County Sligo - Heritage/Historical<< Sligo Homepage |
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| Here's a selection of Sligo Heritage/Historical.Click on the 'Go to ALL' link to get the full list. |
1. Monuments |
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Carrowmore Megalithic CemeteryCo. SligoDistributed over many acres and extending into adjoining townlands, Carrowmore represents the largest grouping of megalithic monuments in Ireland, and immense Neolithic burial ground where once there may have been more than a hundred tombs. Casual exploration in the last century and present day gravel quarrying in the vicinity have devalued the archaeological potential of the site; but it is still a rewarding place to visit, steeped in atmosphere and evoking a sense of the past. The surviving monuments, some much more despoiled than others, comprise truncated passage tombs whose megalithic character derives from the huge ice-transported erratics used in the construction of the chambers. The equally massive kerbs of vanished cairns are sometimes mistaken for ritual stone circles, which they resemble. A number of the tombs here have lately been the subject of controversial dating by a team of Swedish archaeologists, whose findings suggest that they may have been built before 400 BC. To the north-west of The Carrowmore group rises the prominent hump of Knocknarea (1,014 feet), a cairn-crowned hill traditionally held to be the burial place of Queen Maeve of Connacht. The colossal cairn, 35 feet high and 200 feet across at the base, is much before her assigned period in the annals and illustrates the way in which folklore compresses time to accord with legend. Its setting and general appearance indicate a passage-tomb, though it has never been opened. To appreciate what Carrowmore may have looked like originally, one must visualise this undulating countryside without modern houses, field-fences, roads and the pock-marks of gravel workings. The hundred or so monuments dotted over this green landscape would have been more conspicuous then, many of them clearly seen from a single viewpoint as they were doubtless intended to be, a great necropolis spread out below Knocknarea, whose elevated cairn perhaps provided a focus for the tomb builders. | |
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2. Homes (Historical) |
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Irish Writer - William Butler YeatsMerville, Co. SligoShow me all the details for Irish Writer - William Butler Yeats | |
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3. Towers (Round) |
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Drumcliffe High Cross and Round TowerCo. SligoSt. Colmcille founded a monastery here about 575 on lands given by King Aedh Ainmire. Not far away, at Culderimne, the saint had been heavily involved in a battle in 561 in a dispute over the ownership of a book! The monastery seems to have been well known from the 9th to the 16th century, and was plundered by Maelseachlain O'Rourke in 1187. It was plundered again in 1267 and 1315, and the last known abbot died in 1503. The Church of Ireland church stands on the site of an older church of which nothing remains, and in front of this church the poet W.B. Yeats lies buried. Beside the road is the stump of a Round Tower which was struck by lightning in 1396. Tradition says that it will ultimately fall on the wisest man who passes it (so, if it falls on you, your wisdom will have been recognised - but too late!) To the right of the path leading from the road to the Church of Ireland church is a High Cross, consisting of what were two separate parts originally. On the east face are Adam and Eve, David slays Goliath, Daniel in the Lions' Den and Christ in Glory, while on the west face there is a Crucifixion. There is also a considerable amount of interlacing covering the surface of the cross, and there are also some imaginary animals. Show me all the details for Drumcliffe High Cross and Round Tower | |
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4. Local Tours |
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Michael Nee , Canal Stage, Co. Sligo | |
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5. Cathedrals (Historical) |
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Cathedral of the Immaculate ConceptionCo. SligoA Roman Catholic cathedral consecrated in 1874 by Cardinal Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin. The magnificent stained glass windows were installed by Loblin of Tours, France. Show me all the details for Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception | |
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6. Archaeological |
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Carrowmore Megalithic CemeteryCo. SligoDistributed over many acres and extending into adjoining townlands, Carrowmore represents the largest grouping of megalithic monuments in Ireland, and immense Neolithic burial ground where once there may have been more than a hundred tombs. Casual exploration in the last century and present day gravel quarrying in the vicinity have devalued the archaeological potential of the site; but it is still a rewarding place to visit, steeped in atmosphere and evoking a sense of the past. The surviving monuments, some much more despoiled than others, comprise truncated passage tombs whose megalithic character derives from the huge ice-transported erratics used in the construction of the chambers. The equally massive kerbs of vanished cairns are sometimes mistaken for ritual stone circles, which they resemble. A number of the tombs here have lately been the subject of controversial dating by a team of Swedish archaeologists, whose findings suggest that they may have been built before 400 BC. To the north-west of The Carrowmore group rises the prominent hump of Knocknarea (1,014 feet), a cairn-crowned hill traditionally held to be the burial place of Queen Maeve of Connacht. The colossal cairn, 35 feet high and 200 feet across at the base, is much before her assigned period in the annals and illustrates the way in which folklore compresses time to accord with legend. Its setting and general appearance indicate a passage-tomb, though it has never been opened. To appreciate what Carrowmore may have looked like originally, one must visualise this undulating countryside without modern houses, field-fences, roads and the pock-marks of gravel workings. The hundred or so monuments dotted over this green landscape would have been more conspicuous then, many of them clearly seen from a single viewpoint as they were doubtless intended to be, a great necropolis spread out below Knocknarea, whose elevated cairn perhaps provided a focus for the tomb builders. | |
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7. Castles (Historical) |
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Ballinfad CastleCo. SligoKnown as the Castle of the Curlews, this castle was built around 1590 to protect the pass over the Curlew Hills. It was garrisoned by a Constable and ten wardens from 1610 to 1626 and, after a stout resistance, had to surrender in 1641 due to lack of water. The plan of the castle is modelled on those of 13th century castles, with a small central square block dwarfed by four massive towers at the corners which are round outside and square inside. | |
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8. Forts (Historical) |
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Cashelore Stone FortCo. SligoTo the south of Lough Gill and 2km north of Ballintogher is this large oval enclosure which probably protected the house of a minor chieftain. | |
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9. Tombs |
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CreevykeelCo. SligoA magnificent, well presented full-court tomb, restored after excavation in 1935 and protected by a modern wall. One of the more accessible monuments of its type, it is situated at the rear of a cottage on the east side of the Bundoran-Sligo road, near the hamlet of Creevykeel. The long cairn is wedge-shaped and tapers sharply towards the west. The court, 50 feet in length, has straight sides and shallow curved ends. It is entered by an orthostat-lined passageway on the east. At the west end of the court is the roofed entrance to a long gallery, divided by massive jambs into two chambers in which were found cremated burials and fragments of grave goods. In addition to the main gallery and to the west of it, are three small burial chambers set into the sides of the cairn. These are seemingly contemporary with the main tomb. The orthostats flanking the entrance to the gallery are impressively large, several standing 6 feet high, whereas those lining the remainder of the court are of much lesser size. It has been suggested that this may indicate that the full-court tombs evolved from the open or forecourt type; though one might expect to find the largest stones occupying positions of importance in any case. In Early Christian times the monuments appear to have been used for domestic purposes, when a drying kiln was built in the court. Part of the walling of this structure survives. | |
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10. Crosses (Historical) |
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Drumcliffe High Cross and Round TowerCo. SligoSt. Colmcille founded a monastery here about 575 on lands given by King Aedh Ainmire. Not far away, at Culderimne, the saint had been heavily involved in a battle in 561 in a dispute over the ownership of a book! The monastery seems to have been well known from the 9th to the 16th century, and was plundered by Maelseachlain O'Rourke in 1187. It was plundered again in 1267 and 1315, and the last known abbot died in 1503. The Church of Ireland church stands on the site of an older church of which nothing remains, and in front of this church the poet W.B. Yeats lies buried. Beside the road is the stump of a Round Tower which was struck by lightning in 1396. Tradition says that it will ultimately fall on the wisest man who passes it (so, if it falls on you, your wisdom will have been recognised - but too late!) To the right of the path leading from the road to the Church of Ireland church is a High Cross, consisting of what were two separate parts originally. On the east face are Adam and Eve, David slays Goliath, Daniel in the Lions' Den and Christ in Glory, while on the west face there is a Crucifixion. There is also a considerable amount of interlacing covering the surface of the cross, and there are also some imaginary animals. Show me all the details for Drumcliffe High Cross and Round Tower | |
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11. Museums |
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Culkins Emigration MuseumMrs Mary Culkin , Cannaghanally, Co. SligoCulkin's Emigration Museum relives a poignant era when emigration was the only hope for a better life, a finality in itself, when whole families were scattered to the winds of fortune, some never to return. The Museum, on a site where once stood the gateway to new worlds in the form of Daniel Culkin's Shipping and Emigration Agency, brings back to life this landmark - which operated from the 19th century right up to the 1930's - in a purpose built modern museum, with a host of fascinating artefacts and features, such as the original shop itself, now restored and housed within the building. Refreshments available. | |
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12. Monastic Sites |
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Carrowmore Megalithic CemeteryCo. SligoDistributed over many acres and extending into adjoining townlands, Carrowmore represents the largest grouping of megalithic monuments in Ireland, and immense Neolithic burial ground where once there may have been more than a hundred tombs. Casual exploration in the last century and present day gravel quarrying in the vicinity have devalued the archaeological potential of the site; but it is still a rewarding place to visit, steeped in atmosphere and evoking a sense of the past. The surviving monuments, some much more despoiled than others, comprise truncated passage tombs whose megalithic character derives from the huge ice-transported erratics used in the construction of the chambers. The equally massive kerbs of vanished cairns are sometimes mistaken for ritual stone circles, which they resemble. A number of the tombs here have lately been the subject of controversial dating by a team of Swedish archaeologists, whose findings suggest that they may have been built before 400 BC. To the north-west of The Carrowmore group rises the prominent hump of Knocknarea (1,014 feet), a cairn-crowned hill traditionally held to be the burial place of Queen Maeve of Connacht. The colossal cairn, 35 feet high and 200 feet across at the base, is much before her assigned period in the annals and illustrates the way in which folklore compresses time to accord with legend. Its setting and general appearance indicate a passage-tomb, though it has never been opened. To appreciate what Carrowmore may have looked like originally, one must visualise this undulating countryside without modern houses, field-fences, roads and the pock-marks of gravel workings. The hundred or so monuments dotted over this green landscape would have been more conspicuous then, many of them clearly seen from a single viewpoint as they were doubtless intended to be, a great necropolis spread out below Knocknarea, whose elevated cairn perhaps provided a focus for the tomb builders. | |
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13. Gallery Graves |
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Yeat's GraveCo. SligoSix miles from Sligo lies the peaceful setting of Drumcliffe. It was here WB Yeats asked to be buried "Under Bare Ben Bulben's Head". In the nearby churchyard, a simple headstone marks the spot. A monastic establishment was founded at Drumcliffe in AD 745 by Saint Columba. There remains the lower portion of a round tower and an intricately sculptured Celtic Cross. Some of the panels are particularly interesting. | |
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14. Stones (Historical) |
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TawnatruffaunCo. SligoKnown as 'The Giant's Griddle' and recorded as such on the 1/2 inch O.S. Map, this handsome megalith is fairly well preserved despite forming part of a modern wall into which some of the cairn stones have been built. The chamber lacks at least one of its side stones, but the large capstone is still in position. A cupmarked stone is contained in the wall near the Griddle, and remains of a second tomb lie close by. This monument is not easy to find without asking directions locally, nor is access to it straight forward since it is situated in bogland which often becomes waterlogged. But with suitable footwear it is well worth a visit, a peaceful and solitary site, with the long outline of the Ox Mountains dominating the view to the south. Some distance to the west, near Owenykeevan River but elusive in a vast tract of peat, are the Great and Small Griddles of the Fiana, two ruined gallery-tombs. | |
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15. Abbeys |
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Sligo AbbeyAbbey Street, Co. SligoFounded in 1252 or 1253 for the Dominicans by Maurice Fitzgerald, 2nd Baron of Offaly, who was also founder of the town. Having escaped the ravages suffered by the now destroyed Sligo Castle in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Friary was accidentally burned in 1414, but was rebuilt two years later by Friar Bryan MacDonagh with assistance from (the other) Pope John XXIII. In 1568 O'Conor Sligo made a petition to Queen Elizabeth not to dissolve the Friary, and this was granted on the condition that the friars became secular clergy. When George Bingham was besieging the castle nearby, he occupied and badly damaged the buildings. The Friary was burned in 1641 by Sir Frederick Hamilton, and it was afterwards granted to Sir William Taffe. The church has a nave with side aisle and a south transept. The choir, with its eight lancet windows, is the oldest part of the church and dates to shortly after the foundation. The 15th century east window replaced the original three lancet windows. The altar, with carvings of a rose and a bunch of grapes, is also 15th century, as is presumably also the tower. An unusual feature is the 15th century rood-screen (partly reconstructed) which ran across the church separating the choir from the nave. The transept was added in the 16th century. In a recess in the north wall of the nave is the O'Crean tomb dated to 1506, bearing panels in front with the Crucifixion in the centre, the Virgin Mary and St. John on either side; other figures are probably to be identified as St. Dominic (in friar's robes), St. Katherine (with remains of a wheel), St. Peter (with keys), St. Michael (with shield and raised sword), and there are other unidentified figures. The easternmost lancet window in the south wall was blocked up to accommodate the O'Conor Sligo monument of 1624, with a Crucifixion on the top, below it SS Peter and Paul (?), and below them Sir Donagh O'Conor and his wife Elinor. The sacristy and the chapter house beside the cloister are both 13th century buildings, but the cloister itself and the other buildings around it were built in the 15th century. Note the head on the pillar in the north-west corner, and the window in the north wall of the first floor where the reader in the refectory had his desk. | |
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16. Friaries |
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Ballindoon FriaryCo. SligoOverlooking Lough Arrow, this Dominican friary was founded in 1507 and stands today as a complete16th century ruin with no later appendages. There is a headstone in the nave dating from 1717. | |
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17. Churches (Historical) |
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Ballysadare ChurchCo. SligoSituated on the site of an older monastery founded by St. Feichin of Fore in the 7th century, this is a 13th century or later church incorporating 12th century features including a doorway and mouldings at the corners. The doorway has an arch of heads covered by a hood moulding, and there may have been a tympanum. The capitals have rather worn representations of imaginary beasts. The monks later moved to a spot 300 yards westwards, below the present quarry, where a church with an inserted 15th century tower with well-sculpted details remains. | |
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18. Monastery |
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Inishkea North Early MonasteryInishkea North, Co. SligoThe island is now only occasionally inhabited by fishermen, but in the Early Christian period is supported an apparently flourishing monastery. The most conspicuous thing on the island is the Bailey Mor, a large mound 500 feet in diameter, and 60 feet high, on which beehive huts and square houses were found. One of these houses contained an Early Christian cross-slab with the Crucifixion on it. some other cross-slabs have also been found. A great number of purpura shells came to light, with which the monks used to produce a blue dye for manuscript illumination, clothes dying etc. On the island there is also a rectangular church dedicated to St. Colmcille. | |
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19. Wells (Historical) |
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Sligo Holy Welltobernalt, Co. SligoAn historic place of pilgrimage. Well worth a visit to experience the peace and tranquility concealed in a woodland area. | |
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20. Cairn |
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Heapstown Stone CairnCo. SligoA fine burial mound about 20 feet high, consisting almost entirely of stones piled on top of one another. many of the large stones surrounding the base of the mound can still be seen. The mound presumably harbours a Passage-tomb underneath it which has never been opened. | |
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