10 Attractions in County Sligo

Sligo has a special quality that entices visitors back time and again. Positioned on the North West of the island of Ireland it is a county steeped in heritage and tradition. Sligo has a green and lush landscape, dominated by sheer limestone ridges such as towering Ben Bulben, very distinctively recognisable as a 'typical Sligo' shape. It boasts spectacular sandy beaches at Rosses Point, Strandhill, Easkey, Enniscrone and Mullaghmore, many with EU blue flag beaches.

Carrowmore megalithic cemetery, the most extensive in Europe, is situated here and it is amazing to think that it pre-dates the pyramids of Egypt. Immortalised in poem by W.B. Yeats and through the paintings of his brother Jack, there is something in Sligo to suit everyone - surfing beaches of international renown, the monastic island of Innismurray, Coney Island (its New York counterpart was named after it), championship links golf, or sunset cruising on Lough Gill.

Music and song are alive and well (think Coleman, Westlife & Dervish - all Sligo grown) and the craic you will have here is second to none. Eateries from beach front thatched pubs to Georgian mansions and river front café’s to impressive castles offering the finest and freshest fare you will find anywhere in the world.

10 Things to Do & See in Sligo

1. Yeats Memorial Building
The Yeats Society occupies a delightful heritage building in the centre of Sligo and presents a fascinating photographic exhibition of the life and times of W.B. Yeats and his family.

2. Golf
Take in a round of golf, with several golf links courses to choose from. Let the golf experts at Celtic Tours help you decide.

3. Carrowmore
This is the largest megalithic cemetry in Ireland and amongst the oldest and most important in Europe.

4. Ballymote Castle
Richard de Burgo, the "Red Earl" of Ulster, built the remains of this Anglo-Norman castle in AD1300 and it was the strongest fortress in Connacht.

5. Drumcliff Round Tower and High Cross
This site is an monastic settlement, and also the burial place of the famous Irish poet W.B.Yeats. Its importance dates from 574 AD when St. Colmcille founded a monastery here.

6. Sligo Abbey
Like many Norman towns in Ireland, Sligo had an Abbey and castle. Founded by Maurice Fitzgerald, the Chief Justice of Ireland, in 1252/3.

7. Trad Music Session
Catch a Trad Music Session, for a truly Irish experience

8. Dolly’s Cottage
Dolly’s Cottage is a 200-year-old traditional thatched cottage, the only one of its kind in the area, which is open to the public. It is a stone built cottage with two rooms and a loft with original walls, roof, roof beams, fireplace and pouch bed.

When you step through the little red door it’s like stepping into the past. Dolly’s Cottage has hardly changed in its 200 years and provides an experience of how people lived until the not so distant past.

9. Eagle’s Flying – Irish Raptor Research Centre
At Ireland’s largest sanctuary for Birds of Prey and Owls, you can enjoy Eagles, Hawks, Owls, Falcons and Vultures flying closely over your head. During the interactive shows, scientists will inform you about these magnificent birds, some of whom can be touched. For the ones who prefer cuddly animals, there is a large pet-zoo in the centre. Eagles Flying is located outside Ballymote near Temple House and Ballinacarrow on the N17.

10. Sligo Folk Park
Sligo Folk Park is located in the beautiful village of Riverstown, Co Sligo. This community based attraction gives a true experience of rural life and Irish heritage at the turn of the late 19th Century.

With so much to do and see in County Sligo, why not visit this lovely area on Celtic Tours premier escorted motorcoach tour Celtic Dream. In addition to visiting County Sligo, you will also visit Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Killarney, Galway, Limerick and Belfast. Learn More about this exciting Ireland vacation at www.celtictours.com