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Sligo (Sligeach in Irish) is the principal town in County Sligo in Northwest Ireland & Lakelands. It is the largest urban area in this region.
[edit] Understand
Traditionally a small, quiet coastal town (pop. 17,892; area 12.9 km2 or 5 sq mi), Sligo has experienced significant redevelopment since the 1990s and now offers much in the way of shopping, entertainment and eating out. It is a great base from which to explore the often underrated west and north west Atlantic coast of Ireland. A lot of new development has been situated along the Garavogue river, most notably the regeneration of J.F.K. and Rockwood Parades, consisting of shops, cafés, bars and a number of apartments as well as a new footbridge over the river itself.
O’Connell Street, the town's main street has been pedestrianised since Aug 2006, and two new shopping centers (The Quayside and Johnston's Court) have opened since 2005, bringing national and international chain-stores to the region.
[edit] Location
Sligo is surrounded by the Dartry Mountain range to the north, the Ox Mountains to the south, and Sligo Bay and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The Dartry range includes the well-known Ben Bulben (sometimes called Ireland's table mountain). Knocknarea Mountain, located 5 km (3 mi) west of the town, is best known for the stone cairn at its summit (actually a burial mound dating to the Neolithic period).
[edit] History
 Carrowmore, a prehistoric ritual landscape in County Sligo, less than 8 km (5 mi) from Sligo Sligo's Irish name, Sligeach (pronounced SHLEE-gok, which means the place of shells), comes from the large number of shellfish found in the local river and its estuary, and from the Stone Age food preparation areas in the vicinity. The river (now known as the Garavogue) was originally also called the Sligeach. This whole area, from the river estuary at Sligo, around the coast to the river at Ballisodare Bay, was rich in marine resources, dating back as far as the Mesolithic period.
Sligo was a significant location as far back as the Early Neolithic period, as demonstrated by the numerous ancient sites close by. Particularly notable are the megalithic tombs at nearby Carrowmore. According to local archeological digs (when a new road was being built), 'Magheraboy [now a suburb of Sligo] demonstrates the early Neolithic settlement of this area of Sligo, while the longevity of the activity on the site indicates a stable and successful population during the final centuries of the fifth millennium and the first centuries of the fourth millennium BC.'
The Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Maurice Fitzgerald, is said to have established the medieval town of Sligo, building the Castle of Sligo in 1245. As a result, Sligo became an important crossroads strategically and commercially. Sligo Abbey is the only medieval building left standing in the town.
[edit] Twin cities
Sligo is twinned with three towns/cities (sister cities), namely:
There are regular trade and tourism links with these cities throughout the year.
[edit] Other items of interest
- There are three local newspapers in Sligo, each of which gives details of local news, sports and entertainment on a weekly basis. The Sligo Weekender is published on Tuesday while The Sligo Champion and the free The Sligo Post are both published on Wednesday.
- A round of the World Rally Championship was based in Sligo on November 16th-18th, 2007. Rally Ireland was a great success and is due to return in 2009 after a fantastic first year.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By air
Sligo airport [2] is about 8 km (5 mi) west of the town, in Strandhill, but public transportation links are not great. Bus Éireann run buses (route 472) seven times a day (five times on Sa, not at all on Su) starting across the road from the bus station, picking-up and setting-down at the airport only on request. A taxi will cost you between €10 to €15, depending on number of passengers, time of day/night, Etc.
[edit] By rail
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- <listing name="Irish Rail" alt="Iarnród Éireann" directions="" address="Lord Edward Street" phone="(071) 916 9888" email="" fax="" url="http://www.irishrail.ie" hours="" price="">operates seven trains per day Monday to Saturday (with an extra eighth train at 7.07AM Monday to Friday) and six trains on Sunday from Dublin's Connolly Station. The trip takes a little over 3 hours and adult prices range from €26 to €35 with price reductions for children under 12, students with valid student ID and free travel for children under 3. Oddly enough, the price for a return journey is exactly the same as for a single one. If your travelling days are variable, travel Monday to Thursday or Saturday, as tickets are more expensive on Friday and Sunday (the busier days).</listing>
[edit] By road
[edit] By bus
- <listing name="Bus Éireann" alt="Irish Bus" directions="" address="Lord Edward Street" phone="(071) 916 0066" email="" fax="" url="http://www.buseireann.ie" hours="" price="">Buses or coaches operate throughout the day from most major towns/cities.
From Dublin: 6 buses daily M-Sa, 5 on Su and Public Holidays, journey time: 3 and a half to 4 hours.
From Galway: 6 buses daily M-Sa, 5 on Su and Public Holidays, journey time 2 and a half hours.
From Belfast: 3 buses daily M-Sa (change at Enniskillen), 2 on Su (change at Dungannon), journey time just under 4 hours.
Bus Éireann prices are approximately half that of the train but buses can be a bit stuffy! Similar concessions/price reductions apply as for train travel.
</listing>
- <listing name="Feda O'Donnell Coaches" alt="Bus Feda" directions="" address="" phone="(074) 954 8114" email="busfeda@eircom.net" fax="" url="http://www.fedaodonnell.com" hours="" price="">operate from Gweedore, County Donegal, and Galway as follows:
From Gweedore (via Letterkenny): 2 buses daily M-Sa, 3 on F, 3 on Su, journey time 3 hours 15 minutes.
From Galway (Cathedral): 2 buses daily M-Sa, 4 on F, 4 on Su, journey time 2 hours.</listing>
[edit] By car
- From Dublin take the N4 road west (approx. 210 km (130 mi), 3 to 3 and a half hours).
- From Galway take the N17 road north (approx. 145 km (90 mi), 2 to 2 and a half hours).
- From Belfast, Northern Ireland, take the M1 Motorway, which leads onto the A4. This becomes the N16 when you cross the border at Belcoo/Blacklion (approx. 200 km (125 mi), 3 to 3 and a half hours).
[edit] Get around
Sligo town, at 12.9km2 (5 sq mi), is small enough to walk from one end to the other in an hour.
 Garavogue River, in Sligo [edit] Local buses
There are buses which run from the main bus station to Strandhill (Route 472) and Rosses Point (Route 473) (small nearby coastal towns) regularly. There are also two city services around the town and surrounding area (Route 478, runs M-Sa about every 20 minutes from Cartron (on the R291 Rosses Point Road), via the town center to Cairns Road and back again to Cartron and Route 478A, M-Sa every hour from the Bus Station via Strandhill Road to Carrowmore). There is also a Nightrider service (Route 478N F, Sa approximately hourly between 8:30PM-2:30AM) which leaves from Sligo Town to nearby towns of Collooney, Ballisodare, Strandhill and Rosses Point.
[edit] Parking
As in many parts of Ireland, parking spaces can be difficult to find, although most hotels and bed and breakfasts have their own free parking for residents only. If you wish to park in the town, there are a number of local authority operated car parks dotted around the town. To park in a public car park or on the street in most parts of the town centre, you must pay and display at the nearest meter. Parking costs €1.20 per hour (generally between the hours of 8:30AM-6:30PM. M-Sa, 12PM-6PM Su and Public holidays, although some locations have different pay times or days). Parking costs can be paid for by Euro coins, credit cards or mobile phone. You can prepay for your parking if you park outside these hours, i.e., If you leave you car overnight, you can pay for your parking from 8:30AM the next morning. Please note, if paying by coins, the machine does not give change, so you should try to have exact change available. You will, however, receive a parking disc for the remainder of the next hour, e.g., pay €2, and you get a disc for 1 hour 40 minutes. Some carparks allow for all-day parking at a special rate. The meters in these carparks will display this option. If you don't pay, or your time has run out, you may receive a parking ticket, with an on-the-spot fine of €40, or €80 if you park illegally in a wheelchair-user only zone (always marked, often with blue paint).
There are also some private car-parks which have different rates of payment (and different punishments if you don't pay). The (Catholic) Cathedral, for example, uses barriers, with payment of €3 when leaving the car-park. If you can leave your car until church services (mass) times, you may be able to leave without paying (but do you want to cheat the church?) Parking at Sligo General Hospital is metered, and costs €2.40 for up to four hours, or €4 for up to 24 hours. The local bus (Route 478) passes just outside the hospital every 20 minutes during the day, and costs 70 cent to bring you into town. If you don't pay for your parking at this carpark you are liable to be clamped, with a release fee of €65.
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- <see name="Sligo Abbey" alt="Dominican Friary" address="Abbey Street" directions="From the GPO, turn left. After 40 m (44 yd), before the river, turn right onto Rockwood Parade (alongside the river). Walk 140 m (150 yd) to the second right onto Water Lane, and at the top of the lane, 90 m (98 yd) turn left onto Castle Street. Walk 200 m (220 yd) onto Abbey Street, with Abbey on the left (total distance of 455 m (498 yd))." phone="(071) 914 6406" email="sligoabbey@opw.ie" fax="(071)914 9909" url="" hours="daily 10AM-6PM (last admission 5:15PM). Closed from mid-Dec until Feb." price="Adult:€2.10, Senior:€1.30, Student:€1.10, Family:€5.80, Group Rate:€1.30">founded by Maurice Fitzgerald in 1253, destroyed by fire in 1414, rebuilt in its present form; the Abbey was burned in 1642 and everything valuable in it was destroyed. Much of the structure, including the choir, carved altar and cloisters remain.</see>
- <see name="Famine Memorial" alt="" address="Quay Street Car-park" directions="From the GPO, turn right. After 40 m (44 yd), turn right. Pass the City Hall on your right, Quayside Shopping Centre on your left, enter the car-park at the riverside (total distance of 270 m (295 yd))." phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="open all hours" price="free">One of a suite of three sculptures commissioned by the Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee to honour the victims of the Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849), when over 30,000 people emigrated through the port of Sligo, here commemorated by this sculprute.. A plaque in the background, headed 'Letter to America, January 2, 1850' tells one family's sad story.</see>
 Statue of W.B. Yeats in Sligo - <listing name="Yeats International Summer School" alt="" directions="from GPO, turn left and Yeats Building is red-brick building about 20 m (22 yd) on your right" address="Yeats Memorial Building, Hyde Bridge" phone="(071) 914 2693" email="info@yeats-sligo.com" fax="(071) 914 2780" url="http://www.yeats-sligo.com/html/summer.html" hours="in 2008, the school runs from Sa, Jul 26 to Fri Aug 8" price="Tuition Fee (2008 prices): €375 for one week, €595 for two weeks">The poet William Butler Yeats is much associated with Sligo. In particular "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a reference to a small island on nearby Lough Gill. Yeats, who spent much of his youth in Sligo and its environs, died in 1939 and is buried, under bare Ben Bulben's head in the graveyard in Drumcliffe, County Sligo.</listing>
Most of the shops in Sligo are concentrated in a small area, based around O'Connell Street, Wine Street and Grattan Street. It also has a two new shopping centres, Johnston Court [3] and The Quayside [4]. The town has a huge range of the normal High Street shops, including most of the Irish and British chains. These include clothing, grocery, electronics, books, music, sports, fotwear, Etc., Etc. Apart from all of those, there are a number of one-off shops in Sligo, which make it well worth the visit. Just a small selection of these is outlined below.
- <buy name="The Cat and The Moon" alt="Goldsmiths, Irish Craft Boutique and Art Gallery" address="4 Castle Street" directions="From GPO, turn left. After 40 m (44 yd), turn right onto Rockwood Parade alongside river, take second right onto Water lane, then left into Castle Street. Shop is 50 m (55 yd) on left (total distance of 320 m (350 yd))." phone="(071) 914 3686" email="info@thecatandthemoon.com" fax="(071) 914 3686" url="http://www.thecatandthemoon.com" hours="M-Sa: 9AM-6PM" price="">stocks a wide range of hand-made gold and silver jewellery (from their own workshop), both for retail sale and specially commissioned articles. The Irish Craft Boutique also features a huge selection of other Irish-made jewellery, glass, ceramics, textiles, furniture and handcrafts. The Art Gallery (upstairs) hosts regular exhibitions, usually promoting young local and other Irish Artists.</buy>
- <buy name="Michael Kennedy Ceramics" alt="" address="Market Cross" directions="From GPO, turn left. After 40 m (44 yd), turn right onto Rockwood Parade alongside river, take second right onto Water lane, then up the hill to shop on left (total distance of 300 m (328 yd))." phone="(071) 914 8844" email="sligo@michaelkennedyceramics.com" fax="" url="www.michaelkennedyceramics.com" hours="M-Sa: 9AM-6PM" price="">Unusual and quirky pieces of ceramic art sit alongside beautiful (but usable) dinner services in this shop of Sligo-based ceramic artist and potter, all hand-thrown here or in the artist's studio in Gort, County Galway</buy>
- <buy name="Kate's Kitchen" alt="Hopper and Pettit" address="3 Castle Street" directions="From GPO, turn left. After 40 m (44 yd), turn right onto Rockwood Parade alongside river, take second right onto Water Lane, then left onto Castle Street. Shop is 40 m on left (total distance of 310 m (340 yd))." phone="(071) 914 3022 email="info@kateskitchensligo.com" fax="" url="http://www.kateskitchensligo.com" hours="m-Sa: 9AM-6PM" price="">Fabulous Delicatessen, with all types of food catered for, from home-baked hams to some of the finest chutneys, preserves known to man. Also contains a separate toiletries area (Hopper and Pettit), specialising in Crabtree & Evelyn and other fine ranges.</buy>
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The choice of good quality restaurants in Sligo has improved immensely over the last few years. Please note, that all the hotels listed in the Sleep section below also have restaurants, and many have carvery lunches served at the bar.
[edit] Budget
[edit] Mid-range
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Bars/Pubs
 Rockwood Parade, Sligo, location of some great bars, clubs and restaurants on the riverside - <drink name="Fiddler's Creek" alt="" address="Rockwood Parade" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right down Rockwood Parade (alongside the river). Fiddler's Creek is 150 m (164 yd) on right (total distance of 195 m (213 yd))" phone="(071) 914 1866" email="jimmy@fiddlerscreek.ie" fax="(071) 914 1864" url="http://www.fiddlerscreek.ie" hours="" price="">Very lively bar, especially at weekends. In-house DJ and live bands 4 or 5 nights a week, also show all major live sporting events on large screens.</drink>
- <drink name="McGarrigles" alt="" address="11 O'Connell Street" directions="From the GPO, walk south down O'Connell Street, bar is opposite Tobergal Lane on the right (total distance of 127 m (139 yd))." phone="(071) 917 1193" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></drink>
- <drink name="McHughs" alt="" address="Grattan Street" directions="From the GPO, walk south down O'Connell Street, turn left at the top of the street (200 m (218 yd)) onto Grattan Street, bar is on the right (total distance of 220 m (241 yd))." phone="(071) 914 2030" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></drink>
- <drink name="Shoot The Crows" alt="" address="Market Cross, Grattan Street" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right onto Rockwood Parade. After 140 m (153 yd) turn right onto Water lane. At top of lane, turn right onto Grattan Street, Bar is first on right (total distance of 282 m (308 yd))." phone="(071) 916 2554" email="uisce@shootthecrows.ie" fax="" url="http://www.shootthecrows.ie" hours="" price="">Old Sligo pub (founded 1876) with an eccentric past (not least where the name comes from!), long narrow pub, the music collection reflects the eclectic tastes of the owner, Ronan "Uisce" Waters, comprising of Latin, Soul, Motown, Jazz, Funk, Blues, Reggae, Punk, Afrobeat and Irish Traditional among others, and the most unusual front window you've ever seen. </drink>
- <drink name="The Stables" alt="O'Hehir's" address="Wine Street" directions="From the GPO, turn right, pub is on the left, about 90 m (98 yd)." phone="(071) 914 2280" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></drink>
[edit] Nightclubs
- <drink name="Envy Nightclub" alt="NV" address="Teeling Street" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right onto Rockwood Parade. After 140 m (153 yd) turn right ont oWater Lane. At top of lane, turn left onto Castle Street, and turn right after 120 m (131 yd) turn right onto Teeling Street, club is 70 m (77 yd) on the left (total distance of 468 m (512 yd))." phone="(071) 914 4721" email="info@envy.ie" fax="" url="http://www.envy.ie" hours="Tu-Su: 11:30PM-Late" price="€6-€12 depending on night">With four bars and three dance floors, this is a busy club, especially catering to students of the near-by Institute of Technology, Sligo.</drink>
- <drink name="Toffs Nightclub" alt="" address="J.F.K Parade" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right onto Rockwood Parade. Walk the length of the parade, cross Thomas Street, club is on the right (total distance of 360 m (394 yd))." phone="(071) 916 1250" email="" fax="" url="" hours="Th-Su: 11:00PM-Late" price=""></drink>
- <drink name="Velvet Room Nightclub" alt="" address="Kempten Promenade" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right onto Rockwood Parade. Walk the length of the parade, turn left after 200 m (219 yd), cross bridge, then immediate right onto Kempten Promenade. Club is on the left (total distance of 400 m (437 yd))." phone="(071) 914 4721" email="info@velvetroom.ie" fax="" url="http://www.velvetroom.ie" hours="" price="">Sligo's newest Nightclub, on two levels, four bars, two dance floors, gears itself towards the twenty-something, more discerning clubber.</drink>
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[edit] Bed and Breakfasts
- Most bed and breakfasts are situated on the roads into and out of the town, especially on the old Dublin road (Pearse Road, R287), Cairns Hill (head out the R287, turn left at the traffic lights just at the Gaelic Football Pitch, Markievicz Park) and the Bundoran road (N16). Most cost around €30 to €35 per person sharing.
[edit] Holiday apartments
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[edit] Hostels
[edit] Hotels
[edit] Contact
[edit] Telephones
As elsewhere in Ireland, phone numbers in Sligo comprise an area code (071) and a local number (7 digits). All phone numbers shown in this guide display both the area code and the local number. When calling from a landline within the same area, you can ignore the area code, or leave it in, as you wish. If you are calling from another area within Ireland or from a mobile phone, you must use the area code. Likewise, if you are calling internationally, you must use the following format: Your international access code + 353 + 71 + the local number, i.e., you drop the 0 from the area code.
[edit] Internet
- <listing name="County Sligo Library" alt="" directions="From the GPO, turn left, cross the river onto Stephen Street, pass two roads on left, library is 200 m (219 yd) on left." address="Stephen Street" phone="(071) 914 2212" email="sligocentrallibrary@sligococo.ie" fax="" url="http://www.sligolibrary.ie" hours="Tu-Sa: 9:30AM-5PM; Th: 9:30AM-8PM" price="Free">Free Internet facilities available for members and visitors. Four terminals available for adults, and two specifically for children (with kid-friendly software). Also fourteen further terminals available in Reference Library, on nearby Bridge Street (Reference Library Opening Hours; M-F: 10AM-12:45PM and 2PM-4:45PM). Quietest in the mornings. Visitors should bring some ID (such as home Library card), and will be required to sign an "internet agreement form".</listing>
- <listing name="Atrium Cafe" alt="Model Arts and Niland Gallery" directions="see Do section above" address="The Mall" phone="(071) 914-1405" email="info@modelart.ie" fax="(071) 914-3694" url="http://www.modelart.ie" hours="Tu-Sa: 10:00AM-5:30PM; Su: 11:00AM-4:00PM; M: Closed" price="Free wi-fi internet hotspot"></listing>
[edit] Stay safe
Crime is relatively low by most European standards but not very different. As with any sizeable town in Ireland, visitors and locals alike can feel intimidated by the large crowds hanging around outside fast food outlets, pubs and clubs, usually between the hours of midnight and 3:00AM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. These areas are generally well patrolled by Gardaí(police), but best avoided, where possible.
If you need the emergency services (Gardaí, ambulance, fire service, coast guard or mountain rescue) dial 999 or 112 from any phone.
[edit] Publications
There are three weekly newspapers in Sligo. If you're looking for entertainment listings, either the Champion or Weekender are fine, if you want to know what's the official business/political line on something local in Sligo, the Champion is required reading, the Post is hardly worth the price (it's free).
- <listing name="The Sligo Champion" alt="The Champion" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sligochampion.ie" hours="Weekly, Wednesday" price="€1.70">Sligo's oldest surviving newspaper (over 150 years old) containing all the local news and events for the town and county of Sligo and local parts of the surrounding counties of Roscommon, Leitrim, Donegal and Mayo</listing>
- <listing name="Sligo Weekender" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sligoweekender.ie" hours="weekly, Tuesday" price="€1.70">For a paper called The Weekender, it comes out mid-week, but otherwise good entertainment listings</listing>
- <listing name="The Sligo Post" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sligopost.com" hours="weekly, Tuesday" price="freesheet">This paper is quite new, and mostly contains a few sensationalised local stories, with the remainder of the paper taken up with advertising features, Etc. It's free, so you may as well get one, but the Champion or Weekender have better listings.</listing>
[edit] Religious services
There are places of worship all over the town; your hotel or Bed and Breakfast should be able to direct you to one nearby. If not, though, the following are centrally located in the town.
[edit] Roman Catholic
- <listing name="Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception" alt="St. Mary's" directions="From GPO, turn right along Wine Street. At second set of traffic lights, turn left onto Adelaide Street, through next set of traffic lights, onto Temple Street, church is on the left" address="Temple Street" phone="(071) 916 2670" email="sligocath@eircom.net" fax="(071) 915 0797" url="http://www.sligocathedral.ie" hours="Mass Times: Su 7:30PM (on Saturday for Sunday Vigil), 8:30AM, 10:30AM, 12Noon, 5PM(in Polish), 7PM; M-F: 7:15AM, 8:15AM, 10:30AM; Sa: 8:15AM, 10:30AM, 7PM (First Friday of each month)" price="">Beautiful 130+ year-old building in a Normano–Romano–Byzantine style, it is the only example of a Romanesque style Cathedral built during the 19th century in Ireland.</listing>
- <listing name="St. Anne's" alt="" directions="Turn left at GPO, walk 40 m (44 yd) and turn right onto Rockwood Parade. Walk the length of the parade, turn right, take second left into Chapel Lane, Church is in front of you" address="Cranmore" phone="(071) 914 5028" email="" fax="" url="" hours="Mass Times: Su 7:30PM (on Saturday for Sunday Vigil), 10:30AM, 12:30PM 7PM; M-F: 10AM, 6:15PM, Sa: 10AM" price=""></listing>
- <listing name="St. Joseph's" alt="" directions="" address="Ballytivnan" phone="(071) 914 2422" email="frnoel@stjosephsandcalry.ie" fax="" url="http://www.stjospehsandcalry.ie" hours="Mass Times: Su 7:30PM (On Saturday for Sunday Vigil), 11AM, 12:30PM, 7PM; M-Sa: 10AM" price=""></listing>
- <listing name="Dominican Friary" alt="Holy Cross Friary" directions="" address="High Street" phone="(071) 914 2700" email="" fax="(071) 914 6533" url="http://www.dominicanfriars.ie/locations/ireland/sligo" hours="Mass Times: Su 7:30PM (On Saturday for Sunday Vigil), 9:30AM, 11AM, 12:15PM, 7PM; M-Sa: 10:30AM and 1:05PM" price="">Holy Cross is the only church run by a religious order (rather than directly by the diocese) in the Diocese of Elphin.</listing>
[edit] Church of Ireland/Anglican
- <listing name="The Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin and St John the Baptist" alt="" directions="" address="John Street" phone="" email="sligocathedral@elphin.anglican.org" fax="" url="http://sligocathedral.elphin.anglican.org" hours="Service of Holy Communion Su: 8:30AM, 1st, 3rd and 5th Su: 10:30am. Morning Prayer Services 2nd & 4th Su: 10:30AM." price=""></listing>
[edit] Get out
 Glencar Waterfall, approximately 15 km (10 mi) from Sligo Sligo is very well located for exploring the Northwest Ireland and Lakelands area of Ireland, and the following are very easily accessible as day trips:
County Sligo.
- <see name="Carrowmore" alt="" address="on the Knocknarea peninsula" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">The site of a prehistoric ritual landscape. Around 30 megalithic tombs can be seen in Carrowmore today, older than Newgrange or Knowth (in the east of Ireland) and which even predate the Egyptian Pyramids.</see>
- <see name="Rosses Point" alt="" address="" directions="Follow the R291 from Sligo" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Pretty little village with a beautiful golden sandy beach, perfect for families. The Atlantic Ocean is cold for swimming, but perfectly safe here</see>
- <see name="Strandhill" alt="" address="" directions="Follow the R292 from Sligo" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">The village itself is not as pretty as Rosses Point, but is undergoing much renovation, and has a great walking beach. NOTE, it is not safe to swim here. It is, however, a great surfing beach.</see>
- <see name="Knocknarea Mountain" alt="Queen Maedbh's Cairn" address="Strandhill" directions="Follow the R292 from Sligo, signposted on the left" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Just over 1000 ft (305 m) high, and can be climbed in 20 to 40 minutes. Fantastic views of the coast-line with a very large cairn or burial mound on the summit, which local legend says is the grave of the ancient Celtic warrior Queen Maedbh (pronounced May-v). Climbers are now requested NOT to climb on the cairn or to use the stones from the cairn due to much damage in recent years.
An old local tradition has it that a climber should bring a stone from the bottom of the mountain and place it on the cairn on the top. Failure to do so, according to the legend, will result in your dreams being haunted by the Queen Maeve herself!</see>
- <see name="Ben Bulben" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Prominent table mountain, dominating the landscape to the North. Can be climbed at certain points in about 1 hour or so. It is said to be the final resting place of Diarmuid and Gráinne, the eloping lovers from the Fenian cycle of Irish mythology.</see>
- <see name="Coney Island" alt="" address="" directions="Follow the R292, about 4 kilometres on the right, watch for small finger signpost." phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Said to have given its name to its better known namesake in New York City. In Irish it translates as Oilean na gCoiníní (Island of the Rabbits, Coinín means rabbit). If you're feeling adventurous, and the tide is out, you can drive across the strand to the island. Do check with locals regarding tide times, as almost every year tourists (and locals) get stuck in the sand.</see>
County Donegal. The forgotten county, Donegal has some of the best scenery anywhere in Ireland. It is also probably the least developed county (from a tourist perspective) in Ireland, due to it's relative isolation, and proximity to the border with Northern Ireland.
County Leitrim. The least densely populated county in Ireland, and suffered much from emigration, particularly during the 1950s to 1990s. In recent years the population has started to rise, and consequently, more development is occuring all over the county.
- <see name="Glencar Waterfall" address="Glencar, County Leitrim" directions="take the N16 road north from Sligo in the direction of Manorhamilton, watch for signs to the left to Glencar, approximately 15 km (10 mi) from Sligo" price="">Beautiful waterfall in a small narrow glen, immortalised by the poet W.B. Yeats in his poem, The Stolen Child: Where the wandering water gushes/From the hills above Glencar,/In pools among the rushes/That scarce could bathe a star.</see>
County Mayo.
- Achill Island, stunning beaches making it a family holiday favourite.
County Galway.
- Galway is a thriving, bustling, university city, very popular with tourists, and well worth the 140 km (90 mi) trip down the N4/N17.
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