Places to Visit in Cavan
County Cavan – Overview
- County Cavan is located in Ulster province, but does not belong to Northern Ireland
- Lakes and hills abound in the area
- The “Shannon Pot” where the Shannon river begins, is located here, near where Cuilcagh Mountain reaches 2,188 feet toward the sky
- Cavan Town is a growing commercial area with a variety of welcoming pubs and shops, while still retaining its rural charm
Cavan Highlights
- Guests in Cavan enjoy the outdoors — with angling, water sports, cruises, horse riding, golf, walking and cycling among the most popular and easily accessible activities
- Two beautiful forest parks, Dun na Ri and Killykeen, offer abundant woodlands of varied species, streams and lakes, and a wide variety of birds, fish and animals to observe
- Visitors can enjoy the views and explore castle ruins, forts and other sites of archeological interest interspersed throughout these wilderness enclaves
- Indoors, guests can learn about traditional craftsmanship by touring and exploring the workings of Lifeforce Mill
- Most prominent among medieval religious sites is the old monastery at Drumlane, which dates back to the 13th century and displays some very unusual ornamental features
History of Cavan
- The Cavan area showcases the evidence of occupants dating back more than 5,000 years
- The county was visited by missionaries who began the work of converting the locals to Christianity sometime during the sixth century
- During the Middle Ages, Cavan existed on the border between strong tribal chieftains and Anglo Normans, without being truly governed by either group
- English and Scottish settlers took up residence in the 1600s and proceeded to build towns and villages that flourished over the centuries, until the Famine struck in 1846, affecting the area profoundly
- The following decades witnessed a great deal of emigration
- County Cavan natives moved away to America, Canada and other countries to find work and a more prosperous life
Popular Cavan Surnames
Popular surnames in County Cavan include
- Brady
- Dolan
- Fitzpatrick
- Gaffney
- Mac Gowan
- MacNulty
- Maguire
- Martin
- Plunknett
- Riley
- Smith
