County Cavan


County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Ulster and is part of the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Cavan and is based on the historic Gaelic territory of East Breffny. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county, which had a population of 81,704 at the 2022 census.

Geography

Cavan borders six counties: Leitrim to the west, Fermanagh to the north, Monaghan to the north-east, Meath to the south-east, Longford to the south-west and Westmeath to the south. Cavan shares a border with County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. Cavan is the 19th largest of the 32 counties in area and the 25th largest by population.
The county is part of the Northern and Western Region, a NUTS II area, and in that region, is part of the Border strategic planning area, a NUTS III entity.
The county is characterised by drumlin countryside dotted with many lakes and hills. The north-western area of the county is sparsely populated and mountainous. The Cuilcagh mountain range contain the highest point, Cuilcagh, at.
Cavan is the source of many rivers. Shannon Pot on the slopes of Cuilcagh is the source of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland at. The River Erne is a major river which rises from Beaghy Lough, two miles south of Stradone in Cavan and flows for to Lough Erne. Other rivers in the county include the Blackwater River, which rises near Bailieborough and flows through Lough Ramor, joining the River Boyne at Navan; the Dee which springs near Bailieborough; the River Annalee which flows from Lough Sillan and joins the Erne; and the Cladagh river which rises from Cuilcagh and flows into Fermanagh. The Glyde and the Owenroe also source in Cavan.
Cavan is known as 'The Lakeland County' and is reputed to contain 365 lakes. At, Lough Sheelin is the county's largest lake; it is situated in the south of the county and forms a three way border on its waters between counties Meath, Westmeath and Cavan. A large complex of lakes form in the north and west of Cavan into designated Specially Protected Areas ; an example is Lough Oughter. Other important wildlife protected lakes such as Lough Gowna and Lough Ramor are in the south and east of the county. Cavan has a mainly hilly landscape and contains just under of forested area, 3.6% of Cavan's total land area. The county contains forests such as Bellamont Forest near Cootehill, Killykeen Forest Park at Lough Oughter, Dún na Rí Forest Park and the Burren Forest.

Climate

records the climate data for Cavan from their station at Ballyhaise. Under Köppen climate classification, Cavan experiences a maritime temperate oceanic climate with cold winters, mild humid summers, and a lack of temperature extremes. The average maximum January temperature is, while the average maximum July temperature is. On average, the sunniest months are May and June, while the wettest month is October with of rain, and the driest months are May and June with and respectively. Humidity is high year round and rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, with the annual precipitation at Ballyhaise being
On average, snow showers occur between November and March. In the winter of 2010–11, record low temperatures for November, December and January were recorded in Cavan. In late December, the temperature at the station fell to, its lowest ever. On 21 December 2010, a daily maximum of was recorded at Ballyhaise, the lowest daily maximum ever recorded in Ireland. Summer daytime temperatures range between and, with temperatures rarely going beyond. The average annual sunshine hours range between 1,300 hours in the north to 1,500 hours in the south.

Subdivisions

Baronies

There are eight historic baronies in the county. While baronies continue to be officially defined units, they are no longer used for many administrative purposes. Their official status is illustrated by Placenames Orders made since 2003, where official Irish names of baronies are listed under "Administrative units".
Townlands are the smallest officially defined geographical divisions in Ireland. There are approximately 1979 townlands in the county.

Towns and villages

  1. Cavan – 11,741
  2. Virginia – 3,211
  3. Bailieborough – 2,974
  4. Kingscourt – 2,955
  5. Ballyjamesduff – 2,917
  6. Cootehill – 1,856
  7. Mullagh – 1,651
  8. Belturbet – 1,610
  9. Ballyconnell – 1,422

    History

From around the thirteenth century the area was part of the petty kingdom of East Bréifne anglicized Breffny O'Reilly after its then ruling Gaelic family. This in turn was the east division Kingdom of Bréifne. For this reason the county is colloquially known as the Breffni County. A high degree of defense was achieved by using the natural landscape of drumlin hills and loughs. The poorly drained heavy clay soils contributed as an obstacle against invasion.
From the late twelfth century East Breifne were subjected to Norman influence and the remains of several motte and bailie fortifications are still visible, as well as the remains of stronger works such as Castlerahan and Clogh Oughter castle. The growing influence of several monastic orders in the new diocese called Tir Briuin Breifne from the mid twelfth century with abbey remains existent in locations such as Drumlane and later Trinity Island.
Historically, the Ui Briuin Kingdom of Breifne was part of the western province of Connacht ruled over by the O'Rourke clan until around 1256 when under Norman occupation the kingdom was split in half. West Breifne still ruled by O'Rourkes and East Breifni ruled by O'Reillys. During the sixteenth century in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I the county of Cavan was formed and transferred to Ulster from 1584, following the composition of Breifne. In the south, the Lough Sheelin area was part of Leinster until the late 14th century.
Under James VI and I, from 1610 the Plantation of Ulster saw the settlement and origins of several new towns within the county that include Bailieborough, Cootehill, Killeshandra and Virginia. Existing towns such as Cavan and Belturbet became over time more important as trading centres. Wars during the mid-seventeenth century aimed at trying to unsettle the Plantation only led to further plantations of English and Scottish settlers into the county, bringing with them better farming methods and the beginnings of a thriving flax and linen industry.
Some areas of Cavan were hard hit by the Great Famine potato blight between 1845 and 1849. The winter of 1847 is particularly noted for the high levels of deaths nationally caused by diseases such as typhus and cholera. Several instances of eviction also occurred during the nineteenth century, with one such story where the local landlord in Mountnugent parish decided to evict over 200 people. The famous ballad "By Lough Sheelin Side" is based on this event witnessed by the local Catholic priest.
Edward Saunderson, founder of the Ulster Unionist Council, was born in the county. However, when the Irish Unionist Party met on 9 June 1916, the delegates from Cavan learnt that they would not be included in any "temporary exclusion of Ulster" from Home Rule; they agreed only with very great reluctance.

Local government and national politics

Local government

Cavan is divided into three local electoral areas: Bailieborough-Cootehill, Ballyjamesduff-Virginia and Cavan-Belturbet, which hold 18 county council seats in total. The 2019 local elections in Cavan had an average voter turnout of 55.5%, roughly equalling the turnout in 2014. The highest turnout for an electoral area was Bailieborough-Cootehill with 57.1%.

Former districts

It was formerly divided into the rural districts of Bailieborough, Bawnboy, Castlerahan, Cavan, Enniskillen No. 2, and Mullaghoran, and the urban districts of Cavan, Belturbet and Cootehill. The rural districts were abolished in 1925. Belturbet and Cootehill were downgraded to town commissioners in 1950. In 2002, the urban district of Cavan and the town commissioners of Belturbet and Cootehill became town councils. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014.

National elections

County Cavan is within the Dáil constituency of Cavan–Monaghan, which returns five deputies. This constituency was created in 1977, replacing the constituency of Cavan, which had been in existence from 1921. From 2016 to 2020, the area of West Cavan was within the constituency of Sligo–Leitrim.

European elections

For elections to the European Parliament, the county is part of the Midlands–North-West constituency.

Places of interest

Road

Two national primary routes pass through the county, The N3 road and the N16 road. The N3 is the longest route in Cavan, crossing the county for from the Meath border at Whitegate near Virginia and through Belturbet into Fermanagh. The N16 begins in Sligo and ends at Blacklion in the far northwestern tip of Cavan, it crosses the county for roughly.
Three national secondary routes pass through the county. The N87 road begins in Belturbet and passes through Ballyconnell and Swanlinbar before crossing into County Fermanagh where it becomes the A32. The N54 route from Monaghan and Clones joins the N3 at Butlersbridge. The N55 links Cavan to Athlone via Ballinagh and Granard.
Bus Éireann provide bus services to villages and towns across the county, including a direct route from Cavan to Dublin Airport.