Population: 10,000 (town and environs).
Employment: Quinn Direct (insurance); Pauwels Trafo (electrical transformers); Gem Plastics; P Elliott & Co Ltd (construction); McCarren (agri-business); Dept of Agriculture. Under the Government's decentralisation programme, 378 civil service jobs with the Department of Communications, Marine & Natural Resources will relocate to the town.
Hospitals: Cavan General (226 beds); St Phelim's (geriatric).
Education: eight primary, including a Gaelscoil; four secondary (Loreto for girls, St Patrick's for boys, the Royal School and Breifne College are both co-ed). Cavan College for Further Studies (www.cavaninstitute.ie) provides a wide range of third-level certificate and diploma courses to about 1,200 students. Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre (www.citc.ie) provides post-graduate (including MBA) programmes in conjunction with the University of Limerick, Dundalk Institute of Technology and other third-level institutions.
Gourmets: Botanica restaurant at Radisson SAS, Farnham Estate; award-winning restaurants in nearby villages of Blacklion (McNean's House & Bistro) and Butlersbridge (The Olde Post Inn).
Farmers' market: Saturday mornings at McCarren's, Farnham Road.
Culture: a splendid new library and exhibition space at Farnham Street; county museum in restored 19th century convent at nearby Ballyjamesduff; 200-seat Ramor Theatre at Virginia on the main Cavan-Dublin road which runs a full programme of drama, concerts; musicals, opera and ballet. Local arts office runs annual literary and music festivals.
Leisure: Cavan offers probably the best coarse and pike fishing in Ireland. International equestrian centre. Boating with access to the Shannon-Erne Waterway. Breffni Park GAA stadium. Choice of golf courses. A 25-metre swimming pool. Bowling. Cinema. Heritage-trail walking.
Useful websites: www.cavancoco.ie and www.cavantourism.com.
Local radio: Northern Sound 94.8 fm.
Best aspects: some of Ireland's lowest house prices. The lake-dotted landscape.
Main issue: roads upgrade (M3) delayed by dispute at Tara.
