Irish Counties - Cavan

County Cavan (Contae An Cabhán) is a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster. It was created by Elizabeth I of England. The county is bordered by County Monaghan, County Leitrim, County Longford, County Meath, County Westmeath in the Republic, and County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.

Cavan town (An Cabhán in Irish, meaning "the hollow") is the main town and administrative centre of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north midlands of Ireland, close to the border with Northern Ireland. The N3 road connects the town to Dublin.

The O'Reilly family (still a very common surname in the area) established a castle in the town in the late 13th century. A Franciscan monastery was also established at around the same time. In the 15th century the local ruler, Bearded Owen O'Reilly, set up a market which attracted merchants from Dublin and Drogheda. In 1610 the English king James I granted the town a charter. In the early 19th century the Lords Farnham, a local landlord family, built a new, wide street, that still bears their name. This was lined with comfortable town houses, public buildings (such as the Court house which dates from 1825) and churches.

In the late 19th century Cavan became an important rail junction between the midland and western lines and those of the Northern Railways.

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• Cavan People
• Cavan History
• Cavan Travel

Writers associated with Co. Cavan include:

• Connaughton, Shane short story writer, film writer & playwright
• Harding, Michael dramatist & novelist
• MacIntyre, Tom poet, dramatist and fiction writer
• McNulty, Ted poet

Towns and Villages:
Arvagh, Bailieborough, Ballinagh, Ballyjamesduff, Bawnboy Belturbet, Blacklion, Butlersbridge, Cootehill, Dowra, Glangevlin, Kingscourt, Killeshandra, Mullagh, Stradone, Virginia