Sligo

Glencar Valley, is a U shaped valley, with mountains, forests and a large lake. It is approx 10 km north east of Sligo town. It is well worth a visit for trails, walks, bird watching and photography with its spectacular scenery.

Glencar Waterfall is situated near Glencar Lake. Although there are other waterfalls to be seen on Glencar Lake none are as impressive especially after heavy rain. A popular place for nature trailers, with picnic area close by.

The N16 road passes along the south side of the lough and offers some great views of the lake and mountains.

Lough Gill is a freshwater lake (8 km or 5 miles long and 2 km or 1 mile wide) in Co Sligo and partly in Co Leitrim. It is closely associated with the Poet W.B. Yeats. Dromahair was once the capital of Breifne an ancient Celtic Kingdom. William Butler Yeats frequently visited the village to see his friend "The old priest Peter Gilligan". Today it has several pubs and restaurants, with popular attractions such as Creveelea Abbey, the Tour De Humbert Cycling Trail, Ard Nahoo Health Farm and Parke’s Castle beside Lough Gill.

Lough Gill is surrounded by wooded hills, part of these wooded areas that over look the lough/lake are Slish Wood. Popular with both bird watchers and nature trail goers, this area offers picturesque views of the Lough from several viewing points.

Dooney Rock is located beside Lough Gill and has a looping nature trail (from the car park beside picnic area) that leads to Lough Gill, and then goes to the top of Dooney Rock, where there are four viewing points to look upon the picturesque Lough.

Drmcliffe (Irish) means ‘Ridge of the Baskets’, it is a village in Co. Sligo and is where the Poet William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939) is buried. The village also boasts a round tower dating from the 10th or 11th Century. St Colmcille also founded a monastery here in approx 575. There is also an Irish High Cross dating back to the 9th Centruy.

William Butler Yeats (13th June 1865 – 28th Jan 1939) Yeats was born in Dublin, and was educated both there and in London, however he spent most of his holidays as a child in Co. Sligo. At a young age he was fascinated by Irish legends and the occult. He became one of the foremost figures of 20th Century literature.

Lissadell House is a neo-classical Greek revivalist style country house in Co. Sligo. It was built in 1830 for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, and was passed on to his son Sir Henry Gore-Booth. Both Constrance and Eva Gore-Booth spent their childhood here, and William Butler Yeats ‘holidayed’ here and made the house famous in the opening lines of poem ‘In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markiewicz’ (1927). The light of evening, Lissadell, Great windows open to the south, Two girls in silk kimonos, both Beautiful, one a gazelle.

Benbulben is a large rock formation in Co. Sligo, it is part of the Dartry Mountains in an area that is often referred to as ‘Yeats Country’. It is now a protected site. It is an climbing destination but not for the faint hearted on the north side, while the south side offers a gentler gradient. Benbulden is also well know for it unique fauna and flora.

Strandhill is on the western base of Knocknarea, and is well known for it surfing. Strandhill has an 18-hole golf course, Caravan Park, restaurants and pubs/cafes and a seaweed bathhouse.

Enniscrone is a small seaside town in Co. Sligo. And is well known for its ‘Blue Flag’. It has a long sandy public beach, a campsite and a local golf course. The ‘Valley of Diamonds’ is one of the attractions to the beach; it is the largest of volcano-like compositions among the dunes.

Knocknarea the hill of the Kings stands majestically over looking strand hill. On its summit is a large cairn over 50 metres high, suggesting a ling with ancient history.

Ballymuldory is west of Lissadell and it's beaches were favourite haunts of Yeats. Though the south beach is dangerous for swimming due it its frequent rip tides. The more westerly beach is a mixture of shingle and sand. The beaches are separated by Raghly head.