Carrickmacross

This town was the County Winner of the 1998 National Tidy towns competition. At one time, it was the stronghold of the MacMahon Clan.

Carrickmacross owes it origins to the third earl of Essex, who was a favourite of Elizabeth I and who built a castle here in the 1630s. The site is now occupied by the convent of St. Louis.

An extensive lace industry helped the early English and Scottish planters to develop this pleasant little town. The craft was revived by the nuns of the convent of St. Louis towards the end of the 19th century and is still run as a small scale industry today.

Carrickmacross has some beautiful lakes around it, which are also ideal for fishing .