Situated on Connolly Street, which was originally known as Dublin New Road, the egg market was on the original Dublin – Cavan- Enniskillen route. In 1856 its name was changed to Mill Street due to being close to the cornmill on River Street. Like other streets in Cavan, the most recent name change occurred in the 1920s when it was renamed after James Connolly, one of the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation and who was executed in Kilmainham Jail on May 12th 1916 while strapped to a chair.
In 1882 steps were taken to acquire a site for a new egg market and a group of local tradesmen came together to purchase the current site. However, in 1897 an announcement in the Local Newspaper, the Anglo Celt, shows that the market at this point is under the direct control of the Town Commissioners. The market was allowed to sell eggs, pork and fowl. Much later (1922) butter, seed and potatoes were also sold at the market. The orginal market was constructed by placing wooden beams over the river and holding the market on the wooden platform. Sheds and a slaughter house to the back of the market were constructed with the orginal market. For many generations local boys would often be found, asking for a pig’s bladder, which they would then inflate and use as a football. The wooden platform was eventually replaced with concrete in 1904/05 and the 4 piers shown in the picture above were added.
The Egg Market seems to have been used as a meeting place also, as seen with the National Foresters Convention which was held in Cavan in 1913. 40,000 men and women from all over Ireland and some member even travelled from England paradde through the streets of Cavan accompanied by St James Brass and Reed Band, from Dublin. The parade finished at the Egg Market.
