County Cavan Westmeath (along their expanding network which was eventually to reach Sligo) and Cavan town. The first railway station to open in Cavan, was Cavan railway station in 1856. Many notable railway stations were built in the 19th century such as Kingscourt railway station and the Cavan and Leitrim Railway. The railways were an important part of the economic development of Cavan and carried passengers and freight to all over Ireland. The railways also helped the popularity of GAA in Cavan grow, spectators could travel easily between towns. After World War II, due to the shortage of coal in the country,
County Cavan both teams compete in the Ulster qualifying leagues. Fishing is a very popular activity in Cavan because of its complex of large rivers and lakes. Below is a list of various sporting clubs in Cavan: As of 2011, Cavan has a population of 73,183 making it the 25th largest county by population, ahead of Sligo and behind Offaly. In 2011, Cavan (according to CSO statistics) had a natural population increase of 742 people (1,286 births minus 544 deaths). Cavan has a higher percentage than the state average of people in the dependency age, 0-14 and over 65 with 34.7% in