The Northwest —
County Sligo

Photos: (top row) Ben Bulben Mountain and Yeats Grave at Drumliffe Churchyard; (bottom row) Tobernalt Holy Well sign.

Yeats Country — the County Sligo countryside made famous by the writings of poet William Butler Yeats and the paintings of his brother Jack B. Yeats. In addition to Lough Gill and the Lake Isle of Innisfree (described below), the highlights include Drumcliffe Churchyard, burial place of William Butler Yeats (1865-1939); Ben Bulben Mountain, a picturesque loaf-like mountain rising in the north Sligo countryside (1,730 feet); and Glencar, a beautiful glen with a picturesque waterfall commemorated in the Yeats' poem "The Stolen Child."

"Lough Gill Drive" — a 26-mile route east of Sligo town that encircles Lough Gill, known in Irish as "Lough Gile" (the Lake of Brightness). It is a constant panorama of silvery blue waters, encircled by wooded hills and lush foliage. Drive the route in a counter-clockwise direction, with the lake always at your left. Sign-posted highlights, include Dooney Rock, with its own nature trail and lakeside walk (inspiration for Yeats' poem "Fiddler of Dooney"); and the Lake Isle of Innisfree, one of the lake's 22 islands. The poem of the same name is one of Yeats' most famous works, almost becoming an anthem for Sligo.

Sligo Abbey, Abbey St., Sligo (tel. 071-914-6406), is Sligo's only surviving medieval building. Built for the Dominicans in 1252, the abbey was a burial place of kings and princes of Sligo. Only the nave, choir, arched tower, and three-sided cloister survive, and the 15th century altar is one of the few medieval altars still intact in Ireland. Open daily mid-March through October, and weekends in winter. daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later. Web site: www.heritageireland.ie

Sligo County Museum & Art Gallery, Stephen St., Sligo (tel. 071-914-7190), is a "must-see" for Yeats fans. It displays the first editions of William Butler Yeats' complete works and his Nobel Prize for Literature (1923) as well as a collection of oils, watercolors, and drawings by Jack B. Yeats. Open Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tobernaut – Holy Well, near Dooney Rock, Sign-posted off Lough Gill Road (R287), Sligo. This is a place of pilgrimage for Christians, dating back to the Penal Law times when priests celebrated Mass surreptitiously in the forest. The rough stone altar still remains alongside the well. Open daily.

Return to: The Northwest A-1 Attractions Page

Other Sections to visit:
| The Ireland Expert | Ireland Guide | Smart Shopping | Hot News |
| Group Tours | Pat's Books | Irish Connections | "Ask Pat" Q&A Forum | 

Home