is it set?|date=5 December 2019|url=https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1212204/vikings-season-6-location-where-is-vikings-filmed-where-is-it-set-history-Amazon-prime|work=The Express|access-date=7 January 2020|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218090134/https://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/1212204/vikings-season-6-location-where-is-vikings-filmed-where-is-it-set-history-Amazon-prime|url-status=live}}</ref> The spinoff from the series, ''Vikings: Valhalla'' ([[Netflix]]), is also based at Ashford Studios.<ref>{{cite news|title=On-demand giant commissions new version of TV saga made in Ashford Studios|date=19 November 2019|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/vikings-spin-off-valhalla-to-be-filmed-for-netflix-in-wicklow-1.4088535|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=7 January 2020|archive-date=14 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114232940/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/vikings-spin-off-valhalla-to-be-filmed-for-netflix-in-wicklow-1.4088535|url-status=live}}</ref>

From 2016 to 2018, most of [[Into the Badlands (TV series)]] was filmed in County Wicklow.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.atlasofwonders.com/2017/03/into-badlands-filming-locations.html |title=Where is into the Badlands filmed? |date=16 March 2017 |publisher=Atlas of Wonders |access-date=7 January 2020 |archive-date=14 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514121342/https://www.atlasofwonders.com/2017/03/into-badlands-filming-locations.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4289383&tpl=archnews&force=1 |title='Into the Badlands' Confirmed for Shoot in Ireland |date=29 July 2016 |publisher=IFTN |access-date=7 January 2020 |archive-date=28 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728163432/http://iftn.ie/news/?act1=record&aid=73&force=1&only=1&rid=4289383&tpl=archnews |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Fate: The Winx Saga]], announced by [[Netflix]] in 2019, was also shot in the county and based at [[Ardmore Studios]], Bray.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Moran|first=Fionnuala|date=2021-01-22|title=Did you spot these Irish stars in Netflix's new drama Fate: The Winx Saga?|url=https://evoke.ie/2021/01/22/entertainment/did-you-spot-these-irish-stars-in-netflixs-fate-the-winx-saga|access-date=2021-10-27|website=EVOKE.ie|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Disenchanted (film)|Disenchanted]], an [[Walt Disney Pictures]] film, was also filmed in the town of [[Greystones]] and [[Enniskerry|Enniskerry village]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-25|title=Enniskerry and Greystones 'enchanting' transformation|website=[[RTÉ]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0525/1223734-look-enniskerry-undergoing-enchanting-transformation/}}</ref> The latter location being notable because the entire village was decorated for the production and closed to the public for certain days.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Disney's Disenchanted to begin filming in Enniskerry tomorrow|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/movie-news/disneys-disenchanted-to-begin-filming-in-enniskerry-tomorrow-40533277.html|access-date=2021-10-27|website=independent|date=13 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

== Places of interest ==
{{See also|List of National Monuments in County Wicklow}}
{{Div col}}
*[[Avondale Forest]]
*[[Bray Head]]
*[[Brittas Bay]]
*[[Glen of the Downs]]
*[[Glendalough]]
*[[Poulaphouca Reservoir]]
*[[Powerscourt Estate]]
*[[Powerscourt Waterfall]]
*[[Wicklow Gaol]]
*[[Wicklow Mountains National Park]]{{Div col end}}

==Twinning==
County Wicklow is twinned with [[Würzburg]], Germany and [[Seminole County, Florida]], USA.<ref>{{cite web |title=Town Twinning |publisher=[[Wicklow County Council]] |year=2017 |url=http://www.wicklow.ie/town-twinning |access-date=22 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123072152/http://www.wicklow.ie/town-twinning |archive-date=23 January 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[High Sheriff of Wicklow]]
* [[List of monastic houses in Ireland#County Wicklow|List of abbeys and priories in County Wicklow]].
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Wicklow]]
* [[List of Baronies and Civil Parishes of County Wicklow]]

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last = Holland |first = Charles Hepworth |author-link = Charles Hepworth Holland |title = The Irish Landscape: A Scenery to Celebrate |year=2003 |publisher = Dunedin Academic Press |location = Edinburgh, Scotland |isbn=1-903765-20-X }}
* {{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Patrick N. Wyse |last2=Parkes |first2=Matthew |last3=Simms |first3=Mike |title = Geology of Ireland: County by County |year=2010 |publisher=Department of Geology, [[Trinity College Dublin]] |location = Dublin, Ireland |isbn=978-0-9521066-8-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=McArdle |first=Peadar |title=Gold Frenzy: The Story of Wicklow's Gold |year=2011 |publisher= Albertine Kennedy Publishing |location=[[Swinford]]|isbn= 978-0-906002-08-7}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Tomkins |first1=Matt |last2=Dortch |first2=Jason |last3=Tonkin |first3=Tony |last4=Barr |first4=Iestyn |title=Timing of glacial retreat in the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland, conditioned by glacier size and topography |journal=Journal of Quaternary Science |year=2017 |volume=33 |issue=6 |pages=611–623 |publisher=Journal of Quaternary Sciences |location=Dublin, Ireland |doi=10.1002/jqs.3040 |s2cid=134705488 |url=https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/620438/1/Tomkins%20et%20al%20%282018%29.pdf |access-date=27 August 2021 |archive-date=6 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200306141257/https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/620438/1/Tomkins%20et%20al%20%282018%29.pdf |url-status=live }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
* [http://www.wicklow.ie/ Wicklow County Council]
* [http://www.visitwicklow.ie/ Wicklow County Tourism]

{{County Wicklow}}
{{Geographic Location
|North = [[County Dublin]]
|South = [[County Wexford]] [[File:IRL COA County Wexford 3D.svg|30px]]
|East = [[Irish Sea]]
|West = [[County Kildare]] <!-- Commented out: [[File:KildareCrest.png|30px]] -->
|Southwest = [[County Carlow]] [[File:Carlow County Crest.svg|28px]]
|Centre = County Wicklow
}}
{{Ireland counties}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|53|00|N|6|25|W|region:IE_type:adm1st_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:County Wicklow| ]]
[[Category:Counties of the Republic of Ireland|Wicklow]]
[[Category:Leinster|Wicklow]]
[[Category:Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland|Wicklow]]