Bailieborough, Co Cavan is the most romantic town in Ireland

Ye heard me! For years us Cavan folk have had to put up with constant chastising about being tight with our money, our lack of romance, our inability to woo women; and we've had to burden a stereotype that paints us more like Cearrbhach Mac Cába than Casanova.

Well in your face begrudgers! More Valentine's gifts, chocolates and general love stuff are bought in the Tesco branch of Bailieborough than in any other Tesco in Ireland.

I remember when my mother came home from the town one day in the depths of the boom times and said 'they're after gettin' plannin' permission for an enormous Tesco below out Kingscourt road. Sure it'll never do enough trade.'

But she was short-sighted (she got laser eye surgery not long after that). For the powers that be were visionaries. They knew that the Ryan Goslings, and Ryan Reynolds of this world are in Bailieborough. They knew that if they build it they will come.

And come they do. In the week before Valentine's Day one in every three customers buys a romantic gift for a loved one in Tesco, Bailieborough. 

However the majority of these people aren't half-washed-just-in-from-milking-the-cows-need-a-loaf-of-bread-for-the-tea-farmers, in fact it's mostly wives and girlfriends that do the buying.

So ermm maybe us men aren't that romantic after all. I wouldn't be surprised if it's discovered that Bailieborough also has the highest rate of disappointed wives and girlfriends on Valentine's Day too. 

Elsewhere Arklow in Wicklow is the second most romantic, while the least romantic location in Ireland is Jervis Street in Dublin's City Centre.

The top ten lists are below:

Most romantic:

1. Bailieborough (Cavan)
2. Arklow (Wicklow)
3. Celbridge (Kildare)
4. Edenderry (Offaly)
5. Tramore (Waterford)
6. Nenagh (Tipperary)
7. Kilrush (Clare)
8. Clonmel (Tipperary)
9. Drogheda (Louth)
10. Naas (Kildare)

Least romantic:

1. Jervis Street (Dublin City Centre)
2. Paul Street (Cork City Centre)
3. Stillorgan (County Dublin)
4. Tallaght (Dublin)
5. Arthur’s Quay (Limerick City Centre)
6. Clondalkin (Dublin)
7. Bloomfields (Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin)
8. Dundalk (Louth)
9. Dooradoyle (Limerick)
10. Kilbarrack (Dublin)

Five other random facts about Bailieborough

• It's the second highest town in Ireland (and the highest one's barely bigger than a village).
• Irish footballer Cillian Sheridan is from Bailieborough.
• Edward Fredrick Clarke, Mayor of Toronto (1888-1891) was born in the town.
• Brax from Home and Away visited the town a few weeks ago.
• Killinkere is one of its neighbouring parishes and is also the greatest place on earth.