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County Sligo
top photo: Dolmen at Carrowmore
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Sligo Town |
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Coastal Tour north of Sligo Town |
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Inland Sligo Tour |
Sligo is one of the Republic’s smaller counties, and has a spectacular Atlantic coastline stretching from the seaside village of Mullaghmore in the north to Enniscrone in the west, with beautiful beaches, and dramatic seas, which are popular with surfers. |
Inland, it also has wonderful scenery, with unusually shaped hills rising from steep valleys, the most noticeable hill being Benbulben, which can be seen from all over the county. The scenic Ox Mountains are here, and the county’s main rivers are the Moy and Owengarve,. The largest lakes are Lough Gill, Lough Arrow, and Lough Gara.
The countryside is perfect for walking or fishing, or for just wandering around and enjoying the pretty villages nestling under the mountains or along lakeshores.
There is much evidence of the past scattered around County Sligo , especially at Carrowmore, close to Sligo Town , where over 30 tombs, spread out across several fields, make up a huge Stone Age cemetery.
Despite its beauty and the range of activities it offers, Sligo remains relatively undiscovered by tourists, so there are plenty of areas where you can enjoy solitude, as you wander its quiet, winding roads.
The surname Yeats is synonymous with Sligo ; the poet wrote about it and is buried here, and his brother Jack used to say he never painted a picture without thinking about the area.
The county capital and largest town is Sligo Town , and other main towns include Ballymote, Grange and Tubbercurry.
| Sligo Town |
Settlement in Sligo started on the southern shore of the Garravogue river, where in the 13th century, the Norman Maurice Fitzgerald built a castle and an abbey; that part of town still has some of its medieval layout. Sligo in Irish means “abounding with shells,” which is certainly what you find on the beaches along its coast.
During the 18th century the town began to prosper as a trading port, and Sligo Bay has one of four surviving Metal Men in the world, which point out the safest channel for shipping.
The Metal Man at Rosses Point at the entrance to Sligo Harbor was one of four identical models made by a Thomas Kirke in England in 1819 and erected on a 15-foot limestone base here two years later. One of the others stands on a headland overlooking Tramore beach in Co. Waterford, and it’s believed the other two went to Dalkey, Co. Dublin , and to Australia , but there’s no sign of them today. The Man, dressed in the uniform of a Royal Navy Petty Officer, is 12 feet tall and stands with his arm outstretched, pointing to the deep safe channel for shipping. There’s a navigational light in front of him for the hours of darkness.
During and after the Great Famine about 50,000 emigrated from here, but the port declined toward the end of the 19th century.
Today the town is attractive, full of life, with lots of traditional shop-fronts, pubs, and places to eat. There are modern developments too but, unlike some other towns, modernization has been carried out very well here, with the old and new complementing each other.
Take at least a short walk around. There are, of course, many signs in the town of associations with Yeats, considered Ireland ’s greatest poet, who spent much of his childhood here and was inspired by his surroundings. There’s an eye-catching statue of him by Rowan Gillespie in the center of the town. Across the river from Sligo Abbey is the Yeats Memorial Building , which houses the County Museum and the Yeats Memorial Museum , both absolutely crammed with items of interest. Just down the road at Douglas Hyde Bridge is the headquarters of the Yeats Society, venue for the annual Yeats International Summer School.
The Model Arts Centre is a short walk away from the town center on the Mall. It’s one of the most attractive galleries I’ve ever seen, with plenty of natural light. Here you can see paintings by Jack, brother of poet William Butler Yeats, as well as temporary exhibitions of work by contemporary artists. |
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| Coastal Tour north of Sligo Town |
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Head north out of Sligo on the N15 to Rosses Point , three miles (4.8 km) away, an absolutely beautiful seaside resort with magnificent beaches. A mile farther and you’re at Drumcliffe, dominated by the mighty Benbulben Mountain , towering above the landscape at 1,730 feet (750 m).
The Church and Visitor Centre here are worth a stop. That’s not only because Yeats is buried here, but because its history goes back centuries. It’s where Columcille founded a monastery in 574, and where one of the most important battles in Irish history took place between the High King and the leaders of the Northern O’Neills.
The Epitaph of William Butler Yeats
at Drumcliffe (written by himself)
Under bare Ben Bulben’s head
In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid.
An ancestor was rector there
Long years ago, a church stands near,
By the road an ancient cross.
No marble, no conventional phrase;
On limestone quarried near the spot
By his command these words are cut:
Cast a cold eye
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by!
On a minor road two miles (3.2 km) from here is Lissadell House, home of the Gore-Booths, friends of Yeats. Two daughters were involved in the 1916 Rising, and one, Constance Markiewicz, was condemned to death. She survived to become the first female Member of Parliament in England , and later Minister for Labour in the first Dáil (Irish Parliament). The house was open to the public but, sadly, the family announced in 2003 that they would have to sell it. Let’s hope it will continue to be open to the public, as it’s of such historical and cultural importance.
The Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery is just south of town, so near that you can walk to it. Nearby is Strandhill, where the lovely sandy beach seems to go on forever. The Knochnarea Mountain forms a lovely backdrop for the huge waves, and you’ll usually see surfers enjoying them. You can take shelter in the sand dunes against any wind. Over 1,000 feet high (231 m), at the top of Knocknarea is the tomb of Maeve, Queen of Connacht, and if you have the energy it’s worth the climb for the fantastic view of five counties. |
| Inland Sligo Tour |
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If you arrive in Sligo from the Roscommon direction, the road runs through a pass on the Curlew Mountains and looks down onto Lough Arrow, passing through Ballinafad and winding its way close to the shore. This part of the county is less known than others, and it’s worth exploring. You turn onto the minor road marked Ballymote and climb over the Bricklieve Mountains . Take care when you follow the signpost to the Carrowkeel Passage Tombs, as it’s frighteningly steep and a track rather than a road. There is a place to park, and walk from there. The Stone Age tombs are spread out over the hillside and you can just about stand up in the tallest of them. The view from here is wonderful, taking in Benbulben and Knocknarea in the distance.
After that, you come to Ballymore, a sweet little village with an old church on top of a hill. Follow the signs for Templehouse Lake , where you could rent a boat or fish.
Next, head for Tubbercurry, and on the way you see Knocknashee, another flat-topped mountain like Benbulben. Tubbercurry is on the N17 to Galway , and is a busy market town, nestling at the foot of the Ox Mountains. It’s known as the home of an amateur drama festival and also hosts a summer school in traditional music. It has lots of pubs, and a choice of guesthouses.
There’s a choice of roads up into the Ox Mountains; head for the villages of Clonacool and Carrowneden, four miles (6.4 km) apart. On the way, you’ll pass through wonderful scenery, see rushing streams and drive through woods. On the other side of a pass is the valley called Ladies Brae. Driving downhill, you see laid out before you a great sweep of green fields.
At the T-junction, turn left and left again at the main road to go to Dromore West, and continue on until you come to the third crossroads where there’s a sign for Culkin’s Emigration Museum . It’s in a little shop that was the Shipping and Emigration Agency years ago, and there’s a fascinating collection of memorabilia. Return from there to Dromore West and take the coast road to Easkey. |
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