12 Feb Manorhamilton , County Leitrim
Four mountain valleys sweep down to the beautiful Manorhamilton which sits on a little plain , or ‘little field’ as its Irish name translates , and is a great place to visit on your tours of Ireland. The surrounding peaks climb to 1500ft or so , and alpine plants such as saxifrage and mountain avens grow from a level of 800ft to the highest ground.
Manorhamilton was founded by Sir Frederick Hamilton , one of the many Hamiltons to bring settlers over from Scotland. In 1630 , Charles I granted him 5000 acres of pastureland and 10,000 acres of woodland and a bog. Sir Frederick’s castle , once a good example of 17th century baronial mansion , is now roofless and covered with ivy.
The town has easy access to the sea and five other counties. It is also the setting for the famous Wild Rose Festival each August , at which the Wild Rose Colleen is chosen. The festival commemorates the romance in the 1640s of Caitlin Ni Cuirnin , the Wild Rose of Lough Gill , and Edmond Tracy , foster son of Owen O’Rourke , chieftain of Dromahair. Candidates chosen for the title are selected from eight places in Ireland as well as London , and Madrid , places to which Caitlin is said to have traveled. The prize is a piece of Irish Crystal.
Contact us today to organize your and visit Manorhamilton.