The name Leitrim comes from the Irish "Liath Dhroim", which means "grey ridge". The northern part is wild and mountainous and it lies between Donegal Bay and Yeats county of Sligo. In between these two counties, Leitrim shares a two-and-a-half-mile border with the rough waters of the Atlantic. The river Shannon flows through the middle of the county on its passage to the sea. South of the Shannon, the land is composed of gentle sloping hills with small lakes spread throughout the land which glitter like diamonds.This part of the county borders Cavan, Longford and Roscommon.