County Sligo

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Sligo may be one of Ireland’s smallest counties but it has a large slice of history, folklore, culture, arts and has been immortalised by Nobel Prize-winning poet W.B.Yeats and his painter brother Jack.

Its ancient monuments are among the oldest in north-west Europe and it boasts magnificent scenery, with stunning mountains such as Benbulben and Knocknarea, lakes aplenty and numerous rivers, a countryside made for touring by car, on bicycle or on foot. Sligo is very much a centre of arts, with festivals covering just about every imaginable activity and celebrating writing, art, music and culture of every kind.

History and Heritage

Sligo can boast the largest number of prehistoric sites in the country and some of the most impressive too. The Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery, for instance, is the second biggest Stone Age cemetery in Europe while Knocknarea Cairn is believed to be the burial place of Queen Maeve of folk legend.

Inishmurray Island sees pagan relics alongside early Christian relics, churches, beehive cells and outdoor altars.

But one of Sligo’s biggest attractions is the grave of W.B.Yeats in Drumcliff, a mecca for all lovers of the written word.

Sites to see

County Museum, Sligo town. Yeats Memorial Building. Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery. Carrowkeel Passage Tomb Cemetery. Knocknashee hillfort. Culkin’s Emigration Museum at Dromore West.

Sports and Leisure

For a small county, Sligo has a fairly extensive coastline and it’s one that sees a lot of activity, from sailing and surfing to deep-sea fishing, with boats for hire at various spots, as well as boat tours to the islands.

Blue Flag beaches at Rosses Point and Mullaghmore are both natural attractions and both places are renowned as great sailing waters too.

Walking trails abound in Sligo and is highly recommended.

Sligo also boasts some of Ireland’s best golf courses.

Eat, Drink and Stay

Restaurants – Cromleach Lodge (Castlebaldwin), Markree Castle (Collooney), The Waterfront (Rosses Point), Bistro Bianconi, Atrium, Coach Lane, Fiddler’s Creek and Montmartre (all Sligo). The Niland Gallery, in addition to art, music and film, is also known for the quality of the food in its Atrium Café.

Pubs – Beach Bar (Aughris Head), Austie’s (Rosses Point) and Strand House Bar (Strandhill).

With its numerous attractions, it’s not surprising to find Sligo is well endowed with B&B accommodation to meet the demands of the county’s many visitors.

Festivals

July: Sligo Summer Festival

August: Yeats Summer School

May: Coleman Traditional Festival, Fiddler of Dooney Festival, Scriobh Literary Festival, Sligo Arts Festival

November: International Choral Festival

Things you have to see or do

Drumcliffe Church & Visitor Centre Final resting place of W.B.Yeats

Kilcullen Seaweed Baths – at Enniscrone

Celtic Seaweed Baths – at Strandhill’s surfing beach

Model Arts Centre – located in Sligo town

Lough Gill and Isle of Innisfree – inspiration for Yeats’ poetry

Carrowkeel Cemetery – in Bricklieve Mountains near Castle Baldwin

Lissadell House & Gardens – a fine but austere example of Greek-Revival architecture

Useful links

Sligo Tourism www.sligotourism.ie

Yeats Society Sligo www.yeats-sligo.com

Model Art www.modelart.com