30 Jan County Sligo
Maritime county in the province of Connacht in the West of Ireland. On our tours of Ireland we usually pass through on the way from Galway to Enniskillen. It is a bit of a hidden gem.
Sligo, covering an area of 709 square miles, has a population of approx 60,000.
Bordered on the East by Leitrim , on the West and South by Mayo , and on the Southeast by Roscommon , Sligo is famous for its natural beauty.
The county’s most celebrated natural site include the mountains Ben Bulben , at the foot of which the poet William Butler Yeats is buried in Drumcliff churchyard , and Knocknarea , which is claimed to be the burial place of the mythic Queen Maeve of the legend Tain Bo Cuailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley). Ben Bulben is certainly a must see attraction.
In the West of the county lie the Ox Mountains and in the Southeast the Curlews.
Principal rivers are the Sligo , the Arrow , the Owenmore , and the Esk , and lakes include Lough Gill , Lough Arrow , and Lough Colt.
The name Sligo itself is derived from the Irish Sligeach , meaning river of shells , is believed to refer to the large number of shellfish in Sligo Bay.
Until the seventeenth century , the county was dominated by the O’Connor family.
The poet W. B. Yeats , who spent part of his childhood in his grandfather’s substantial home in Sligo , was greatly influenced by the county’s stunning landscape and its folklore.
Important archaeological sites include the passage-graves at Carrowmore and Carrowkeel and a monastic site at Innishmurray, which was founded in the sixth century.
Rosses Point , just outside Sligo town , has a famous golf links course.
The main towns in the county are Sligo town , the county capital , Collooney , Ballymote , and Tubbercurry.
The county enjoys a reputation for traditional Irish music , and the distinct Sligo style is exemplified in the recordings of Michael Coleman.
Coney Island lies in the bay off Sligo town ; the name was also given to a famous section of Brooklyn in New York City.
Yes ….. dont miss Sligo on your Ireland tours.