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Ballintogher
village is situated 12km southeast of Sligo town. The surrounding
countryside contains wonderful scenery, being bounded to the north
by the mountains of Sliabh Deane and Slishwood and also by the
shoreline of the majestic Lough Gill
Many of the locations and legends of the Ballintogher area have
inspired the poetry and writing of W.B. Yeats.
References to local
placenames abound in his work. Ballintogher is the nearest village
to the Lake Isle of Innisfree. Dooney Rock which is located between
Ballintogher and Sligo provided the inspiration for Yeats’s poem,
the Fiddler of Dooney.
Ballintogher lies just south of Lough Gill - a large lake, nearly
10km long and 4km wide. It is the last stop for the waters of the
Garavogue River before they make their way to the sea at Sligo Bay.
There is public access to the lough from a pier on the south shore
at the mouth of the Garvoge River, at Inishfree Pier and at Shriff
Bay.
Surrounded on all
sides by hills and mountains, the lake is a favourite fishing ground
and makes a wonderful day's excursion in a row boat, rented locally.
Lough Gill holds both brown trout and salmon.
Each year, Ballintogher plays host to the John Egan Traditional
Music Festival and also a feis.The feis is held towards the end of
October and gives young musicians, singers, dancers and aspiring
artists, the chance to compete for tophies and medals. The music
festival is held at the beginning of November and features the best
of traditional artists. Festival goers can participate in workshops
and attend concerts and music sessions throughout the village. |
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Ballintogher Holiday Homes - County Sligo, Ireland
