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CAV
Kingscourt: in one at Rathkenny, near Cootehill, was
found a considerable treasure, together with a gold
fibula. There are remains of a round tower of inferior
size at Drumlane. The number of abbeys and priories
was eight, the remains of none of which, except that of
the Holy Trinity, BOW exist, so that their sites can only
be conjectured. Few also of the numerous castles re-
main, and all, except that of Cloughoughter, are very
small. Though there are many good residences sur-
rounded with ornamented demesnes, the seats of the
nobility and gentry are not distinguished by any cha-
racter of magnificence; they are noticed under the
heads of the parishes in which they are respectively
situated. The more substantial farmers have good
family houses; but the dwellings of the peasantry are
extremely poor, and their food consists almost entirely
of oatmeal, milk, and potatoes. The English language
is generally spoken, except in the mountain districts
towards the north and west, and even there it is spoken
by the younger part of the population, but the aged
people all speak Irish, particularly in the district of
Glan. With regard to fish, the lakes afford an abun-
dance of pike, eels, and trout; and cod, salmon, and
herrings, are brought in abundance by hawkers. The
chief natural curiosities are the mineral springs, of
which the most remarkable are those at Swanlinbar
and Derrylyster, the waters of which are alterative and
diaphoretic; those at Legnagrove and Dowra, contain-
ing sulphur and purging salt, and used in nervous
diseases; the well at Owen Breun, which has similar
medicinal properties; and the purgative and diuretic
waters of Carrickmore, which are impregnated with
fixed air and fossil alkali. The mineral properties of a
pool in the mountains of Loughlinlea, between Bailie-
borough and Kingscourt, are also very remarkable. In
1617, Sir Oliver Lambart was created baron of Cavan,
and this title was raised to an earldom in favour of his
son Charles, by whose lineal descendants it is still en-
joyed.
CAVAN, an incorporated
market and post-town, (for-
merly a parliamentary bo-
rough) in the parish of URNEY,
barony of UPPER LOUGH-
TEE, county of CAVAN (of
which it is the chief town),
and province of ULSTER,
25½ miles (S. E. by S.) from
Enniskillen, and 55 (N. W.
by W.) from Dublin; con-
taining 2931 inhabitants.
This town was, from a pe-
riod of remote antiquity, the seat of the O’Reillys,
tanists of the district now forming the county to which
it gives name, and who had a castle here, of which there
are no other remains than some vaults and part of the
foundation. A monastery for friars of the order of St.
Dominick was founded here in 1300, and dedicated to
the Blessed Virgin, by Giolla-Jisoa-Ruadh O’Reilly,
dynast of Breffny; but about the year 1393, the monks
were expelled by the same sept, and others of the Fran-
ciscan order substituted in their place. In 1468 the
monastery, and Bally-Reilly, the castle above noticed,
were burnt.by the English under the Lord-Deputy
Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester; but the former appears to
318
CAV
have been restored previously to the year 1499, and to
have been occupied by friars of the order of the Strict
Observance. It was again reformed by John, son of
Cahal O’Reilly, in 1502, and provincial chapters of the
order were held in it in 1521, 1539, and 1556. Owen
O’Nial, the celebrated general of the Irish army, who
died by poison, as is supposed, at Cloughoughter, was
buried in this abbey, in 1649. There are no remains
of the establishment, which was commonly called Kea-
due; the tithes now belong to the Dean of Kilmore,
and in his title are described as “the rectory of Keadue.”
In the early part of the reign of Jas. I., the lord-deputy
pitched his tent to the south of the town, which is
described as being a very unimportant place, for the
purpose of reducing this part of the country to the
observance of English laws and customs. Under the
partition of lands made pursuant to an inquisition as
stated in the article on the county, ten poles were al-
lotted to the town of Cavan, which the king proposed
to incorporate; ten poles to the castle, and 14 to the
maintenance of a free school to be erected in the
town. In 1610, Jas. I. granted the inhabitants a char-
ter of incorporation, in the preamble of which it is
stated that the town was the only place of trade in the
county, and the only town where the justices could
conveniently meet for their assize and gaol delivery,
and that the inhabitants during the late insurrection,
had supplied the garrison and performed good and
acceptable service to Queen Elizabeth, from time to
time, according to their best abilities. The commis-
sioners for the plantation of Ulster reserved and set
out eight poles of land, adjoining the town, to be
granted to the new corporation; and the charter con-
stituted the town and all lands within the compass of
one mile from the stone house or castle in which
Walter Bradie then dwelt, with the exception of the
castle of “the Cavan,” or O’Reilly’s castle, and the
two poles of land called Rosgolyan, the Borough of
Cavan. This place was the scene of some skirmishing
in the time of Cromwell, and till very lately a house
was standing in the principal street, in which he is said
to have resided for several weeks. In 1690, some of
the forces of Jas. II., having assembled here for the
purpose of attacking Belturbet, the Enniskilleners,
under their victorious leader Wolsey, marched hither
with a view to take them by surprise; but the Duke
of Berwick having arrived with a considerable rein-
forcement, they had, with a force of only 1000 men,
to contend with 4000 of the enemy. Wolsey, however,
attacking them with spirit, the native forces of James
fled at the first onset, when the Enniskilleners burst
into the town and began to plunder it; those who
had fled to the fort now sallied out to renew the en-
gagement. Wolsey, as the only means of recalling his
men, set fire to the town, and having rallied his forces,
completed the victory with great slaughter. Human
bones have been found in great numbers on the side
of the hill overhanging the town, where the battle took
place.
The town is situated on the road from Dublin to
Enniskillen, and consists of several streets, of which
the principal contains some well-built houses; there
are infantry barracks capable of accommodating six
officers and 130 non-commissioned officers and privates.
A. large garden, handsomely laid out in walks and