Charleville situated in the heart of the Golden Vale, halfway between the major Irish cities of Cork and Limerick.
Charleville was founded in 1661 by Roger Boyle, Baron Broghill and first Earl of Orrery. The name ‘Charleville’ is French for ‘Charles Town’. Roger Boyle had been a supporter of Oliver Cromwell in the English Civil War. However, when King Charles II was restored in 1660, he had to prove his loyalty to the crown. He did this by naming Charleville after the English king. It is an important market town set in rich agricultural land. It is the home of Golden Vale Co-operative Creameries, one of the largest milk processing and cheese making concerns in Ireland. The library in the old Church of Ireland church and the Schoolyard Theatre are worth visiting.
Activities in the Charleville area include an 18-hole golf course located close to the town and walking tours of the Ballyhoura Mountains.
