Cahir Boating, Angling, Cahir House, The Park, Caves of Templetenny or Mitchelstown, Old Castles, &c - Book of County Tipperary, 1889

About “The Book of County Tipperary,” 1889

George Henry Bassett produced 7 Irish county directories in the 1880s: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wexford. Each provides useful history of the respective counties as well as lists of office holders, farmers, traders, and other residents of the individual cities, towns and villages.

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The directories are naturally an invaluable resource for those tracing family history. The Book of County Tipperary is the first of these to be made available on libraryireland.com, with its own search page. However, there are a few points to bear in mind.

  1. This online version is designed primarily as a genealogical research tool and therefore the numerous advertisements in the original book, many full page, and quite a few illustrated, have been excluded.
  2. The text has been proofed with due care, but with large bodies of text typographical errors are inevitably bound to occur.
  3. Be aware that there were often inconsistencies in spelling surnames in the 19th century and also that many forenames are abbreviated in Bassett’s directories.

With respect to the last point, surnames which today begin with the “Mc” prefix, for example, were often formerly spelt as “M‘,”. For a list of some of the more common forename abbreviations used in the directory, see Forename Abbreviations.

To enjoy the rich variety of advertisements, confirm accuracy of the entries, or have a printed record of a family member, obtain an original or facsimile copy of The Book of County Tipperary.

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The river at Cahir, above the castle bridge, is utilized for boating purposes by about a dozen private owners. Annually in September a regatta and athletic sports are held here in most favorable conditions. Mr. Michael Bowen, C.P.S., is manager. In 1887 the prizes aggregated about £40, and aided by the 3rd Hussars’ band, a most enjoyable day’s sport was secured. The Mall, a beautiful walk along the river, shaded by lime, beech and horse chestnut trees, is the starting point.

The river running through the estate of Lady Mt. Charteris is strictly preserved, but leave is easily obtained to fish for salmon and trout. Salmon of very large size have been caught at Cahir. Good trout fishing is to be had without leave in the Aherlow River, about 3 miles, Irish, to the north-west. The Aherlow is a tributary of the Suir.

Cahir House, formerly the residence of the Glengall family, faces the square, but in the rere, commands a delightful view of the Suir running through a park of 560 acres. Mr. William Rochfort, J.P., agent of the estate, lives in it. In the park, at the opposite side of the river. Lady Margaret Charteris has a new residence. A very pretty thatched cottage occupies a romantic spot over a mile further down the river. It was built more than sixty years ago, and is a favourite resort for pic-nic and excursion parties.

For persons making a regular tour of the county, Cahir is the most convenient point from which to visit the Caves of Templetenny, called also the Mitchelstown Caves. They lie to the south-west of the town, at a distance of eight miles, Irish. Discovery of the caves was made so recently as 1833, on the estate of Lord Kingston, while men were at work blasting in a limestone quarry. The entrance is 50 feet in length. At the end of this there is a quick descent of 20 feet, to a second passage, much more rugged, 100 feet long, terminating at a chamber 80 feet in diameter and 30 feet in height. Communicating with this there are many passages and chambers of lesser size, but all possessing different features of interest. Including passages and chambers, the length of the caves is estimated at 800 feet, and the breadth 570 feet. The stalactitic and stalagmitic formations are everywhere of the most fanciful character. Wonderfully beautiful columns have been formed by the ooze from the limestone roof, and in all the chambers there are crystallizations sufficiently varied in shape to suit the most whimsical taste.

There are several old castles in the immediate district of Cahir. Loughloher Castle, one mile from town, belongs to Miss M‘Craith. Within a short distance of it is Quinn’s Castle, so called from the name of the owner in modern times. Kedra Castle, on Mr. Low’s estate, is about a mile and a half from Cahir. Castle Coyne, about three miles, Irish, was thrown down less than two years ago.