Castlecomer

Town in County Kilkenny, Republic of Ireland, 19 km/12 mi north of Kilkenny town; population (2002) 2,300. Castlecomer, in the scenic valley of the River Dinin, is situated on the largest coalfield in Ireland, but coal is no longer exploited in this district. The main industries are yarn spinning and brickmaking.

Castlecomer is on the site of an older settlement and takes its name from a castle erected during the Anglo-Norman period. The town was developed during the 17th century when English settlers were brought in to exploit the local coal reserves.