KINGS AND QUEENS COUNTY?
​
The island of Ireland is divided into four provinces made up of 32 counties (26 in the Republic and 6 in Northern Ireland).  During your research you may see references to Queen's County, King's County and Londonderry. 
 
County Laois was originally called Queen’s County between 1556 and 1920.  Originally, part of the ancient Leix country, it was formed into a County in the reign of Queen Mary I.  County Offaly was called King's County between the same period and was so named for Mary's husband King Philip II.  To this day, Derry is also known as Londonderry, much of this ambiguity is as a result of the religious divide.