Things to do and to see in County Sligo
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| County Sligo |
Most tourists coming to Ireland content themselves with just visiting the coastal counties such a Dublin, Cork, Galway etc. and if they still have a time left over, they'll make a short trip to Donegal. As with it's neighbouring county, Leitrim, it looks like County Sligo is one of the “forgotten” counties and deserves to be better known. As you can see on this page, the County has got a lot of different things going for it. One of my suggestions would be to start with a " regenerative" seaweed bath in Enniscrone area? If this has whetted your appetite to stay a few days in County Sligo, here are some examples of activities to do and sites to visit. |
| 1. Visit Sligo Town... [   ] Sligo means " the shelly place", probably because of the abundance of shells on the local beaches and in the Sligo Estuary. The town is located at the bottom of Benbulben (see below) and is crossed by the River Garavogue. The town is home to 18,000 people. The town itself forms the ideal base to explore the rest of the county and has many different monuments for example the Town Hall, built in an Italian Renaissance style. See photo on the right-hand side. |
| 2. Navigate the River Garavogue... [ ] Its name sounds French, but it genuinely comes from the Irish language and means young and rough. The river Garavogue, which its way from Lough Gill (see County Leitrim), crosses Sligo twn before ending its journey in the Sligo Bay. |
| 3. Visit Sligo Abbey... [   ] The Sligo Abbey is designated as an Irish heritage site. The Abbey consists of a Dominican Friary, which was founded in the mid 13th century by Maurice Fitzgerald. The site contains a great wealth of carvings including Gothic and Renaissance tomb sculpture. You'll also be able to see a well-preserved cloister and the only sculptured 15th century high altar to survive in any Irish monastic church. |
| 4. Visit the Riches at Rosses Point... [ ] Only a few kilometres from Sligo town-centre, is the village of Rosses Point. It’s home to a championship golf course and admire a pretty view on the Sligo Bay. In the background, you can even distinguish Knocknarea. |
| 5. Admire the view on Ben Bulben... [ ] The Island of Ireland has a number of mountains, which are easy to name because of their characteristic shapes. As Mount Leinster (Co. Wexford) or the Great Sugar Loaf (Co. Wicklow), Benbulben symbolises County Sligo. Benbulben was formed during the Ice age, when large parts of the Earth were under glaciers. It was originally merely a large ridge, however the moving glaciers cut into the earth, leaving this distinct shape. It is possible to climb this mountain but make sure you have suitable equipment and a detailed map of the area. |
 Photo 5. View on Ben Bulben. |
6. Climb Ben Bulben/Benbulben/Benbulbin... As other sites in Ireland, I have the impression that Ben Bulben has its own microclimate and follows Murphy's law! while the weather forecast was very good, it was the grey and misty when I arrived in County Sligo… Fortunately the temperature was rather nice, with no rain, and no wind, so my ascension turned out to be relatively "easy". Once the climbing is done, you have access to a long plateau which stretches from west to east. It becomes relatively easy to access Kings Mountain and Benwiskin (purchase a detailed map of the area). Even without the blue sky, the efforts made to climb were rewarded with superb views of County Sligo. It was even possible to see the Cliffs of Bunglass (Slieve League, see County Donegal). One thing is certain, the colour green predominates in the region! |
| 7. Pay your respect to WB Yeats... [ ] After the climb, don’t hesitate to get food in the small village of Drumcliff, where you can also pay your respect to the very sober tomb of the poet W.B. Yeats, which has for epitaph Cast a cold eye on life, death. Horseman, pass by taken from the last lines of "Under Ben Bulben", one of his final poems. Only a few meters from the tomb, you can also see the ruins of a round tower similar to those visible in Clonmacnoise, Glendalough or Clones. |
8. Climb Knocknarea... |
| 9. Admire the sunset on Knocknarea at twilight... [ ] I can't resist displaying this great sunset taken an evening in July 2008, with Knocknarea in the background. |
 Photo 9. Sunset on Knocknarea. |
| 10. Visit Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery... [ ] County Sligo has got the largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Ireland. This Cemetery is also among the country's oldest, with monuments ranging from 5,500 to 6,500 years old. Archaeologists have recorded over 60 tombs of which 30 are visible. For a small fee (around €2-3), the Office of Public Works (OPW) organises guided tours. If your budget is tight, you can always see dolmens and passage tombs on the other side of the road, outside the Visitors Centre. |
| 11. Walk on Mullaghmore Beach... [ ] County Sligo has got mountains, Celtic monuments, Castles and also some great beaches. The small fishing town of Mullaghmore, located between Cliffoney and Grange has a beach, which is nearly 3 km long, from where it is possible to swim and windsurfing safely. |
| 12. Dive on the port of Mullaghmore... [ ] When the tide is high, you can dive from the port de Mullaghmore, like other local (crazy?) teenagers. Beware! Even if the spot is relatively popular, this is no French Riviera and you are lucky if the water reaches 15 °C in summer! |
| 13. Drive between Cliffony and Mullaghmore... [ ] After visiting Mullaghmore, take the road towards Cliffony. The scenery between sea, land and mountains will be there in front of you, whatever the weather! |
 Photo 13. Between Cliffony and Mullaghmore. |
| 14. Go to Mullaghmore Point... [ ] If you drive by the Sligo Coast, you'll enjoy a beautiful littoral landscape of Mullaghmore. In some spots, you'll be able to climb rocks, walk on the cliffs or ride horses on the beach and on the quiet roads in the area. |
| 15. Visit Ballinafad Castle... [ ] If you love old ruins, you’ll be pleased to know that this castle was built in 1590 by Captain John St Barbe to defend County Sligo’s first road. Even if it’s construction dates from the 16th century, it was modelled on a 13th-century plan. Originally, the Castle had four storeys, four towers, of which 3 are still visible. It was abandoned in 1680. Nowadays, you can enter the Castle's ruins free of charge. |
16. Visit Lissadell House... |
| 17. Who are you calling donkey? [ ] Aaaah, those donkeys are so cute! It's difficult to remain impassive front of the "Hee-haw Family" with Daddy Donkey, Mummy Donkey, Cousin Donkey and Baby Donkey . This photo was taken near Lissadell House in 2008. |
 Photo 17. Hee-haw Family. |
| 18. Drive on the N15... [ ] You are now on the National Road N15, which will lead you to County Donegal.To discover Donegal, follow the rainbow or click here! |
| County Sligo in pictures | ||
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 Photo 2. River Garavogue in Sligo. |
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 Photo 3. Sligo Abbey. |
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 Photo 4. Rosses Point. |
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 Photo 6a. Precipice seen from the North face of Ben Bulben. |
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 Photo 6b. Your favorite French expatriate on Ben Bulben. |
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 Photo 6c. Photo taken during the ascension of the South side of Ben Bulben. |
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 Photo 6d. View on Benwiskin from Ben Bulben. |
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 Photo 7. WB Yeats' tomb in Drumcliff. |
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 Photo 8. View from Knocknarea. |
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 Photo 10. Dolmens in Carrowmore. |
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 Photo 11. Mullaghmore Beach. |
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 Photo 12. Fancy a dive? |
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 Photo 14. Horse riding on Mullaghmore Point. |
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 Photo 15. Ballinafad Castle. |
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 Photo 16. Lissadell House. |
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 Photo 18. A rainbow on the N15. |
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Legend:
Nice; Worth a visit; Well worth visiting
Please note that this grading system is only based on my interests and personal experience as a French expat in Ireland. Feel free to visit the same locations and share your experience .
Free or Not Applicable Entrance fee ≤€5 ; €5<Entrance fee≤€10 ; €10<Entrance fee≤€15 and so on...
These price ranges are indicative only to help you plan your holiday budget and are subject to change. Discounts generally apply for families, groups, children, students and seniors citizens.
While the admission to this site is free, a parking fee may apply.
Heritage Site managed by the Office of Public Works. Most OPW sites are free of charge on the first Wednesday of every month during 2011. A Good tip: the Heritage Card entitles you unlimited admission for one year to all OPW sites (around €21).