The bustling market town of Charleville in North Cork has always been a prosperous, attractive place. The centre of a wide rural hinterland and strategically located between Munster's two biggest cities, Cork and Limerick Charleville acts as a natural magnate in the North Cork and South Limerick areas as a place to live and work.

Ireland's recent economic boom has transformed the face of the country in many ways and Charleville is no different in this respect.

Whilst still retaining its historic, community feel the town has seen many positive changes in recent times that have made it an even more attractive place to live.

Reflecting the changing face of Charleville the Cork Independent takes a look at a different aspect of how the town is changing every week.

Charleville continues to grow

Charleville has always been a major retail and commercial centre for a wide catchment area in North Cork and South Limerick.

The town's roots as a major market centre have attracted people to shop and trade from the surrounding rural communities for generations.

Its central location between Cork and Limerick also makes the town a major stop-off point for passing trade.

In more recent times the town's increasing population and growth as a residential centre has seen its retail and commercial base expand exponentially.

Today, Charleville is the centre of a wide catchment area with an estimated 82,000 people living within a 30-minute drive. Charleville is the main retail centre for a number of significant smaller neighbouring towns including Buttevant, Kilmallock and Bruree.

Since 2002, population growth in Charleville has averaged seven per cent and 65 per cent of the population are between the ages of 16 and 65.

Forecasts predict that by 2011 there will be more than 100,000 people living within 30 minutes of Charleville.

This growth has seen the retail offering in the town expand in recent times to meet the growing demand.