Cappamore
Template:Infobox Place Ireland
Cappamore (An Cheapach Mhór in Irish) is a small town in the barony of Owneybeg, northeast County Limerick in the midwest of Ireland. It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly.
Location and access
It is situated on the R505 regional road near the Slieve Felim Mountains and is approximately 20 minutes driving time from Limerick city. It has a rich agricultural hinterland in which the dairy industry is prominent. The town has several pubs, grocery shops. Other services include a dry cleaners, bookmakers shop and a veterinary clinic.
The town hosts an annual Agricultural Show that attracts a large number of visitors in August each year. Tourist accommodation is available at Dairy Guesthouse and Activity Centre on the Dromkeen side of Cappamore.
History
The famine years hit the area particularly badly, with the parish of Cappamore losing half of its population.
Sport
The sport of hurling is probably the most popular in Cappamore but Gaelic football, athletics (Bilboa AC) and soccer (Cappamore Celtic FC) have grown in popularity in recent years, along with ladies soccer now growing under Bilboa Ladies Soccer Team.
People
Cappamore is also home to Rosemary Ryan, Olympic distance runner and competitor in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and to John Hayes, Irish and Munster rugby player, who also plays his club rugby with local club Bruff.
Cappamore is the home town the film maker David Gleeson who wrote and directed the feature films Cowboys & Angels and The Front Line.
Cappamore was also at one time home to author and playwright Tom O'Brien. Tom has published several books including Confessions of an Altar Boy and Confessions of a Corner Boy. He has also staged many plays around Ireland and England.[citation needed]
Cappamore is also the hometown of Brian Coffey "QUEEN OF THE TRAVELLERS" who is also well known for being "Sixteen Pounds Of Solid Muscle".