The Surrounding Countryside
The area around Sligo Town is known for its ancient burial grounds and pagan sites, some dating from the Stone Age. As you drive down country lanes, you'll often spy a dolmen (ancient stone table) in pastures with sheep or ponies grazing casually around it. The presence of so many burial sites and of the stacked stones of mysterious ancient religions makes this a particularly fascinating section of the country. Some are open to the public, but most are not, and the Irish are passionate about property rights, so don't go clambering over a fence for a better photo without getting permission first.
To plunge in at the deep end of ancient sites, stop by the vast and strangely beautiful Carrowmore. It's a huge Neolithic cemetery that once contained as many as 200 passage tombs, some predating Newgrange by 500 years. From Carrowmore, you can see the hilltop cairn grave of Knocknarea as a lump atop the large hill in the distance. Local legend has it that this is the grave of the "fairy queen" Queen Maeve (Queen Mab in Shakespeare plays). If you have the energy to make the relatively gentle 30-minute climb to the top, the views are extraordinary. (Knocknarea is on the same road as Carrowmore -- follow signs for "Mescan Meadhbha Chambered Cairn.") From Carrowmore and Knocknarea, it's about an hour's drive to the Neolithic mountaintop cemetery of Carrowkeel, which offers an unforgettable experience: After a breathtaking ascent on foot, you'll find yourself alone with the past. The tombs face Carrowmore below and are aligned with the summer solstice.
At the foot of Knocknarea is Strandhill, 8km (5 miles) from Sligo Town. This delightful resort area stretches into Sligo Bay, with a sand-duned beach and a patch of land nearby called Coney Island, which is usually credited with lending its name to the New York beach amusement area. Across the bay is another resort, Rosses Point.
Northwest of Sligo Bay, 6km (3 3/4 miles) offshore, lies the uninhabited island of Inishmurray, which contains the haunting ruins of a very early monastic settlement. Founded in the 6th century and destroyed by the Vikings in 807, the monastery of St. Molaise contains in its circular walls the remains of several churches, beehive cells, altars, and an assemblage of "cursing stones" once used to bring ruin on those who presumably deserved it. For transportation to the island, ask at the tourism office, or call Joe McGowan (tel. 071/916-6267) or Brendan Merrifield (tel. 071/914-1874).
Aside from this ancient history and waterfront beauty, most of the rest of Sligo's attractions are associated in some way with the poet William Butler Yeats.
