The town of Sligo – things to do and see

Last updated on November 10, 2024

Sligo is a small and pleasant town in the north-west of Ireland. And if you take a closer look, there is an amazing amount to discover in and around Sligo….

Page Contents (click line to jump the text)

Sligo City Hall (photo by Marco Manca on Google Maps)

Intro

In Sligo, you will come across W.B. Yeats again and again. The abbreviation stands for William Butler Yeats, the famous Irish writer. Although he was born in Dublin, he spent a large part of his life and work here in County Sligo, where he is also buried.

So, that’s it for the culture section – it didn’t hurt at all! No, joke, there are still a few beautiful sights to discover in and around Sligo.

The art, music and culture scene is very lively, by the way – you’ll also find a few nice “treats” in Sligo.

The city’s landmark, the famous Ben Bulben Table Mountain, is also one of the sights and outdoor activities that can be explored around Sligo.

Outdoor fans can also go hiking, kayaking, swimming or surfing on one of the fantastic sandy beaches just outside the city.

A stroll through the farmers market and the pub with Irish live music round off the visit.

But I don’t want to give you a plan in this article, I just want to show you options (with further links) from which you can put together your desired programme for Sligo.

Let’s get started…

Lissadell Beach (photo by Marco Manca on Google Maps)

Sightseeing

Sligo Abbey: The ruins of a Dominican monastery from the 13th century are located right in the centre of the town. See: https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/sligo-abbey/.

Yeats Building: A centre in memory of the famous poet W.B. Yeats, who lived in County Sligo. See: https://www.yeatssociety.com/.

The Model: A contemporary art centre with changing exhibitions. See: https://themodel.ie/.

Sligo County Museum: A small museum showcasing the history of the region. See: https://sligolibrary.ie/museum/.

Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery: One of the largest and oldest collections of megalithic tombs in Ireland. https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/carrowmore-megalithic-cemetery/. Also within sight is Knocknarea, a mountain with the prehistoric burial mound of Queen Maeve on the summit.

Sligo Abbey (photo by Jasper van Laanen on Google Maps)

Music and Culture

Hawk’s Well Theatre: A small theatre with a varied programme. See: https://www.hawkswell.com/.

The Garavogue Bar: A popular pub for traditional Irish music. See: https://garavoguebar.ie/.

Sligo Live: An annual music festival focussing on folk, roots and indigenous music. See: https://sligolive.ie/.

Sligo Jazz Project: An annual jazz festival in Sligo. See: https://sligojazz.ie/.

Mc Lynn’s Bar: A traditional Irish pub with live music. See: https://www.mclynnsbar.com/.

Gracie’s Bar: Another interesting pub with live music in Sligo. See: https://graciesbars.com/.

Sligo Cathedral (photo by Juergen Brueckner on Google Maps)

Food and Drink

Hargadons Bros: A historic pub and restaurant known for good food and a good pint. See: https://www.hargadons.com/.

Eala Bhán: An upscale restaurant with a focus on local ingredients. See: https://www.ealabhan.ie/.

WB’s Coffee House: A cosy café named after the famous writer William Butler Yeats. See: https://wbscoffeehouse.ie/.

The Embassy Steak House: Trendy, chic and an upscale steakhouse with a special atmosphere. See: https://embassygrill.eu/.

Lyons Cafe and Bakeshop: Lunch or teatime – everything homemade and prepared with love. See: https://lyonscafe.com/.

Sligo at night (photo by Emilia Fafara on Google Maps)

Guided Tours

Seatrails: Guided walks and archaeology tours in the region. https://seatrails.ie/.

Sligo Kayak Tours: Guided kayak tours on Sligo’s inland waters and coastline. https://sligokayaktours.com/.

Sligo Walking Tours: Exploring the town and its history on foot See: https://sligowalkingtours.com/.

Boat Tour: A catered boat trip on the beautiful Lough Gill near Sligo, see: https://roseofinnisfree.com/.

Hazelwood Forest (photo by Kalar Gone on Google Maps)

Self guided tours and outdoor-activities

Yeats Country Drive: A scenic drive to places associated with W.B. Yeats. See: https://www.yeatstrail.ie/route/.

Sligo Town Walking Trail: A signposted walk around the town’s main attractions See: https://sligowalks.ie/walks/tour-of-sligo-town/.

Glencar Waterfall: A beautiful waterfall mentioned in Yeats’ poem “The Stolen Child”. The waterfall lies below the Ben Bulben massif on Glencar Lough, a few kilometres north of Sligo (and therefore in County Leitrim). See: https://leitrimtourism.com/treasured-landscapes/glencar-waterfall/.

Rosses Point: A picturesque coastal village with beautiful beaches and walking trails. See: https://rossespoint.ie/history-and-folklore/.

Mullaghmore: A pretty coastal village with a beautiful beach and harbour a little north of Sligo. See: https://www.discoverireland.ie/sligo/mullaghmore-head.

Strandhill Beach: A popular beach for surfing and walking, the home beach of Sligo, so to speak. Insider tip: There is much more sandy beach at low tide than at high tide! See: https://gostrandhill.com/.

Strandhill Golf Club: There is a wonderful links golf course in the dunes on Strandhill Beach. See: https://www.strandhillgolfclub.com/.

Hazelwood Forest: A beautiful woodland area with walking trails right next to Lough Gill.

Benbulben Forest Walk: A walking trail at the foot of the iconic Benbulben Table Mountain. See: https://sligowalks.ie/walks/benbulbin-gortarowey-looped-walk/.

Parke’s Castle: A beautiful castle right on Lough Gill. See: https://heritageireland.ie/visit/places-to-visit/parkes-castle/.

Ben Bulben Horseshoe (photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)

More Activities

Eagles Flying: A bird of prey centre with daily flight shows. See: https://eaglesflying.com/.

Sligo Races: Horse racing at Sligo Racecourse. See: https://www.countysligoraces.com/.

Voya Seaweed Baths: Traditional seaweed baths in Strandhill. See: https://voyaseaweedbaths.com/.

Sligo Folk Park: An open-air museum showcasing rural life in the 19th century. See: https://www.sligofolkpark.com/.

Coolaney Mountain Bike Trail: Mountain bike trails for different levels of difficulty. There is also a bike hire centre. See: https://www.coillte.ie/site/coolaney-mtb/.

Rathcormac Craft Village: A charming village near Sligo with craft shops and cafes.

Sligo Farmers Market: A weekly market with local produce (Saturdays). See: https://www.discoverireland.ie/sligo/it-sligo-farmers-market.

Parke`s Castle (photo by David Rundle on Google Maps)

Conclusion

As you can see, there is so much to see and do in and around Sligo. This makes the small town a great place to stay on your trip to Ireland.

From here, it’s also only a stone’s throw to the equally lovely town of Donegal – I’ve linked my article on this below.

But for now, I wish you lots of fun in Sligo!