Sligo - Sligo

Sligo (Sligeach) is the capital of the homonymous county in thewest ofIreland.

To know

Known for being a quiet town close to the coast, Sligo has experienced some development in recent years and today offers so much more in the way of shopping, entertainment and more. Above all, it is an excellent base for exploring the Atlantic coast of Ireland and some of the country's most fascinating natural areas such as Connemara and the neighboring counties of Mayo and Donegal.

Sligo is the brothers' homeland Yeats, William Butler, well-known poet born in Dublin and Jack Butler Yeats, a painter who portrayed the beauty of County Sligo's landscapes in his canvases.

Geographical notes

Sligo is surrounded by Dartry Mountains to the north, the Ox Mountains to the south, and Sligo Bay and the ocean to the west. The Dartry range includes the famous Mount Ben Bulben. Knocknarea Mountain, 5km west of the city is known for the stone structures at the top, a Neolithic burial site.

Background

The Irish name for Sligo Sligeach (pronounced Sclii-gok, which means the place of shells), derives from the large number of shells found along the river and in its estuary comes and from the Stone Age sites where food was prepared. The river (now called Garavogue) was once also called Sligeach. The entire area is also rich in evidence dating back to the Mesolithic period

Sligo was an important place already in the Neolithic era as evidenced by the numerous archaeological sites that are nearby. Of particular interest are the tombs near Carrowmore. Archaeological excavations have shown that Magheraboy, a suburb of Sligo, was a Neolithic settlement and there are traces of stable human activity from the last centuries of the fifth millennium BC.

Maurice Fitzgerald, Ireland's great medieval executioner, is said to have founded the medieval city of Sligo by building the castle in 1245. As a result, the city became an important trading post. Sligo Abbey is the only medieval building left in the city.

How to orient yourself

The center of Sligo is crossed by the Caravogue, a short emissary stream of the nearby Lough Gill which flows into the deep Sligo Bay after a few kilometers.

On the left bank of the Caravogue are the Cathedral of St. John and that of the Immaculate Conception as well as the abbey of Sligo. On the opposite bank is the Niland Gallery.

O'Connell Street is the main street of the city.

How to get

By plane

Sligo is equipped with a small airport where the planes of the Aer Arann^{[link not working]} coming from Dublin.

The nearest airport is that of Ireland West in Charlestown in County Mayo. It mainly makes connections with cities in Great Britain.

The other closest airport is that of Galway about 130 km from the city.

By car

From Dublin just take the M4 and N4 north-west towards Sligo which is approximately 200km away. From Galway just take the N17 northbound.

On the train

The quickest way to get to Sligo from Italy is to land in Dublin and then take a train from Connolly Station downtown. Frequent trains of the Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) commute between Sligo and the capital Irish. The trip takes about 3 hours. If you travel on weekends you will pay a higher price than on weekdays.

Check the Irish Railways website for up-to-date information and to book tickets.

By bus

Traveling by bus is cheaper than traveling by train but less comfortable.

The bus lines Bus Éireann they run six times a day for Dublin is Galway. For Belfast there are 3 trips a day with change of bus at the stations of Enniskillen is Dungannon.

The bus lines Feda O'Donnell Coaches they serve the centers of Galway and of Gweedore in the county of Donegal.

How to get around

Sligo is small enough to be explored on foot, the center can be crossed entirely in a few minutes.

By public transport

There are several buses connecting some nearby towns, in particular the coastal areas of Strandhill and Rosses Point which are among the most visited by tourists.

What see

• Sligo Abbey (Dominican Friary), ☎ 353 71 914 6406, fax: 353 71914 9909, @[email protected]. Built by the founder of the city Maurice FitzGerald around 1253, destroyed by fire in 1414, rebuilt as it appears now; the abbey was burned down in 1642 and all that was valuable has been lost. Much of the structure including choir, altar and cloister remain. 
• Carrowmore. Megalithic necropolis. 
• Famine Memorial, Quay Street Car-park. Free. Mon-Sun 00: 00-24: 00. One of the sculptures commissioned by the Sligo Famine Commemoration Committee to honor the victims of the Great Famine (1845–1849), when over 30,000 people emigrated from the port of Sligo, A plaque that says 'Letter to America, January 2, 1850' tells the sad story of a family. 

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

How to have fun

Night clubs

• Thomas Connolly, Holborn Street, ☎ 353 71 9167377. Sligo's oldest pub, full of charm. It is said that here you can drink some of the best Guinness in all of Ireland. 
• ^{[link not working]}Fiddler's Creek, Rockwood Parade, ☎ 353 71 914 1866, fax: 353 71 914 1864, @[email protected]. 
• McGarrigles, 11 O'Connell Street, ☎ 353 71 917 1193. 
• McHughs, Grattan Street, ☎ 353 71 914 2030. 
• ^{[link not working]}Shoot The Crows, Market Cross, Grattan Street, ☎ 353 71 916 2554, @[email protected]. Founded in 1876. 
• The Stables (O'Hehir's), Wine Street, ☎ 353 71 914 2280. 
• McLynn's, Old Market St., ☎ 353 71 9142088. Traditional pub. 

Where to eat

In recent years the quantity and quality of restaurants in Sligo has greatly increased and improved. Remember that many of the hotels in the city have their own restaurant.

Moderate prices

• ^{[link not working]}Cafe Mauds, Unit 26, Quayside Shopping Center, ☎ 353 71 912 8447, fax: 353 71 912 8447. Sandwiches, sweets, coffee, ice cream. 
• Pepper Alley, Rockwood Parade, ☎ 353 71 917 0720, fax: 353 71 917 0720. They make sandwiches of various kinds, very popular at lunchtime. 

Average prices

• Poppadom Restaurant, 34 O'Connell Street, ☎ 353 71 914 7171. Asian cuisine 
• ^{[link not working]}Fiddler's Creek, Rockwood Parade, ☎ 353 71 914 1866, fax: 353 71 914 1864, @[email protected]. Traditional Irish cuisine 
• Mardees, 25 Castle Street, ☎ 353 71 914 7637. 
• Bistro Bianconi, O'Connell Street, ☎ 353 71 914 1744. M-Sa: lunch: 12:30 PM-2:30PM, dinner: 5:30 PM-late. Italian cuisine and pizza. 

High prices

• ^{[link not working]}Coach Lane (Donaghy's Bar), 1-2 Lord Edward Street, ☎ 353 71 916 2417. 5 PM-10PM daily. 

Where stay

Moderate prices

• Harbor House (Sligo International Tourist Hostel), Finisklin Road, ☎ 353 71 917 1547, 353 086 259 8293 (mobile), fax: 353 71 917 1547, @[email protected]. Hostel. 
• White House Hostel, Markievicz Road, ☎ 353 71 914 5160, fax: 353 71 914 4456. Hostel. 
• [www.therailway.ieThe Railway Hostel], 1 Union Place, ☎ 353 71 914 4530, @[email protected]. Bed in dormitory € 16, double / twin € 40. Check in: 11:00, check-out: 10:30. Hostel. 

Average prices

• ^{[link not working]}Clarence Hotel, Wine Street, ☎ 353 71 916 2145, @[email protected]. 
• Clarion Hotel, Clarion Road, ☎ 353 71 911 9000, fax: 353 71 911 9001, @[email protected]. 
• The Glasshouse (formerly the Silver Swan Hotel), Swan Point, Hyde Bridge, ☎ 353 71 919 4300, ☎ 353 1890 300 106 (only in Ireland), fax: 353 71 919 4301, @[email protected]. Unmistakable, it looks like the prow of a ship. 
• Innisfree Hotel, High Street, ☎ 353 71 914 2014, @[email protected]. 
• Ocean Sands Hotel Enniscrone Co. Sligo (Sligo Hotels Enniscrone, Ocean Sands Hotel), Enniscrone, ☎ 353 96 26700, fax: 353 96 26701, @[email protected]. 
• Radisson SAS Hotel & Spa, Ballincar, ☎ 353 71 914 0008, fax: 353 71 914 0005, @[email protected]. 
• Sligo City Hotel, Quay Street, ☎ 353 71 914 4000, fax: 353 71 914 6888, @[email protected]. 
• The Sligo Park Hotel, Old Dublin Road, ☎ 353 71 919 0400, fax: 353 71 916 9556, @[email protected]. 
• Best Western Sligo Southern Hotel, Strandhill Road, ☎ 353 71 916 2101, fax: 353 71 916 0328, @[email protected]. 

Bed and Breakfast

Most bed and breakfasts are mainly on the old Dublin road (Pearse Road, R287), Cairns Hill (exits from the R287, left at the lights of the Gaelic football field, Markievicz Park) and Bundoran road (N16). From 30 to 35 euros per person.

• Philmar House B and B (In Ballincar on the R291 between Rosses Point and Sligo just 200 meters from the Radisson Blu Hotel), ☎ 353 71 9145014. 

Apartments

• Milligan Place, Lake Isle Road, ☎ 353 71 913 8945, fax: 353 71 914 9768, @[email protected]. 
• Yeats Village, Ballinode, ☎ 353 71 913 8945, @[email protected]. 
• ^{[link not working]}Clarion Holiday Village and The Grove Clarion, Clarion Road, Ballinode, ☎ 353 71 913 8945, @[email protected]. 
• Gateway Apartments, Ballinode, ☎ 353 71 91 45618, fax: 353 71 9147317, @[email protected]. Check in: 24/7, check-out: 11AM. 
• ^{[link not working]}Ballyeasken House, Templeboy, Co, ☎ 353 096 47435, @[email protected]. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Sligo is well placed for exploring the North West of Ireland and the Lakeland, here are some of the nearest destinations:

• County of Sligo
  • Carrowmore, Knocknarea peninsula. Prehistoric burial site. There are around 30 megalithic tombs older than Newgrange or Knowth (in eastern Ireland) and older than the Egyptian pyramids. 
  • Rosses Point (on the R291 from Sligo). Rosses Point it is a beautiful coastal village with a beautiful beach. The sea is very cold but it is a safe place. 
  • Strandhill (on the R292 from Sligo). The village is not as beautiful as Rosses Point, but it has a great beach. Swimming here is dangerous but a popular spot for surfers. 
  • Knocknarea Mountain (Queen Maedbh's Cairn), Strandhill (on the R292 from Sligo, signposted on the left). 305 meters high, it can be climbed in half an hour. Fantastic views of the coast and with a tomb on top, according to legend it is the tomb of the Celtic warrior Queen Maedbh (pronounced May-v). Do not touch the tombstones, a lot of damage has already been done. 
  • Ben Bulben. The flat mountain that dominates the landscape to the north can be climbed in about an hour. It is said that Diarmuid and Gráinne, lovers of the Fenian cycle of Irish mythology, rest here. 
  • Coney Island (on the R292, about 4km on the right there is a small sign). It is said to have given its name to the locality of the same name New York. In Irish it is called Oilean na gCoiníní (Rabbit Island, Coinín it means rabbit). The bravest can drive on the beach if the tide is low but be careful because every year someone gets stuck. 
• Donegal County — The forgotten county, Donegal offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Ireland. It is also one of the least developed and wildest areas on the island.
• Leitrim County - The least populated county in the country, also for this reason there are few tourist facilities.
  • Glencar Waterfall, Glencar, County Leitrim (N16 north from Sligo towards Manorhamilton, look for signs left for Glencar, approximately 15km from Sligo). Stunning waterfall in a narrow valley, also celebrated by the poet W.B. Yeats in poetry The Stolen Child:Where the wandering water gushes / From the hills above Glencar, / In pools among the rushes / That scarce could bathe a star. 
• County of Mayo
  • Achill Island - Magnificent beaches suitable for families.
• Galway County
  • Galway - Very lively city full of university students and tourists.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Sligo
• Commons contains images or other files on Sligo

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