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CAVAN (Cabhán) |
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Cavan comes from the Irish Cabhán meaning a hollow. The Shannon Pot, the source of the River Shannon is located in County Cavan. The Black Pig's Dyke in County Cavan was originally built to prevent cattle raids from the South. St. Killian established a monastery in County Cavan. Cavan has many towers which were used as look-outs in case a raid might occur. The Lifeforce Mill in County Cavan still operates today. Cavan’s meandering rivers, streams and tree-lined lakes provide the visitor with excellent opportunities for fishing, cruising and swimming. The county is said to have 365 lakes - one for each day of the year. The Shannon-Erne Waterway links the two rivers, which spring from the barren Cuilcagh Mountains in Cavan’s north-west. The mystical source of the Shannon, known as the 'Shannon Pot', is just a few miles north of Dowra, on the Cavan Way. Coarse angling remains one of Cavan's most popular attractions, but there is also game fishing for brown trout in Lough Sheelin to the south. Cavan is an ideal area for a quiet break or a family holiday. Cavan, the county's principal town, is interesting because of its unusual layout - and for its welcoming pubs! Cavan was the only medieval town in Ireland founded by the Irish themselves, and its narrow streets still follow the same pattern that was set down seven centuries ago. The many small towns and villages throughout the county offer a friendly and hospitable atmosphere. Jonathan Swift is said to have come up with the idea for Gulliver’s Travels while visiting Virginia, a small town on the shores of Lough Ramor. Cavan is the well-spring of two great cruising rivers with a canal to link them both. There are fabulous nature parks and hills play hide-and-seek with fish filled lakes. There are plenty of beautiful golf courses to choose from. Ever wanted to explore the beauty of the countryside from the vantage point of the saddle? There can be few better ways to enjoy the beautiful scenery to be found in the countryside of the North West by trekking on horseback or maybe The Cavan Way is a marked walking route through the pleasant hills and valleys of the county or for the more adventurous why not bike around the picturesque North West? Cavan is the county town of County Cavan. It has seen some turbulent times in its history, once when it was burned to the ground in 1576, apparently by one of the women from the O'Reilly clan in a fit of jealously. She followed in the footsteps of a Franciscan friar who burnt down the 14th century friary in 1451. The natural unspoilt beauty of County Cavan is to be savoured. Its highest point is Cuilcagh Mountain, in the mountainous projection of the county which reaches north-westwards between Leitrim and Fermanagh. Though a landlocked county, its variety of waterways provide excellent scenic and activity-based resources. What to do and see Cavan County Museum was established in 1996 to collect, conserve, document and display all aspects of the culture, history and traditions of County Cavan in an informative and entertaining manner to promote an awareness of Cavan's rich heritage. Cavan Crystal is Ireland's second oldest glassworks. Open all year. Life Force Mill shows milling in Cavan since Medieval times. Make the most of the opportunity to bake your own brown bread in traditional fashion. Killykeen Forest Park boasts an equestrian centre, woodland walks, cycling, fishing and boating. Carraig Craft Visitors' Centre is a natural craft museum with audio-visual presentation. Aras Cillian:A 15 minute audio-visual presentation and exhibition deals with Saint Killian and his times, work, martyrdom and subsequent cult. It brings to life a glorious era in Irish Church history and the work of Irish missionaries in Europe in the 6th and 7th centuries, with maps, photographs, statuettes, manuscript facsimilies and art reproductions. The exhibition also traces the development of Gaelic script from the Ogham writing of the 4th to 7th centuries and the Wurzburg Glosses (the earliest example of written Irish c.750), to the illuminated script of the Book of Kells. Open:1 Mar-31 Oct Walk the Cavan Way: The Cavan Way provides a pleasant hill and valley walking connection between the Leitrim Way at Dowra and the Ulster Way at Blacklion village. The walk follows quiet valley and river-sided landscapes to the more enclosed uplands section. Tel: 049-4331799 Golf:There is a good selection of golf courses in Co Cavan. Pleasure Cruise: Embark upon a cruise with Cavan Cruisers, down the Shannon. Fishing: Although Cavan is landlocked, there are many waterways to enjoy and most visitors to the county come to fish in the lakes - it is said that County Cavan has a lake for every day of the year. The fishing is excellent, offering mostly coarse fishing for pike, bream and roach but also some game angling on Lough Sheelin.
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