Book one of our Sligo hotels and discover a place whose beautiful countryside inspired the Nobel Prize-winning poet W B Yeats.
Sights
Take a guided tour of Sligo Abbey, a ruined 13th-century Dominican friary, and discover its well-preserved cloister, 15th-century altar and numerous carvings. Ballymote Castle dates from 1300 and is the last Norman castle in Connacht province.
Step back in time at Dolly's Cottage, a 200-year-old traditional stone cottage with a thatched roof and just two rooms, which retains original features including the roof beams and fireplace.
Museums and galleries
Sligo County Museum's Yeats Room has photographs, letters, manuscripts and cuttings connected with the poet, as well as a copy of his Nobel Prize medal. There are works by Irish artists - including his brother, Jack Butler Yeats – and a display on Constance Markievicz, the first woman elected to the British House of Commons. The museum also has exhibits relating to Sligo's Stone Age history.
Nearby is the Yeats Memorial Building, the home of the Yeats Society. As well as another exhibition, there is a reference library with more than 3,000 titles and audiovisual archives.
Culture
The Model houses Sligo's collection of contemporary Irish art, as well as temporary exhibitions and artists' studios. There is also a performance space for experimental theatre and contemporary and classical music, a cinema showing international films and a bookshop. The centre is known for productions that tackle difficult contemporary issues, such as war and religion.
The professional Blue Raincoat Theatre Company are based in the town and produce four to six professional productions each year, which they tour throughout Ireland and internationally.
Outdoors
The landscapes around Sligo range from mountains and woodland to farmland, wetland and coastline. There are dozens of walking trails through the countryside, including the Sligo Way from Dromahair to Larrigan. Lough Gill is a beautiful place to walk or go boating or fishing, and is home to many rare plants and animals, including the Mediterranean strawberry tree and bird's nest orchids. The coast also attracts a variety of internationally important birds and is popular with surfers and anglers.
Golfers are excellently served: there are numerous courses in the area, including the County Sligo Golf Club, Strandhill Golf Club and the course at the Castle Dargan Golf Hotel.
Eating and drinking
Tuck into stone-baked pizzas, bar meals and sandwiches at the family run Strand Bar, which hosts regular live bands and traditional music. Run by the Byrne brothers - all surfers who have competed internationally - the bar has a kids' menu and outdoor seating on the seafront in summer.
The Venue Bar and Restaurant specialises in steak and seafood and prides itself on its mussels, crabs and seafood chowder. Another popular eatery is Fabio's, a parlour serving homemade ice cream. All three are TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winners.
