Ceann Toirc

Ceann Toirc, or 'Boar's Head,' derives from Old Irish ceann (head or headland) and torc (boar), reflecting early settlement patterns in the Blackwater Valley region. The McCarthy dynasty, driven north from Kilkenny and Tipperary by Norman pressure in the 13th century, established a stronghold at Kanturk to defend their Duhallow territory. In 1601 construction began on Kanturk Castle, an impress...