My Cavan Girl has become embedded in the heart fo Cavan’s popular culture and identified as the county’s anthem. It was written by Thom Moore for the 1979 Cavan song contest, inspired by Rita Munday from Belturbet, it was popularised by artists like Emmet Cahill
It re placed the still popular Come Back Paddy Reilly, which was the anthem played at Croke Park by the Artane Boys Band when Cavan played in a seres of All Ireland finals between 1935 and 1952.: Written by Percy French in the late 19th century (while he worked in Cavan). A sentimental emigrant ballad urging Paddy Reilly to return to Ballyjamesduff.
- As I walk the road from Killeshandra weary I sit down
- For it’s twelve long miles around the lake to get to Cavan Town.
- Though Oughter and the road I go once seemed beyond compare
- Now I curse the time it takes to reach my Cavan girl so fair.
- The autumn shades are on the leaves, the trees will soon be bare
- Each red-coat leaf around me seems the colours of her hair.
- My gaze retreats to find my feet and once again I sigh
- For the broken pools of sky remind me of the colour of her eyes.
- At the Cavan cross each Sunday morning, there she can be found
- And she seems to have the eye of every boy in Cavan Town.
- If my luck will hold I’ll have the golden summer of her smile
- And to break the hearts of Cavan men she’ll take to me a while.
- So next Sunday evening finds me homeward, Killeshandra bound
- To work the week till I return and court in Cavan Town.
- When asked if she would be my bride, at least she’d not say no
- So next Sunday morning I will rouse myself and back to her I’ll go.
Anthem of the county
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Songs from the county
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
County Cavan:
Ireland’s county Cavan is a haven of lakes and rolling hills, with the Shannon-Erne Waterway offering tranquil boating and fishing opportunities. The Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff explores local history, while the Marble Arch Caves, part of a UNESCO Geopark, showcase stunning underground formations. Other attractions include the Killykeen Forest Park’s walking trails. Cavan is Ireland’s 19th largest county by size (1,891 sq km) and eighth smallest by population (81,704). Population peaked at 243,158 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 52,618 in 1971. In terms of hospitality, Cavan is Ireland’s 20th most visited tourist county with around 111,000 international visitors per year.
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