Sligo and Leitrim Guide
Benbulben under a stormy sky - north County Sligo
latest update March 2008
The Sligo area should be one of the top couple of destinations in Ireland. The area has fine scenery and is probably the richest area in terms of history. Here the various ages of Ireland are piled one upon another like successive rock strata. Here is the largest concentration of remains from ancient Ireland. The medieval and plantation periods are also represented. This is Yeats Country, the home of W.B. Yeats 1865 - 1939 Irish nationalist, poet and supporter of the arts. More recently it was one of the main destinations for people who chose to come to Ireland to pursue self sufficient lifestyles. Since the mid 1990's this area, especially where it borders Northern Ireland, has benefitted from the arrival of peace and complete freedom of movement across the border. All these various influences make for a rich still developing local culture you can enjoy.
West Sligo: The Coast
From Ballina (just over the border in Mayo) the best route is by the R297 near the coast with fine views out to sea. Enniscrone is a small resort that retains Victorian traditions. It has 3km of sandy beach and Killcullen's Bath House 096 36238 offers traditional seaweed baths. 14 km on Easkay is now well geared up for surfers, with a Surfing Centre which is the HQ for the Irish Surfing Association opposite the hostel. There are few places to visit before the route joins the main N59, but there are views eastwards to Benbulben, Knocknaree and the mountains of Donegal.
West Sligo Inland
The Ox Mountains are not particularly high but they can be impressively wild. Near the Mayo border Lough Talt is a beautiful spot up in the hills. Closer to Sligo town there is a fine riverside drive/cycle through Carrownaskeagh Forest.
South Sligo/Roscommon Border
On the border there is lovely peaceful post glacial lakeland with Lough Arrow and Lough Keel separated from Lough Gara by 300m hills .You can visit the 4000 year old Carrowkeel passage tombs. A 1952 drainage programme lowered Lough Gara by 1.25m revealing a network of man made islands called crannogs.
Sligo
Sligo is a town that appreciates its past, but doesn't appear locked in it. This is the capital of Yeats Country with a thriving arts scene. It's the centre of an area rich in prehistoric remains, and an area that has attracted many self sufficiency and alternative lifestyle people. The town and its surroundings offer as rich a holiday experience as other centres on the west coast with higher profiles. Tourist Office 071 916 1201 Temple Street. Sligo Arts will tell you what's on and where.
Sligo County Museum 071 914 1623 Stephen Street, focuses on Yeats and the Celtic literary revival. Model Arts and Nyland Gallery has paintings by WB Yeats brother Jack and other Irish artists plus exhibitions by contemporary local artists. The Yeats Building Hyde Bridge is home of the Yeats Society Sligo. It hosts the Yeats International Summer School for two weeks every August and runs the Yeats Festival, late July/early August, the rest of the year it is open for the Sligo Art Gallery, with more Jack Yeats pictures. Sligo Abbey, Abbey Street is as well preserved a ruin as they come. Next door the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception has magnificent stained glass windows. The Sligo Arts Festival is held for 10 days from late May to early June 071 69802. Hawkswell Theatre 071 61526 Temple Street has good plays, dance and concerts. Gaity Cinema 071 62651 Wine Street has 4 screens. The Winding Stair bookshop, Hyde Bridge stocks a wide range of local interst books. Hargadon Bros 4 O'Connell Street, is one of the great old bars of Ireland with its 19th century wood interior and snugs. Mc Garrigles on O'Connelll Street, Foley's Bar on Castle Street and McLynn's on Old Market Steet are the heart of the local trad music scene. No visit would be complete without dropping in to see Michael Quirke, Wine Street, This ex-butcher now uses his tools to carve figures from irish and comparitive mythology, subjects on which he is an expert.
The Bus 071 916 0066 and Train 071 916 9888 stations are next to each other on Lord Edward Street. Sligo Airport at Strandhill 5 km west of town has flights to Dublin and Manchester.
Around Sligo
The R292 heads west to Strandhill, a tiny resort with a fine surfing beach. You can also dip in a Celtic Seaweed Bath hear. Interested? Sligo Airport is next door but there is no noise problem. It is overlooked by the massive form of Knocknarea topped by a cairn grave reputed to be that of Queen Maeve. Below is the extensive Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery with remains over several square kilometres.
To the east of town is Louch Gill, immoratised in Yeats' poem the Lake Isle of Inisfree. It is best seen by going down to the water's edge in the woods on it's north and west sides.
8 km north of the county town on the N15 Yeats tomb is in the Church of Ireland graveyard at Drumcliff where he is buried within sight of the upturned ship's prow of Ben Bulben which dominates north county Sligo. The Church itself it worth a look. A few kilometres west Lissadell House, home of the Gore-Boothes, nestles in woodland. 8km inland is beautiful Glencar where a path leading to the restful waterfall. At the top of the county Mullaghmore has a fine horseshoe beach
North Leitrim
Leitrim is a strangely fashioned county in two diamond shaped pieces joined at Lough Allen. The north being hill country and the south post glacial lowland.
The North of the county forms one natural area with north county Sligo sharing the same landscape of steep sided hills that rise to a plateau above divided by long narrow valleys. Four of these valley converge at Manorhamilton which is trying to become a centre for the area. The Manorhampton Castle Hertitage Centre is based in the 17th century castle and has a small Museum and a coffee shop. The area along the border with Fermanagh is wonderfully tranquil. It became rather too quiet during the troubles but with the border roads reopened this valley area between Lough Melvin and Upper Lough Macnean can be enjoyed again.
Lough Allen Area
The join between north and south Leitrim is water not land and the scenery has little to do with either half of the county. Lough Allen is a large lake about 10km long with the substantial Iron Mountains rising on its east bank. The one town in the area is tiny but busy Drumshanbo, a music centre with the Joe Mooney Summer School (Trad) every July.
Carrick on Shannon
This is the smallest county town in Ireland. It is now an important junction for Ireland's waterways where the Shannon - Erne Waterway meets the Shannon. There is now a marina here where you will find the Tourist Office 071 962 0170 Carrick Craft hire out boats at prices way above any budget level but Moon River Boat Tours, 078 21777, The Quay run more affordable 90 minute trips on the Shannon during the day and a floating nightclub on saturdays, departs 10pm. A popular annual Regatta is held on the first Sunday in August. At the centre of town is Costello Chapel, the smallest Church in Ireland where you can look down through thick glass in the floor to the tombs of Edward and Mary Costello. Flynn's Corner House, Main/Bridge streets is a classic Irish local Bar. Gings, Just across the town bridge is perfect for a warm summer evening with a beer garden on the river bank.
Train Station 071 962 0036 is a 15 minute walk southwest of town.
Buses stop by Landmark Hotel on By-pass Road 071 916 0066
This canal links the Shannon with the Erne lakes. But more importantly links the Republic and Northern Ireland through beautiful countryside that suffered as a result of partition and is now benefitting through initiatives such as this. It follows a line of lakes across Leitrim and Cavan into Fermanagh. The route can also be enjoyed by following the small roads along the route.
South Leitrim
This is a gently understated area of lakes and drumlin hills. Mohill is a bustling little town whose most famous inhabitant was the harpist and composer Turlough O'Carolan 1670 - 1738 who was the first person to write down Irish traditional music, and with his arrangements was also the first person to write Classical music in an Irish idiom. A lifesize bust dominates the town centre. South of the town is peaceful Lough Rynn with Lough Rynn House in glorious planned gardens by its banks. There are nature trails and picnic sites.
