Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [396]
Laura’s ( 071-916 3056; Carney; mains €16-34; lunch Sun, dinner nightly) The heart and soul of the seaside hamlet of Carney is this old-fashioned strawberry-and-cream-painted pub/restaurant, which spills from the bar into a number of rooms as well as a sunny alfresco area. It’s run by one of Sligo’s best fishmongers, and the all-organic, cooked-to-order menu concentrates almost solely on local catches, from crab claws and calamari starters to baked cod and trout fillet mains.
Henry’s Bar & Restaurant ( 071-917 3985; Cashelgarran; mains €14-25; food served noon-9.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm & 6-9.30pm Sun) Since it opened in 2008, this sprawling modern expanse of timber and glass has been a winner with families for its easygoing attitude and solid Irish menu with kid-friendly options.
Yeats Tavern ( 071-916 3117; N15, Drumcliff; mains €14.50-26; food served noon-9.30pm) This smart, contemporary pub/restaurant is popular for a pint or Irish coffee, but especially for its seafood which includes local Drumcliff Bay mussels and Lissadell clams. It’s about 300m north of Yeats’ grave.
Lough Glencar
Straddling counties Sligo and Leitrim, this picturesque lake is famed for fishing as well as its beautiful waterfall, and was referred to by Yeats in The Stolen Child. The surrounding countryside is best enjoyed by walking east and taking the steep trail north to the valley.
From Drumcliff it’s less than 5km to the lake’s western shores. There’s an infrequent Bus Éireann ( 071-60066) service from Sligo – call for details.
Streedagh & Grange
From the village of Grange, signs point towards Streedagh Beach, a grand crescent of sand that saw some 1100 sailors perish when three ships from the Spanish Armada were wrecked nearby. Views extend from the beach to the cliffs at Slieve League. Locals regularly swim here, even in winter.
Note that horse riding is currently not allowed on the beach. However, a variety of guided riding opportunities are available at Island View Riding Stables ( 071-916 6156; www.islandviewridingstables.com; Grange; adult/child per hr €25/18).
Mullaghmore
Sligo’s only Blue Flag beach, Mullaghmore (An Mullach Mór), is a sweeping arc of dark-golden sand and safe shallow waters. (It wasn’t so safe for Lord Mountbatten when the IRA rigged his boat with explosives and assassinated him here in 1979.)
Take time to cycle or drive the scenic road looping around Mullaghmore Head, where wide shafts of rock slice into the Atlantic surf. En route you’ll pass Classiebawn Castle (closed to the public), a neo-Gothic turreted pile built for Lord Palmerston in 1856 and later home to the ill-fated Lord Mountbatten.
Mullaghmore’s clear waters, rocky outcrops and coves are ideal for diving. Offshore Watersports ( 071-919 4769, 087 610 0111; www.offshore.ie; The Pier) runs dive trips and rents gear.
Would-be explorers might consider a boat trip to uninhabited Inishmurray Island (see boxed text, opposite).
Creevykeel Goort Cairn
Shaped like a lobster’s claw, this prehistoric court tomb (admission free; dawn-dusk) encloses several burial chambers. The structure was originally constructed around 2500 BC, with several more chambers added later. Once in the unroofed oval court, smaller visitors can duck under the stone-shielded entrance to reach the site’s core.
The tomb is north of Cliffony on the N15.
Sleeping & Eating
Benwiskin Centre ( 071-917 6721; www.benwiskincentre.com; Ballintrillick; dm/tw/f €17/50/68; ) This 26-bed hostel initially strikes you as somewhat institutional (it’s also a community centre), but the staff are wonderful and the setting couldn’t be more picturesque. Lime-green dorms are impeccably clean and have their own bathroom, and there’s a well-equipped self-catering kitchen and leafy garden. Take the lane by Creevykeel and follow signs 4km east of Cliffony.
Pier Head Hotel ( 071-916 6171; www.pierheadhotel.ie; Mullaghmore;