383 



CAVAN. 



CAVAN. 



that the granite extends at no great distance under the grauwacke 

 from this point to the neighbouring granite district of Mourne, and 

 that to this is owing the contortion of the incumbent strata. The 

 county boundary also includes a small portion of the coal-field extend- 

 ing from the northern extremity of Meath to the south of Armagh 

 by Kingscourt. The whole county is rich in minerals. At Swanlinbar 

 and Cuilcagh among the Ballynageeragh Mountains are mines of coal 

 and iron ; lead and silver ore have been discovered near Ballyconnell 

 in the same district ; lead and copper occur near Cootehill : coarse 

 manganese and ochres are found in abundance in different parts of 

 the county. A strong vein of blind coal occurs at Shercock on the 

 east of the county, and at Ballyjamesduff, a village between Virginia 

 and Cavan, indications of a vein of very good, quality have been dis- 

 covered. Excellent marl, fuller' s-earth, potter's-clay, and brick-elay 

 are abundant throughout the county. There are numerous mineral 

 springs, particularly at Swanlinbar and at Kingscourt, on the eastern 

 border of the county. The spring at Kingscourt feeds a remarkable 

 lake on the summit of an adjacent hill. The lake is about half a 

 square rood in area, has no outlet, preserves a constant level, and 

 never freezes. The water for about six feet from the surface is pure 

 and clear, but lower down becomes gradually more and more muddy, 

 until at a depth of about thirty feet it approaches to the consistence 

 of tar. In this mud the healing virtue of the spring is supposed to 

 reside, and it has been found particularly efficacious when applied as 

 poultices in scorbutic complaints. On the plain below is a chalybeate 

 spring which is also resorted to by invalids, but has no connection 

 with the pool above. The name of this pool in Irish is Lough-an- 

 leighagh. 



Soil, Climate, Agriculture. The soil of Cavan is described as being 

 naturally cold, spongy, and inclined to rushes, but with proper 

 draining and manuring it can be rendered highly productive. In the 

 district watered by the Erne and its feeders the crops are luxuriant, 

 and the face of the country rich and pleasing. In the mountainous 

 country the soil is very poor ; plough-husbandry is totally unknown ; 

 and the crops, which consist of potatoes and a poor sort of black oats, 

 are put in with >. uarrow-bladed spade called a sloy. In this part of 

 the county there are few roads, and the slide-car is still in general 

 use. In both districts the dry-stone fence is almoit universal, quick 

 and thorn hedges being only found on the farms of the wealthy or in 

 the demesnes of the great resident proprietors. Such demesnes are 

 however numerous, and some of them, particularly those of Lord 

 Farnham near Cavan town and of Mr. Coote at Bellamont Forest near 

 Cootehill, are of great extent and of remarkable beauty. The farms 

 in general are very small 



The linen trade has declined here for some time back, but its revival 

 in Antrim and Down is likely to render it again the staple trade of all 

 Ulster. The ground in the lowlands is chiefly under tillage, but there 

 is a little wheat grown ; potatoes, oats, and flax are the principal crops 

 raised. Grain is almost universally sown in ridges in consequence of 

 the wetness of the soil. The corn-mills are small and for the moat 

 part attached to the several estates, as manor-mills, at which the 

 tenants are obliged by their leases to grind. The breed of cattle is 

 poor ; but great exertions have been made of late years by spirited 

 resident proprietors to introduce an improved stock, as well as to 

 improve the system of farming by the example of green crops and 

 stall feeding. 



Divisions, Tomna, etc. Cavan is divided into 8 baronies, namely, 

 Tullaghaw, comprising the mountainous district on the north-west ; 

 Tullaghonoho on the south-west ; Clanmaghon and Castleraghan on 

 the south ; Clonkee on the east ; Tullaghgarvey on the north-east ; 

 Upper Loughtee on the north ; and Lower Loughtee in the centre. 



CAVAIJ, the county town ; BAILIEBOBOCOH, BELTDBBET, and COOTE- 

 nn.L are described in separate articles. The following smaller towns 

 and villages may be noticed here : 



Arrogh, population 698, is finely situated near Lake Garty amid 

 picturesque scenery. The shores of the hike have been planted by 

 the proprietor, the Earl of Gosford, who has also considerably im- 

 proved the town. The soil in the vicinity is fertile. Besides the 

 Episcopal church, which was built in 1821 and enlarged in 1827, there 

 are chapels for Roman Catholics and Presbyterians. Petty sessions 

 are held in the town, and there is here a sub-inspector's station of the 

 county constabulary. Ten fairs are held in the course of the year. 

 Ballyconnell, population 503, on the Woodford River, 5 miles W. from 

 Belturbet, occupies a romantic situation at the foot of the mountain 

 Ligavregra, or Slieve RusseL The town contains a court-house, a 

 bridewell, and a dispensary. Petty sessions are held here, and there 

 is a monthly fair. Btllyhaite, population 356, on the Annalee River, 3 

 miles Jf.N.K. from Cavan, possesses a market of some importance, 

 held weekly. The market-house is of peculiar construction, being 

 raised upon a series of arches. Nine fairs are held in the course of the 

 year. Several large corn-mills are in the vicinity of the town. Bally- 

 jametduff, population 875, is beautifully situated in a hilly district 

 bout 11 miles S.S.E. from Cavan. It is a post-town, and possesses 

 a weekly market. The soil in the neighbourhood is fertile. Petty 

 sessions are held, and there is a monthly fair. The Episcopalians, 

 Roman Catholics, and Presbyterians have places of worship. Near 

 the town is an extensive lake. Ba.wn.tmy, although only a village of 

 not more than twenty houses, is noticed here as it has been made the 



seat of a Poor-Law Union : the Union comprises 25 electoral divisions, 

 with an area of 104,504 acres, and a population in 1851 of 29,404. 

 Bdlananagh, or Bellinagh, population 681, about 4 miles S.S.W. from 

 Cavau, is situated hi a very pleasing part of the county, the neigh- 

 bourhood being adorned with numerous mansions and diversified by 

 wood and water. Petty sessions are held, and there are ten fairs in 

 the course of the year. Killashandra, population 932, besides 235 in 

 the auxiliary workhouse, is picturesquely placed on a ridge of low- 

 elevation, surrounded by a series of beautiful lakes which flow into 

 Lough Oughter. A considerable amount of farm produce is disposed 

 of at the weekly market ; some coarse linens also are sold, but there 

 is little other trade. The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, 

 and Roman Catholics have places of worship. The town consists 

 chiefly of one wide street. Petty sessions are held, and there is a 

 sub-inspector's station of the county constabulary. Seven fairs are 

 held in the course of the year. Kingscourt, population 1143, situated 

 near the junction of the counties of Meath, Cavan, Louth, and 

 Monaghan, consists chiefly of one long irregular street, and contains an 

 Episcopalian church, a chapel for Roman Catholics, and several good 

 dwelling-houses. Petty sessions and a monthly fair are held in the 

 town. At the weekly market a good deal of agricultural produce is 

 sold. Mvttagh, population 358, is pleasantly situated on the road 

 from Virginia to Moynalty. The site is elevated, and in the neigh- 

 bourhood are several lakes, the banks of which are clothed with wood. 

 There are places of worship for Episcopalians and Roman Catholics. 

 Fairs are held on the last Friday in January, March, May, July, 

 September, and November. . Petty sessions are held on the second 

 Tuesday of the month. Shercock, population 359, a rural village on 

 the road from Dublin to Clones, about 6 miles N.N.W. from Kings- 

 court, has an Episcopalian and a Roman Catholic chapel, and a dis- 

 pensary of the Bailieborough Poor-Law Union. Petty sessions and 

 a monthly fair are held at Shercock. Near the village is Lough 

 Shillan, a picturesque hike ; and there are several good country seats, 

 of which one named Shinan is surrounded by several small loughs. 

 Swanlinbar, population 406, is situated on the Cloddagh rivulet in a 

 wild district of country near the border of Fermanagh county, about 

 9 miles S. by W. from Euuiskillen. There are here places of worship 

 for Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Wesleyan Methodists. Petty 

 s ssions and a monthly fair are held, and there is a dispensary of the 

 Bawnboy Poor-law Union. The constabulary force has a station here. 

 A chalybeate spring near Swanlinbar enjoyed for some time conside- 

 rable reputation, and attracted numerous visitors. Viryinia, popu- 

 lation 859, is a small town, prettily situated on the shore of Lough 

 Ramor. The town has been much improved in appearance of late 

 years. It forms part of the extensive estate of the Marquis of Head- 

 fort. The church is a small but remarkably neat edifice. There is a 

 fever hospital. Petty sessions and a monthly fair are held. Lough 

 Ramor with its small wooded islands presents much varied and beau- 

 tiful scenary. 



The county returns two members to the Imperial Parliament. It 

 is in the north-west circuit. The assizes are held at Cavan, where are 

 tlie county jail and the county infirmary. Quarter sessions are held 

 at Bailieborough, Ballyconnell, Cavan and Cootehill ; petty sessions 

 at twenty-one places. There are bridewells at Bailieborough, Bally- 

 connell, and Cootehill. The district lunatic asylum, to which the 

 county is entitled to send 33 patients, is at Armagh. Fever hospitals 

 are at Bailieborough, Cavan, Cootehill, and Virginia. There are 21 

 dispensaries in the county. Cavan possesses a savings bank, and 

 there is a loan-fund at Ballyjamesduff. The Poor-Law Union work- 

 houses are at Bailieborough, Bawnboy, Cavan, and Cootehill. There 

 are barracks at Cavan and Belturbet, the former of which is in the 

 military district of Belfast. The police force, numbering in all 419, 

 is divided into 8 districts, comprising 39 stations : Cavau is tLe 

 head-quarters. Revenue police-stations are at Bailieborough and 

 Belturbet. 



Iliitory and Antiquities. Cavan was anciently called Breifne 

 (Brenny), by which name it is distinguished in the history of the 

 Conquest as being part of the territory of O'Rourke, the seduction of 

 whose wife by Dermot Mac Murrogh was the proximate cause of 

 Strongbow's invasion. It was first ma lo shire-ground about 1590. 

 On this occasion the boundaries of the baronies were fixed, and the 

 whole county was divided among the native possessors, five baronies 

 being allotted to different members of the O'Reilly family alone, with 

 a reservation of 220 beeves as a chief rent to the crown. In 1610 the 

 O'Reillys having forfeited their possessions by rebellion, Cavan 

 reverted to the crown. On the general plantation of Ulster, the 

 introduction of a civilised and industrious population had the best 

 effects in reclaiming the country, which up to this time had been 

 waste and barbarous. Castles were built on all the chief undertakers' 

 portions ; the foundations of towns were laid at Virginia, Belturbet, 

 and Ballycouuell, and of numerous considerable vill.iges throughout 

 all the low part of the county. The principal settlers wore Humiltons, 

 Auchmuties, and Bailies, from Scotland ; Lamberts, Parsons, Ridge- 

 ways, and Butlers, from England and the pale ; and of the reinstated 

 Irish the chief were O'Reillys. There is very little of interest con- 

 nected with the subsequent history of Cavau. In this county are 

 remains of raths, tumuli, castles, and religious houses, but nono of 

 any extent or historical interest. On the hill of Cuileaijh near Swan- 



