Sligo is located in the north west of
the country in the province of Connacht. The county shares
boundaries with Leitrim, Roscommon and Mayo. County Sligo has a
population of 61,000 with around 18,000 living within the confines
of the main town of the region, Sligo town. This attractive town has
recently been totally revamped and sympathetically modernised where
necessary. There are two large new shopping centres called Quayside
and Johnston’s Court and many luxurious recently-opened hotels.
Sligo town is also home to the Sligo Institute of Technology. The
area now has good road and rail links, and Sligo Airport is just 5
miles from the main town in nearby Strandhill. Sligo has always had
a powerful voice via local journalism with the Sligo Champion
newspaper, founded in 1836, still going strong. This publication now
vies for attention alongside the Sligo Post and the Sligo Weekender.
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The county has had its share of turbulent historic conflicts. The
locals can regale you with tales of invasions, uprisings and even
glorious defeats after Sligo men have stood and fought to protect
their lands through centuries of general hardship. Some of these
stories were converted into traditional Irish jigs, reels and airs
which are still proudly played by the county’s talented musicians.
Towns such as Tubbercurry, Tourlestrane and Gurteen all have popular
pubs where traditional music and dance is perfected on at least a
weekly basis. Tubbercurry, Sligo’s second largest town, also has a
tradition for the theatrical arts and recent successes have included
their own feature length action film, an original musical production
which has toured overseas and regular stage plays. Much of the
landsape of Sligo features in the poetry of W.B.Yeats (The Stolen
Child, The Fiddler of Dooney) and the poet is buried, as he wished
in Drumcliffe, north of Sligo town. There is an annual Yeats Summer
School which attracts writers and students from all over the world,
but many other visitors enjoy the insights the poet has given into
the landscape. For lovers of traditional music, the more remote
southern part of the county has given rise to a strong fiddle
tradition, while in recent years the bands, Dervish and Westlife,
from Sligo town, have become internationally famous.
Knocknarea Mountain
Knocknarea mountain is 4 miles west of Sligo on a peninsula. It is
just over 1000ft and can be climbed in 20 to 40 minutes. The summit
offers a magnificent panorama of the indented coast and holds a
massive cairn, which is reputed to be the grave of the ancient
Celtic warrior Queen Maedbh (pronounced May-v). As the cairn is
estimated to weigh 40,000 tons it has never been excavated. Climbers
are now requested not to climb on the cairn or to use the stones
from the cairn due to much damage in recent years. An old local
tradition has it that a climber should bring a stone from the bottom
of the mountain and place it on the cairn on the top. Failure to do
so, according to the legend, will result in your dreams being
haunted by the Queen Maeve herself!
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Coney Island
Coney Island, (Leave Sligo town by the Strandhill Road (R292), about
4 kilometres on the right, watch for small finger signpost.). Said
to have given its name to its better known namesake in New York
City. In Irish it translates as Oilean na gCoiníní (Island of the
Rabbits, Coinín means rabbit). If you're feeling adventurous, and
the tide is out, you can drive across the strand to the island. Do
check with locals regarding tide times, as almost every year
tourists (and locals) get stuck in the sand.
Lissadell House and Gardens
Lissadell House and Gardens are located 7km north of Sligo Town on
the Bundoran Road. Home of the Gore Booth family from 1834 -2003,
Lissadell is famous as the childhood home of Countess Constance
Markievicz and her poet sister, Eva Gore Booth, and is immortalised
in the poetry of William Butler Yeats, who wrote:
The light of evening, Lissadell
Great windows open to the South
Two girls in silk kimonos, both
Beautiful, one a gazelle
The House and Gardens are situated on the Atlantic coast, and are
surrounded by over 400 acres of land, including formal gardens, and
wild woodland. Since it was purchased by Edward Walsh and his wife
Constance Cassidy in 2003, the House and Gardens have undergone
extensive restoration. The House itself has a large collection of
paintings and literature by George ‘AE’ Russell, Jack Yeats, WB
Yeats, Eva Gore Booth, and contemporary Artists and authors, all on
view. Public access to the House is expanded with new Garden and
China Rooms, and a new Yeats’ Room now also open to the public. The
restored hidden Gardens are also now open to the public, with daily
access to the 2.5 acre Walled Victorian Kitchen Garden, and the 2
acre Seashore Alpine Rockery Garden. The servants quarters in the
basement have also been restored. Large Tearooms, and Garden Shop,
where garden produce is sold directly to visitors, are also open in
the newly restored Coachhouse complex, which also houses the
Lissadell Exhibition Hall, presently showing the Countess Markievicz
exhibition, with rarely seen memorabilia.
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
This is the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland and is
also among the countrys oldest, with monuments ranging from five and
a half thousand to six and a half thousand years old. Archaeologists
have recorded over 60 tombs of which 30 are visible. A restored
cottage houses an exhibition relating to the site. Access to the
tombs may be difficult for people with disabilities. Visitors are
advised to wear shoes suitable for walking on uneven terrain.
Sligo
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Sligo Abbey
Known locally as the 'Abbey' this abbey survives from the medieval
days. It was built by Maurice Fitzgerald for the Dominicans in 1252
and was accidentally burnt down in 1414, when a candle left
carelessly in the building set it on fire, and it was further
damaged during the 1641 rebellion. Legend says that worshippers
saved the Abbey's silver bell which was thrown into Lough Gill and
only those free from sin can hear it peal.
The site contains a great wealth of carvings including Gothic and
Renaissance tomb sculpture, well preserved cloisters and the only
sculptured 15th century high altar to survive in any Irish monastic
church. Access to site through Visitor Centre. Restricted access to
site for visitors with disabilities.
Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery
The largest and one of the most important megalithic sites in
Europe. Over 60 tombs have been located by archaeologists, the
oldest pre - dates Newgrange by 700 years and is older than the
pyramids. A restored cottage houses a small exhibition relating to
the site. Restricted access to the centre for visitors with
disabilities ( tombs are inaccessible for visitors with disabilities
) Visitors are advised to wear shoes suitable for walking on uneven
terrain.
Hazelwood Sculpture Trail Sligo
Only 3km from Sligo town at half Moon Bay on the shores of Lough
Gill is the Hazelwood Demense. Well known locally for its forest
trails where you will find a unique series of outdoor sculptures
from Irish and International artists, a quiet picnic area and
beautiful lakeside views.
The demense is located on an area between Lough Gill and the
Garavogue River. The nature trail forms a loop of about 3km with two
shorter alternatives available. All are clearly marked and begin and
end at the car park. Hazelwood House was built for Lieutenant
General Owen Wynne in 1724 and was designed by the architect R
Cassells who was also responsible for buildings such as Leinster
House and Powerscourt.
Sligo Folk Park
Sligo Folk Park is located in the beautiful village of Riverstown,
Co Sligo. This community based attraction gives a true experience of
rural life and Irish heritage at the turn of the late 19th Century.
Set in the grounds of Millview House, Sligo Folk Park has a
wonderful museum and exhibition hall where visitors can see one of
Ireland's finest collections of rural history and agricultural
artefacts. The village street, traditional cottage, forge and the
restored Millview House are just some of the attractions to visit.
After browsing around relax and enjoy refreshments at the
restaurant. A trip down memory lane for all the family.
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Knocknashee
An exciting archaeological discovery in recent years was the
identification of a hillfort at Knocknashee during an archaeological
survery of county Sligo by the OPW in 1988. Knocknashee means Hill
of the Faries. It is a massive 700m long and 320m wide. The site is
located on a spectacular limestone table top plateau commanding a
widespread view over the north Connacht plain. The area enclosed by
the two earth and stone ramparts in 53 acres. The inner rampart
skirts the edge of the plateau following the contour and is obscured
somewhat by a modern stone wall built on top of it. The rampart now
have a maximum height of 1.5m and a width of 3.8m and are associated
with interrupted rock cut ditches from which they are built.
Castlebaldwin House
This consists of a small two storey L-plan house built in the 17th
century, and has few defensive features. The house is constructed of
mortared roughly cut sandstone blocks. The rectangular main block,
10m long by 6m wide, has two high gables, which survive with
rectangular chimneystacks intact. There are two fireplaces in the
north west wall one at ground level and one on the upper story.
There is also a fireplace on upper storey of south east wall. There
are loops flanking the fireplaces and one in the projection
originally containing the stairs. Outside the house there are
remnants of a small, square enclosure or outhouse, touching the
north west wall. Carved on a stone near the base of the wall on the
south east angle of the house are figures.
Enniscrone
Enniscrone is a popular west coast seaside resort in Killala Bay. It
proudly boasts 3km of unspoilt Blue Flag category beach, 2 surfing
schools and challenging waves to suit, and for the health-conscious,
traditional Seaweed Baths. The Ox Mountains provide a stunning
backdrop to this coastline.
Towns and Villages in County Sligo
Other places steeped in local history in Sligo and always worth
further investigation include Ballisadare, Ballymote, Charlestown-Bellahy
(on the Mayo border), Cliffony, Collooney, Coolaney, Curry, Easky,
Grange, Mullaghmore, Riverstown and Rosses Point (within Sligo
town’s natural harbour).
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