Kilnaleck’s story
Kilnaleck: 5 buildings on the National Inventory
Homes built before 1919: 6%, against 3% across Irish towns.
- 1800House, Main Street, Kilnaleck
- 1800The Arcade
- 1870Boylan's
KilnaleckCo. Cavan
The town has 481 residents and lies in Co. Cavan. Its population rose 9% from 2016 to 2022.
Population
481
CSO, Census 2022 · Cavan County Council
Median age
37.9
14% are 65+ · Co. Cavan 12%
Degree level
18%
of residents 15+ · Irish towns 36%
Walk, cycle, transit
22%
of working residents · Irish towns 23%
Is Kilnaleck a good place to live?
At a median €148,800, a home costs 3.1 times the town’s median household income. 18% of residents 15 and over hold a degree. Just over a third of households rent privately. At the 2022 census, 14% of the labour force was out of work.
Grades start at 1,000 residents for Irish towns, so Kilnaleck has none.
What makes Kilnaleck stand out
The 3 things Kilnaleck does most differently from other towns.
Degree or higher, residents 15+
Education
Against 36% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Households renting privately
Housing
Against 22% in the median of Irish towns
CSO, Census 2022
Unemployment rate, Census 2022
Work
14% unemployment
Of the labour force, Census 2022 (the median of Irish towns: 9%)
60% of residents 15 and over are at work.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Kilnaleck.
Natural hazards
Kilnaleck has low radon and steady ground, but its flood exposure isn’t measured
Radon above the reference level: an estimated 1.2% of homes in Kilnaleck. 0.3% of homes stand on ground with high landslide susceptibility, in line with Co. Cavan’s towns (0.2%) and Irish towns (0%). Only a handful of its homes, if any, sit low beside water.
0%of homes in high-radon areas
Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes
In high-radon areas0%
On high landslide susceptibility0.3%
| Share of homes | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| On high landslide susceptibility | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0% |
| In high-radon areas | 0% | 0% | 0% |
295
homes mapped for these shares
EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.
Climate
Winter nights bite in Kilnaleck: January lows of 1.6°C, colder than Co. Cavan’s towns or Irish towns
Midsummer afternoons in Kilnaleck peak at about 19.3°C. The year’s mean temperature is 9.3°C, close to Co. Cavan’s towns (9.4°C) and below Irish towns (10.3°C). The town gets 1,074 mm of rain a year.
19.3°CJuly afternoon high
Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages
Winter7.8°C
Spring12.8°C
Summer18.7°C
Autumn13.3°C
| Climate, 1991–2020 | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average temperature over the year | 9.3°C | 9.4°C | 10.3°C |
| January low | 1.6°C | 1.7°C | 2.9°C |
| July high | 19.3°C | 19.4°C | 19.9°C |
| Rain a year | 1,074 mm | 1,049 mm | 937 mm |
19.3°C
July high
1.6°C
January low
1,074 mm
Rain a year
111 mm
Wettest month
40
Air frosts
Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.
Health
Kilnaleck has 87 people with a disability for every 100 its ages predict, fewer than in Co. Cavan’s towns and across Irish towns
A disability affects 18% of people in Kilnaleck. Unpaid caring falls to 4.6% of the town’s residents. Ages taken into account, Kilnaleck counts 111 people in poor health for every 100 predicted.
87%good or very good health
Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised
Bad health111
Disability87
Co. Cavan114
Expected100
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 87%Fair 11%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2022 | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| With a disability | 18% | 21% | 22% |
| Good or very good health | 87% | 88% | 88% |
| Unpaid carers | 4.6% | 4.4% | 5.4% |
87
disability per 100 expected · Co. Cavan 100
83.5 · 79.5
life expectancy, women · men, the Border region, 2016
27%
hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and North East
CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios
Housing
Home ownership in Kilnaleck, 45%, runs below Co. Cavan’s towns and Irish towns
34% of households rent privately. Social housing holds 21% of households, above both Co. Cavan’s towns (14%) and Irish towns (13%).
€149Kmedian sale price
Median sale price · Property Price Register, 2023–2025
Kilnaleck€149K
Co. Cavan€215K
Irish towns€350K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand homes | €148,800 | 40 |
| Housing | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | €149K | €215K | €350K |
| Households owning their home | 45% | 57% | 61% |
| Households in social housing | 21% | 14% | 13% |
| Households renting privately | 34% | 28% | 22% |
45%
own their home · Irish towns 61%
34%
rent privately · Irish towns 22%
€1,095
a month on new tenancies, County Cavan
Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure
Outdoors
More woodland lies at the edge of Kilnaleck than Co. Cavan’s towns or Irish towns: 13% of the land within 1 km
A short walk to green space: 100% of homes, above Co. Cavan’s towns (80%) and Irish towns (92%) alike. Protected sites cover 0.3% of the land within 5 km, near Co. Cavan’s towns (0%) and lower than Irish towns (1.8%).
100%of homes near green space
Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents
Kilnaleck4.1 ha
Co. Cavan2.2 ha
Irish towns4.1 ha
| Outdoors | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodland within 1 km | 13% | 10% | 2.7% |
| Near a park | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| Paths per km² of town | 0.0 km per km² | 0.6 km per km² | 2.1 km per km² |
| Protected nature within 5 km | 0.3% | 0% | 1.8% |
100%
Near a park
4.1 ha
Green space
0 km
Footpaths
0.3%
Protected for nature
OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.
Weather
What today holds for Kilnaleck: partly cloudy, up to 11 degrees
Judged by the averages, Kilnaleck sees November days reach 10°C and nights fall to 3°C. No rain is due today, though a breeze picks up to 24 km/h; the low is 6°C. December follows with normal highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C.
11°C / 6°CToday
This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages
November10°C
December8°C
January7°C
February8°C
| Season | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | 8°C | 2°C | 294 mm |
| Spring | 13°C | 4°C | 219 mm |
| Summer | 19°C | 10°C | 267 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 6°C | 295 mm |
11°C / 6°C
Today
None
Rain, next 24 hours
16 km/h
Wind
92%
Humidity
9 h 14 min
Daylight
Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020
Work & commute
More of the 15 to 64s in Kilnaleck work than in Co. Cavan’s towns or across Irish towns: 73%
22% of commuters walked, cycled or took the bus or train at the census, about level with Irish towns (23%) and above Co. Cavan’s towns (12%). Of those in the labour force, 14% are unemployed. Home was the main workplace for 4.3% of workers at the census.
22%walk, cycle or take transit
How working residents got to work · census 2022
Car or van73%
Walk16%
Bicycle4%
Bus1%
| Census 2022 | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 14% | 11% | 9.2% |
| In work, 15 to 64 | 73% | 66% | 68% |
| Trips under 15 minutes | 35% | 50% | 31% |
| Median household income | €47,850 | €50,360 | €57,760 |
€47,850
household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Cavan €52,321
4%
worked mainly from home, 2022
11%
trips of an hour or more
2,448
on the Live Register, County Cavan, September 2026
CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.
Who lives here
A town of newcomers: 33% of residents in Kilnaleck were born abroad, above Co. Cavan’s towns and Irish towns
Daily Irish speakers outside school: 1.1%, about level with Irish towns (1.1%) and above Co. Cavan’s towns (0.6%). Aged 15 to 24: one in ten residents. Under 15: 22% of residents.
37.9median age
KilnaleckCo. CavanIreland
Ages · share of residents
14%
Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education
Primary or none17%
Lower secondary17%
Leaving Cert42%
Diploma or cert7%
Degree or higher18%
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 53.2% of Kilnaleck
256 women and 225 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.
| Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 23% | 20% |
| 15–24 | 10% | 12% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 29% | 30% | 29% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 23% | 24% |
| 65+ | 14% | 12% | 14% |
| Primary or none | 17% | 13% | 9.7% |
| Lower secondary | 17% | 18% | 14% |
| Leaving Cert | 42% | 39% | 35% |
| Diploma or cert | 6.8% | 7% | 5.8% |
| Degree or higher | 18% | 24% | 36% |
CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Cavan and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+
Town hall
Turnout in Cavan-Monaghan was among the highest at the 2024 general election
Turnout at the last local elections was 57%. One council serves Kilnaleck: Cavan County Council. At the general election 64% voted, close to Co. Cavan’s towns (64%) and above Irish towns (59%). No party holds a majority on Cavan County Council: Fine Gael lead with 6 of 18 seats, short of the 10 needed.
6/18seats held by Fine Gael
Seats on Cavan County · June 2024
Fine Gael6
Fianna Fáil6
Sinn Féin3
Aontú1
Independent1
Independent Ireland1
| Turnout | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local elections, June 2024 | 57% | 57% | 46% |
| General election, November 2024 | 64% | 64% | 59% |
6
Councillors
6/18
Fine Gael seats on Cavan County, the largest party
57%
turnout, June 2024
5
TDs elected for Cavan-Monaghan
Department of Housing count sheets, 2024
History
The national inventory counts 104 buildings per 10,000 residents in Kilnaleck, more than in Co. Cavan’s towns and across Irish towns
Homes from before 1919 make up 6.2% of the total, higher than both Co. Cavan’s towns (4%) and Irish towns (3.4%). The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 5 buildings in Kilnaleck, each rated of regional importance.
5inventory buildings
Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH
International0
National0
Regional5
Among them
0
sites on the Sites and Monuments Record
1800
earliest dated inventory building
6%
homes built before 1919 · Irish towns 3%
| Heritage | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents | 104 | 64 | 48 |
| Homes built before 1919 | 6.2% | 4% | 3.4% |
| Archaeological sites on the record | 0 | 5 | 11 |
NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built
Schools
Schools around Kilnaleck have lost ground: pupils −4% since 2019, below Co. Cavan’s towns and Irish towns
25% of the schools are in the DEIS scheme, between Co. Cavan’s towns (20%) and Irish towns (35%). 4 schools lie within 3 km of Kilnaleck: 4 primary schools.
4schools within 3 km
| School | Level | Pupils | Ethos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballynarry N.S. Special classesLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 111 | Catholic |
| Kilnaleck Mixed N.S. DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary | Primary | 106 | Catholic |
| Schools within 3 km | Kilnaleck | Co. Cavan | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils since 2019/20 | −4% | +9% | +4% |
| Teach through Irish | 0% | 0% | 8% |
| In the DEIS scheme | 25% | 20% | 35% |
406
pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26
−4%
pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%
0.1 km
to the nearest primary school
8.1 km
to the nearest secondary school
Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
Nearby attractions
All attractions →The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Felim and 11 more within 40 km
Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of Kilnaleck; these are the best known within 40 km.
CathedralThe Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Felim16 km north
Historic houseKells High Crosses33 km southeast
Abbey or priory · Office of Public WorksFore Abbey21 km south
CathedralCathedral of Christ the King37 km south
CathedralSt. Fethlimidh’s Cathedral15 km northwest
CathedralSt. Mel's Cathedral35 km southwestPlaces: Fáilte Ireland open data (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Felim: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kells High Crosses: Pinacle, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fore Abbey: JohnArmagh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cathedral of Christ the King: Mullingar, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Fethlimidh’s Cathedral: Sarah777 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Mel's Cathedral: 瑞丽江的河水, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kilnaleck
15pages on Kilnaleck
The big questions
Out and about
Landmarks
The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 5 buildings in Kilnaleck, each rated of regional importance.
Famous people from around Kilnaleck
2 notable people were born in Kilnaleck; with them, the best known born in the towns around it.
T
Thomas James ConatyCatholic bishop (1847–1915)J
John ComiskeyAmerican politician · 1826–1900K
Kitty KiernanFiancée of Michael Collins (1892–1945) · born in GranardM
Marcus DalyAmerican businessman (1841–1900) · born in Ballyjamesduff
M
Mary Mathews AdamsAmerican poet, philanthropist · born in Granard · 1840–1902Photo credits
Brendan Smith: Houses of the Oireachtas, CC BY 2.0
Kilnaleck’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.
BallyjamesduffBallinaghGranardOldcastleCavanVirginiaKilnaleck
Questions about Kilnaleck
Is Kilnaleck growing?
Kilnaleck had 481 people at the 2022 census, up from 442 in 2016: 8.8% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.
How old are the people of Kilnaleck?
The median age in Kilnaleck is 37.9, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.
How do people in Kilnaleck get to work?
4% mostly work from home, and 35% of journeys take under 15 minutes.
About Kilnaleck
Urban area in Co. Cavan
481 people live in Kilnaleck, in the area of Cavan County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)
- Population
- 481 (CSO, Census 2022)
- County
- Cavan
- Council
- Cavan County Council
- Local electoral area
- Ballyjamesduff
- Dáil constituency
- Cavan-Monaghan
- Name in Irish
- Cill na Leice
- Area
- 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km²)
- CSO code
- UA:32048
Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).