Best Things to Do in the Lovely Leitrim!

Best Things to Do in the Lovely Leitrim!

The lovely Leitrim has loads to see and do, Leitrim is located on the amazing Wild Atlantic Way route. The county is underrated by many. The county has heaps of things to see and do, old buildings, castles, outdoor activities, and really cool attractions.  

The population of Leitrim is 32,044 people.  Leitrim is 156 kilometres from the capital city of Dublin, this journey would take around two hours and fifteen minutes. The town of Carrick on Shannon has loads to keep you busy, the town is a boating hub with some nice boat trips to take along the River Shannon.

The River Shannon is the largest river in the whole of the Emerald Isle, it covers 224 miles along the island.  Leitrim is the twenty-sixth largest of the 32 counties of Ireland, it’s the smallest in the Connacht region in terms of population and size.

The county is boarding with a number of other Irish counties, Cavan, Fermanagh and Roscommon are all located right next to the lovely Leitrim. Sligo is a neighbouring county to the West of Leitrim. The lovely area of Donegal is quite close to Leitrim, and the county is close to the border of Northern Ireland.

See my post on Whats in the Irish Breakfast here!

Stay the night in a Lough Rynn Castle!

This stunning castle is located in the lovely Leitrim, it’s an amazing hotel. Lough Rynn Castle Estate and Gardens is located in the area of Moyhill, it’s around a 15-minute drive from Carrick on Shannon which is the biggest town in Leitrim.

The estate and gardens date back to 1621, the castle was refurbished and extended in the year 1889. Lough Rynn Castle is another cracker of a hotel we have in Ireland, it has some beautiful classical features that make these type of properties so appealing.

The walled gardens in this estate are really stunning, there are in amazing shape and surrounded by water. The gardens provide tasty vegetables, herbs and fruits for the kitchen in the hotel, the kitchen benefits from fresh produce which makes the food at Lough Rynn truly spectacular.

The rooms have a classical and modern decor, the old blended with the new that creates an inviting feel.  The different room types offer four-poster beds, large suites and hot tubs in some rooms. There is self-catering accommodation available. These superb 3-bedroom houses are the perfect place to base yourself while visiting Leitrim.

The dining experience is second to none in this castle hotel. The hotel caters for large weddings, it’s an amazing location for a wedding.

Take a look at Glencar Waterfall!

This magnificent waterfall is located very close to the beautiful Glencar lake. The large waterfall is located around thirteen kilometres from Sligo Town. The waterfall is in a lovely area that is very popular with people walking and hiking.

Glencar Waterfall is fifty feet in height, tis no small waterfall. The waterfall is known as the “The Devils Chimney”. Glencar Waterfall is mentioned by the great poet Willam Butler Yeats. Yeats was taken by the waterfall and he wrote a poem called “The Stolen Child” , that references the waterfall. Willam Butler Yeats won the Noble Prize in the year 1923 for literature, his poems are magic to the ears!

Parts of Yeats poem reads

Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star.

You definitely need to pop over to Glencar waterfall for a look while in Leitrim!

Pop over to Glenview Folk Museum!

This museum takes you back to the 1930s in Ireland when things were very different, there is a full street scene to check out in this museum. The street scene was put together to give a feel for the 1930s in the Emerald Isle, it’s like going back in time visiting the Glenview Folk Museum. The museum is located in Aghoo, Ballinamore, County Leitrim.

It’s around a 30-minute drive from Carrick on Shannon. The museum has over 700 items to see, everything from old household items to furniture. There is some butter making gear to see, you will learn how the people of Ireland made butter back in the day with some elbow grease, this butter was super creamery and delicious.

There is a really nice old vintage Volkswagen Beetle to see, it’s in superb condition for the year! There are over 400 eggs cups to see and a huge collection of old posters and signs from many years ago! It’s a really nice museum in the lovely Leitrim!

Explore Corracloona Court Tomb!

This tomb is super old, older than the hills as we say in Ireland!! It’s an amazing piece of history. We have some many old tombs and dolmens in Ireland. Corracloona Court tomb is also called “Prince Connells Grave”.

The tomb dates between 1500 to 2000 BC, now that’s old! The tomb was excavated in the year 1963 and various items were discovered. They found some arrowheads, flint pottery and some Neolithic hollow scrapers.  The tomb has a small courtyard that leads in the old burial chamber. If you’re into history this site is one to check out!

There is an old” kennel hole” that used to house the door and amazingly the door stone still remains in the tomb which is most unusual. The tomb is located in the area of Corracloona, Co. Leitrim. You have to check it out!

Take a look around Parkes Castle!

Parkes Castle is another cool attraction to see in Leitrim, the castle is located on the edge of the Lough Gill in County Leitrim.  The castle has been restored, it dates from the 17th century. The restoration project involved highly skilled tradesmen. 

There was evidence of an earlier structure at the site. The castle is opened to the public. There is a guided tour of the building and grounds with an audiovisual display that explains everything about Parkes Castle. There is a stunning scenic route from the banks of Lough Gill to Parkes Castle. There are boat tours from Parkes Castle which takes in all of the local areas.

Address: Parke’s Castle, Kilmore, Fivemilebourne, County Leitrim,.

Post Code –  F91 FP71

Rent Out a Boat in Carrick on Shannon!

Taking a boat trip is a great way to spend a few hours especially if the sun is shining and it’s a nice day. Carrick on Shannon Cruise Company rent really nice boats and you cruise along the River Shannon. Renting out a cruiser can be great fun and a nice way to see the largest river in Ireland.  You could try some fishing too on the River Shannon!  

There are a number of companies offering cruises and self-catering rentals that sleep up to seven people. You can travel a long distance on the River Shannon towards Killaloe in County Clare or up towards Enniskillen.

Go for a Spin on an Electric Bike!

You can hire out electric bikes and go on biking trails, it’s a great way to enjoy the great outdoors’s. It is a great activity for families and children, you can cruise through woodlands and see loads of beautiful Irish county side.

There are a number of routes you can travel along including Shannon Blue way cycling acres and Lough Key Forest Park.  The biking trail is perfect for elderly people who just want to sit back on the electric bike and cruise along nice and handy.

Visit the Arigna Mining Experience!

This cool attraction is something really interesting. The Arigna Mining Experience is an old coal mine now turned in a visitor experience.

The visitor centre offers tours of the old coal mine, you will learn about its history and geology! There are sound and lighting displays and informational displays.

You will learn about the ESB Power station located in Arigna which was the first of its kind in the Connacht area. The power station used to be powered by coal, the power station needs an amazing fifty thousand tonnes of coal every year to keep it going. It a really nice visitor centre with a nice little cafe to help you chill out after you have done the tour and take in the coal mine!

I hope you find this post useful, I welcome any question or suggestions by email to info@allthings-ireland.com

Thanks

John C

All Things Ireland