County Cavan
Dún na Rí
Co. an Chabháin
Kingscourt town was
built by Mervyn Pratt and later by the Rev. Joseph Pratt from 1760-1770. The
name Kingscourt derives from the fact that King James held court for one night
at Cabra Castle [then called Cormey Castle] on his way to the Battle of the
Boyne in 1690. In the early days a thriving flax industry and limestone
quarrying were the main means of livelihoods for the people.
Kingscourt is a small
industrial town in the south-east of County Cavan. It is near the borders of County
Meath and County Monaghan. It has a population of about three thousand people.
There are a variety of shops in the town including clothes shops, hardware
shops, builder suppliers ,a chemist, two large supermarkets, a flower shop, a
vegetable shop and many smaller newsagents. We have two hotels in the town and
we have the splendid Cabra Castle situated opposite Dun a Ri Park. Yes, it is a
genuine old castle set in the beautiful scenic countryside of Cavan. The town
has many services including a Public Library , a Fire Station, a Garda Station,
a Health Centre, a Community Centre, a Tourist Office , and two banks-National
Irish Bank and Bank of Ireland.
Bank of Ireland
The first Hibernian Bank Branch opened on Kingscourt's Main Street on the 25th July 1909 in the premises of the Chemist shop. Subsequently the Hibernian Bank purchased the adjoining property and moved their business to its existing location on the Main Street in 1926. In those early days , the Kingscourt Branch was a sub-office to the Navan branch. It was attended daily by two staff members who travelled on the train from Navan. The present bank is open daily from 10.00 to 4.00 from Monday to Friday.
KINGSCOURT CREDIT UNION
Kingscourt has a thriving Credit Union on the Main Street. Kingscourt Credit Union was first opened on the 15th of February 1971. This opening coincided with the launching of the new decimal money. The office was then in St. Mary's Hall. It later moved to new premises on the Square in the centre of Kingscourt. The present new spacious office was opened in July of 1992. The Credit Union office is open for six days in the week. It operates a Credit Union every Thursday morning in the school. This has proved to be a very successful way of encouraging children to save. Kingscourt Credit Union organises an inter school quiz every year. They also have sponsored books and materials for the local schools each year.
Cabra Castle
Originally Cabra Castle was an old Norman Castle owned by the Foster Family of Ardee who rebuilt it in 1800. It was bought by Joseph Pratt and remained in the family until 1968. It was sold by Major Shepard to Mrs Florence Brennan who turned it into a hotel. She then sold it to the Arabs in 1983. In 1991 the hotel was bought by the Corscadden family of Kildare.
Dún na Rí Forest Park
A large part of the Cabra Castle Estate was acquired by the Forest and Wildlife Services in 1959 and is now a public park which attracts lots of visitors during the Summer. Items of interest in the park are the Wishing Well- an old holy well, Cromwell's Bridge - a high arched bridge built during the Norman invasion in the 12th century and Sarah's Bridge - built in 1801 in memory of Sarah Mount Morris who had married into the Pratt family. The Romantic Glen is associated with legends of Cuchulainn and the Fianna.The ruins of Fleming's Castle built in 1607 are still to be seen. The park is a haven for nature and wildlife.
Immaculate Conception Church, Kingscourt
The present Catholic Church is the third to occupy the site. The first was a mud walled structure. Dun a' Ri's first stone church was built by Fr. James Bermingham in 1812. The apse is still at one of the entrance gates . The bell was taken from the apse and erected on the gable end of St Joseph's School. The present church was built by Rev. Peter O' Reilly PP from 1869-1872. The impressive gothic architecture is the work of Mr. W. Hague from Dundalk. Among the many stain glass windows are four by the artist Eve Hone who was chosen also to depict the Last Supper in Eton College. Over the high altar, three windows depict the Annunciation , Crucifixion and Resurrection in glorious colours . The windows over the blessed Virgin's altar commemorates the miracle of the Sun of Fatima. The bell was replaced in the apse by the Rev. Fr. Farrell in 1989.
The present parish priest is Fr. Heaney and the curate is Fr. Divine.
St. Ernan's Church of Ireland
The present church, standing on a hill overlooking the town, is a plain modern building with a nave, a gallery and a tower. It is the oldest in the diocese. It was consecrated in 1780 and dedicated to St. Ernan who died in the 7th century. This was the name given to the old church and the pre-reformation wooden structure, which was erected in the old graveyard. The present church has undergone some internal changes and alterations. In 1892 a beautiful stain glass window representing the ascension was presented to the church by Mrs. Pratt in memory of her husband Mervyn Pratt of Cabra Castle.The present Minister is the Reverend Ronnie Bourke.
Industries around Kingscourt
Farming
Farming has always been at the centre of life in Kingscourt town. The fair day on the first Tuesday of every month was a very busy day. Even the local schools were closed for this important day as cattle had to be minded in the square where they were sold. The horses and pigs were sold on Church Street. The first Mart was build in 1958 was built on the Hospital Yard owned by the Keelan Family. It was built by P. Connolly and Michael Carolan. The owners then were Joe Brennan and Paddy Mackin.That was a time when farmers were free from the present restrictions and the paper work of cards and testing.
Jim Keenan bought the sales yard in 1973. It is a vibrant place to be on Wednesday evenings when weanling sales are conducted well into the night. The cattle sales take place on Thursdays. Many of the farmers around Kingscourt are mainly involved in beef and in dairy farming enterprises.
Gypsum Industries
Gypsum
Industries Limited has mined gypsum in the Cavan/Monaghan area for over 60
years. In the seventies and eighties, there were two underground mines in
operation at Drumgosat and Drumgill. The gypsum was extracted from the upper
and lower beds of each mine, along a network of roads tunnelled through the
solid rock. Gypsum extraction was by the "room and pillar" method
which suffered from the disadvantage that rock recovery could be as low as 40%
because of the need to leave pillars and roof beams of in-situ gypsum.
In September 1989, the Knocknacran Opencast
Mine complex commenced production after years of planning and development. This
is one of the most technologically advanced gypsum mining facilities in the
world. The opencast mining method , in contrast to underground operations ,
permits 100% recovery of the available mineral, thus achieving much greater
productivity. Included in the Knocknacran complex is a covered 68 m diameter
circular homogeniser system, designed to ensure a supply of consistent quality
gypsum for the manufacture of plaster, plasterboard and cement companies.
Kingspan
The Kingspan group is an Irish owned company with its headquarters based in Kingscourt. It presently employs over 600 people in Ireland and in England in other European countries. It provides a comprehensive service to the Irish and English building industries. The Kingspan companies in Kingscourt are Kingspan Building Products and Hanger Industrial Doors
Kingscourt Brick Limited
Kingscourt Bricks Limited are manufacturers of quality clay facing brick. The raw material used in production is found at their quarry in Cormey, which is situated on the Kingscourt to Carrickmacross road. The number of people employed by Kingscourt Bricks is approximately 70, which include production, administration and sales force.
O'Reilly Bros.
The O' Reilly Bros. company was established in 1936 .The raw material used is stones for the production of gravel, cement and sand. It supplies concrete blocks and slab flooring for the building industry and cattle slats for erecting slatted tanks for cattle. Ready mixed concrete is provided for floors, paths as well as road making materials used in road construction. The company employs seventy people.
Fuss Products
This company manufactures garage doors and security gates for shop fronts and employs about fifteen people.
Kingscourt Horseware
This Company is one of Europe's
leading producers of horse clothing. The rugs are used to insulate thoroughbred
horses so that they can be wintered outside in their natural environment with
the comfort of a warm durable rug. They also manufacture waterproof macs for
your horse for that rainy day! Many professional horse breeders have praised
the quality of the Horseware range of rugs.