Carrickmacross is a market town which had its beginnings when the Earl of Essex built a castle here in the 1630s. The site of the castle is now occupied by the convent of the St Louis nuns. The sisters revived the famous Carrickmacross Lace and this tradition is kept alive today by the Carrickmacross Lace Co-op which is based in the Gallery. Carrickmacross is the centre of a network of premier coarse angling fisheries and the outlying area is endowed with some of the best specimen coarse fish lakes in the country. The Carrickmacross School of Equitation is based on the Drumconrath road and the excellent Nuremore 18-hole golf course is located on the outskirts of the town. Lakeview Pitch and Putt course is located on the Ardee road. The Phoenix Sport & Leisure Centre, situated in the town centre, welcomes visitors.