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Situated in Co. Cavan near the dramatic Lough an Leagh Mountain, we are an active member of the national diaspora programme Ireland Reaching Out.  We are delighted to welcome you to our parish and eager to assist you in the search for your Irish ancestors or indeed your Irish cousins! We look forward to hearing from you!

 
 

The Parish of Bailieborough is in the Barony of Clankee, it is the second largest town in Co. Cavan after Cavan town itself. It is situated in the east of the county not too far from the M3 motorway. The main historical landmarks in the town include the Church of Ireland church, situated on Lower Main Street, the Masonic Hall, at the top of the town, (close to the town library) and St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church located on the Virginia Road which can also be accessed from Chapel Road. The Roman Catholic Graveyard is situated about less than half a mile outside the town on the Kells Road.


Past and Present Population

1926 3908 inhabitants
Today 1792 inhabitants

 

History of the Parish

Before the Plantation of Ulster, this area was known as ‘Killechally’, ‘Killycolly’ and ‘Killycollie’ (Coill an Chollaigh, in Irish, this means "forest of boar"). In 1610, King James I, granted William Bailie, a Scottish Undertaker, the lands of Tonergie (Tandragee). It became known as Bailieborrow, now Bailieborough.

In 1902 Bailieborough Central Co-operative Creamery was established, that site to-day is now owned by Lakeland Dairies the largest non-whey milk drying plant in Europe.

In 1999, Bailieborough Swimming Pool and Leisure centre was opened as a result of private, community and Government funding, providing an important resource for the community.

Origins of the name Bailieborough

The first settlement was located around the gates of the Castle on the Cavan Rd.  This settlement was deemed unsightly by the inhabitants of the Castle so it was removed to an area around the old Church of Ireland.  Initially this hamlet was called Kilcolkie and the dwellings there were of wood with thatched roofs.  This area was found to be an exposed location so again after some time the hamlet moved to the town's present location when houses of more substance were built with stone walls, thatched and slated roofs.    

In 2010 we celebrated Bailieborough 400, though not celebrating the formation of the town as we know it to-day but 400 years since William Bailie was granted the lands in this area and subsequently from whom the town got its name: Bailie's Borough.

This paragraph is taken from a book called Bailieborough, A Pictorial Past by Leslie McKeague, he kindly gave me permission to use the quote from his book for this site..  Carmel O'Callaghan

Townlands

Australia Street, Ballynamona, Beckscourt, Bracklin, Corlurgan, Cavanskeldra, Coraweelis, Corglass, Curkish, Corraghy, Crocknahattina, Derrynure, Dromore, Drumacarrow, Drumbannon, Drumkeery, Drumlon, Dundragon, Galbolie, Garteneane, Georges Street, Greaghaduff, Greagharue, Greaghnadarragh, Greaghnamale, Henry Street, Killan, Lear, Leiter, Leitrim, Lisanalsky, Lisball, Lisgar, Lisnalea, Lurganbane, Main Street, Pottle Lower, Pottle Upper, Rakeevan, Tandragee, Thomas Street, Urcher, Virginia Street, William Street now Anne Street.

 
Address
Bailieborough, Co. Cavan
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