Cloonacool on the River Moy and at the foot of the Ox Mountains

Cloonacool lies at the foot of the Ox Mountains, and the River Moy flows through the village. These two geographical features shape the character of the village and give your trip a distinctive landscape setting. They are joined by buildings with a history of their own and a festival that celebrates the local tradition of sheep farming. If you are looking for a village with scenery, architecture and a special event theme for your holiday, Cloonacool offers several starting points for your explorations.

The River Moy, Mad River and Cloonacool Village Bridge

The River Moy runs through Cloonacool. The Mad River flows east of the village and joins the Moy south of Cloonacool. Cloonacool Village Bridge adds a striking architectural feature: it is a tall, semicircular limestone arch in a rocky ravine, spanning the Mad River. As a protected structure, the bridge is also part of the village’s built heritage. If you are interested in construction and materials, it offers a specific reason to look closely at the arch shape and limestone.

St Michael’s Church and the village’s history

St Michael’s Church (RC) in Cloonacool is a detached, single-cell church dating from around 1830. St Michael’s RC Church is also designated as a protected structure. If you enjoy including historic architecture in your trip, you can see the church and bridge as two different examples of local built heritage: a single-cell church on the one hand, and a tall limestone arch over the Mad River on the other. The description of the church focuses on its detached form and single-cell plan without requiring any particular architectural style to be assumed.

The Sheep Festival in September

A four-day festival is held in Cloonacool every September to celebrate the local tradition of sheep farming. The programme includes sheep-shearing demonstrations. This means the focus is not simply on a general village fair, but on a specific farming tradition and a lively demonstration. For families, this theme can be a special conversation starter: the demonstrations make sheep farming a tangible part of the festival experience. The festival and its duration offer a distinct travel experience alongside the rivers and protected structures. If you would like to plan your stay around this event, take September and the four-day festival into account when arranging your trip.

Choosing accommodation

Cloonacool is served by Bus Éireann route 479 and Local Link. Both services are useful starting points for planning your journey; check the connections that suit your travel dates before choosing your accommodation. The village’s local features also offer different ways to focus your stay: you may be especially interested in the riverside scenery, the protected structures or the Sheep Festival. A holiday rental in Cloonacool can serve as a base for a stay in the village; the location that suits you depends on which of these interests you want to prioritise. Keep information about transport connections and accommodation location separate when making your plans.

If you would like to explore nearby places, find Ballygawley, Derry, Riverstown, Collooney, Barroe, Geevagh, Aclare and Castlebaldwin here.

For the broader travel overview: County Sligo.