breadth; and is bounded on the east by Dublin and Wicklow, on the west by King's and Queen's counties, on the north by East Meath, and on the south by Carlow. It is a fine arable country, well watered by the Barrow, Liffey, and other rivers, and well inhabited and cultivated, containing 228,590 Irish plantation acres, 100 parishes, 10 baronies, and 4 boroughs. The chief town is of the same name, and gave title of earl to the noble family of Fitzgerald. It was anciently called Chilledair, i.e. "the wood of oaks," from a large forest which comprehended the middle part of this county; in the centre of this wood was a large plain, sacred to heathen superstition, and at present called the Curragh of Kildare; at the extremity of this plain, about the commencement of the 6th century, St Brigid, one of the heathen vestals, on her conversion to the Christian faith, founded, with the assistance of St Conleth, a church and monastery; near which, after the manner of the Pagans, St Brigid kept the sacred fire in a cell, the ruins of which are still visible.

a liquid measure, containing two firkins.