Cahir

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Cahir
Cathair Dun Iascaigh

Location

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
52.385868° N 7.921658° W

Irish Grid Reference
S051252

Statistics

Population (2002)

2,794

Cahir Castle By Ian Grant / Distinctphoto.com

Cahir (Cathair Dún Iascaigh) in Irish, meaning The Stonefort of the Fish is a town in South Tipperary, Ireland. The town is best known for Cahir Castle, built on an island in the river Suir, near the centre of the town, and the Swiss cottage.

In addition it has a fine Church of Ireland parish church, still in use, designed by John Nash (architect), one of only three ecclesiastical buildings he designed in Ireland.

The town is on both the main Dublin–Cork and Limerick–Waterford roads, and theLimerick–Waterford railway line.

Cahir is an Irish Christian name from St. Cahir (A.D?) who was a little known Donegal saint. The name probably derives from the Gaelic for warlord or chieftan Cathaír or Cathaoir.

[edit] Cahir: An Introduction

Cahir is a market town located in the county of Tipperary, in the south of Ireland. It is widely known in history as being a defence town and was also the first town to be linked by Stagecoach, in the 1800s when Charles Bianconi commenced services between Clonmel and Cahir.

Location

Cahir attracts many tourists because of its location. It is situated at the principal intersection of two national primary routes, the N8 and the N24. The Limerick-Waterford regional railway line also runs through it.

Tourist Attractions

The main tourist attraction is the Island in River Suir, on which sits a medieval castle, Cahir Castle, once a stronghold of the Butler dynasty. As one of the best preserved castles in Ireland, this often attracts a large number of Irish and Foreign tourists to the region. Another major attraction is the Swiss Cottage along with numerous speciality heritage walks. Cahir also has some interesting, if not beautiful landscape features. Nearby is the famous Rock of Cashel. The nearby Galtee Mountains form the largest inland range in Ireland, which though not very high (<1000m), are covered in a lush coniferous forest. The River Suir provides fishing for tourists.

Famous People

Sonia Ni Chrimmin-- Leader in the pedagogical realm of Francophonie, Outstanding Women's Rights leader.

Services/Infrastructure

Cahir is a small heritage town enjoying good facilities in a compact shopping precinct centred on its historic Square adjacent to Castle Street. It boasts a nice range of shops and restaurants, much frequented, especially during the summer season. There are numerous professional practices in the town including two well appointed pharmacies in the central square and a highly efficient tourist office is also centrally located in the town, which opens during high summer. There are also numerous restaurants, which provide a range of foods to satisfy every palate, ranging from fast-food to gourmet cuisine, and several traditional Irish pubs. There is also a wonderful 18-hole golf course situated on the outskirts of the town.