Sligo: Yeats, art and medieval traces

Sligo combines literary history, medieval architecture and a varied cultural programme. The name Yeats leads to manuscripts and a public bronze sculpture; alongside these, theatre, music and contemporary art offer different discoveries in Sligo Town. When looking for a holiday rental, you can consider whether your stay will focus mainly on the town or also include the wider destination of County Sligo.

Yeats and history in Sligo Town

At the Sligo County Museum, the Yeats Room is dedicated to William Butler Yeats. On display are manuscripts, photographs, letters and newspaper clippings, as well as a copy of his 1923 Nobel Prize medal. There is also a complete collection of his poems from 1889 to 1936. The museum also features exhibitions on Sligo’s Stone Age history, including a large barrel of 100-year-old bog butter. This brings literature and history reaching far back into the past together in different parts of the same collection.

Yeats is also present in public spaces: the contemporary bronze statue of W. B. Yeats, which stands more than two metres tall, was created by artist Rowan Gillespie. It was erected in 1989 overlooking the Garavogue River to mark the 50th anniversary of the poet’s death. The Yeats Society hosts the Yeats International Summer School and is a centre for literary culture and art in the heart of Sligo. It organises talks and guided tours on request. For guided walks covering the town’s history and geography, Sligo Walking Tours offers tours with local historian Mel Ní Mhaolanfaidh; they are available by prior arrangement.

Sligo Abbey is a Dominican priory with surviving parts of the church, sacristy and chapter house. The 15th-century cloister is particularly striking. A bus parking area for coaches and tour buses is in operation directly in front of the abbey; check the current situation before your trip.

Theatre, art and music

If you would like to compare different performing arts, the Hawk’s Well offers a broad programme: the theatre in Sligo Town has 340 seats and presents professional and amateur theatre, traditional and jazz music, opera, dance, pantomime, children’s theatre and comedy. The Model has a different focus. This contemporary arts centre offers global perspectives on art, ideas, culture and identity through an urgent, experimental and engaging programme. Its music programme includes contemporary and classical music.

For families with young children, The ImagiNation offers play activities tailored to different ages: it is aimed at toddlers, preschoolers and younger children, and is located in the Lyons Department Store in the heart of Sligo Town. Omniplex Cinema Sligo offers a different leisure option. This multiplex cinema has ten screens and offers the MAXX cinema experience. These options therefore differ according to interests and age, without requiring you to assume that they make up one programme suitable for all children.

Getting here and choosing the focus of your trip

The train service from Dublin Connolly Station stops in Ballymote, Collooney and Sligo Town, among other places. This information may help with planning your journey; it does not specify travel times or services on particular days. For your stay, it is worth deciding on your preferred focus: Yeats, the museum, theatre and art shape the choice of the town, while other landscape and cultural themes belong to the wider destination of County Sligo. Choose your holiday rental based on which of these aspects matters most for your trip.

County Sligo: tombs, coast and landscape

The wider destination of County Sligo is home to Carrowmore, Ireland’s largest and oldest collection of Neolithic tombs. More than 30 surviving monuments there are almost 6,000 years old. For a different perspective on the landscape, Streedagh Beach offers a three-kilometre sandy beach between Streedagh Point and Connor’s Island. Dunes and an estuary are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Surfing and windsurfing are possible in the coastal waters, while stand-up paddleboarding takes place in the sheltered estuary. Check sea conditions before taking part.

The Spanish Armada Visitor Centre at Streedagh Beach also tells the story of the wreck and its sole survivor through recovered artefacts and immersive exhibitions. Check current opening arrangements before your trip. Those looking to explore the scenery of County Sligo can find paths and minor roads at the foot of Benbulben, from which to discover the mountainous landscape; check local conditions before hiking. Lissadell House & Gardens is situated on the shore of Sligo Bay in the north of Sligo and was the childhood home of Countess Markievicz. Visitors can use the woodland and walking trails there.

This brings two distinct focuses together: the cultural offerings of Sligo Town and the archaeological, coastal and landscape themes of the wider County Sligo.

Discover more destinations: Easky, Derry, Tiratick, Aclare, Curry, Streedagh, Inishcrone, Cloghboley.

For the wider travel overview: County Sligo.