Sligo Town Heritage Guide

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 1.9 miles / 3.1 km
Duration: 1-3 hours

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Overview: This audio tour of Sligo Town tells you some of the more interesting stories about the people and places of the town. Yeats is not the only writer who has Sligo & its environs to thank for inspiring some of his best work; writers as diverse as Spike Milligan, Sebastian Barry and even Bram Stoker have used the streets and stories of Sligo in their works as we'll tell you. There's an emphasis on heritage and cultural, but there are plenty of humourous moments and a few surprises along the way.

Tips: Weather in the north west of Ireland can be changeable, so make sure you bring an umbrella and rain gear. Good comfortable sturdy footwear will serve you well. This is a stroll that deserves time, be it having a proper look in Wine street car park for the Pollexfen look out turret, enjoying the museum, Connolly's, The Model or the abbey so factor this in - you will be well rewarded for doing so.

The guide is offered subject to acceptance of the Licence Agreement, which is linked on the right hand column of this page. If you are downloading, we recommend the use of the EveryTrail PRO app, which allows for offline map usage of the guide.

Points of Interest

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Sligo Tourism Office

Starting point of the walking tour and one stop shop for all tourist information in the north west. Open all year. We produced the guide when the tourist office was on Temple Street so bear that in mind when listening to the audio piece. The picture is of the new tourist office. You'll need to go down O'Connell street turning right for John Street, then crossing the road for Charles Street leading onto The Lurgy to get to Temple Street where the old office was located - turn right and you are at the opposite Summerhill College and beside Hawkswell Theatre - all set for the tour.

O'Connell Street, Sligo
071 61201
http://www.discoverireland.ie/Northwest.aspx

Audio

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Introduction to Sligo

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Summerhill College

The school located across the road from the old tourist office is shown for illustrative purposes only - there's no need to visit it! Alma mater to some great Irishmen, including John McCormack as you'll hear.

Audio

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Summerhill

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Hawkswell Theatre

The north west's best venue for theatre, music, dance, comedy and Yeats summer school events. Once you've had a look at what's on offer, make your way to the Cathedral some 200 metres further along the wall.

Temple Street,
Sligo
www.hawkswell.com
071 9161518

Audio

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Theatre

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Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Built in 1874, this Sligo's primary place of worship for Catholics. Look out for the light streaming through the 69 stained glass windows. Enquiries Mon - Thurs 9am-4pm, Fri 9am-2pm.

www.sligocathedral.ie
071 9162670

Audio

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Cathedral

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John Street

One if Sligo's oldest streets and a key part of Sebastian Barry's book, 'The Whereabouts of Eneas McNulty'. You'll be looking out for St. John the Baptist church on the right hand side of the street as the next stop on this tour.

Audio

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St. John Street

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St. John the Baptist Church

Designed in 1730 by Richard Cassels, this Protestant church is where William Pollexfen, grandfather of Yeats is buried as well as Bram Stoker's mother, Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornley. Open mid week during the Summer months from 2-5pm.

Audio

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St. John the Baptist Church

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Wine Street Car Park

Make your way down the narrow alleyway pictured on your device to get to the best location from which to see Pollexfen's turret as well as Queen Maeve's cairn in the distance on Knocknarea. By the tourist signage, you should be able to see the turret to the right and the cairn to its left in the distance.

Audio

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Turret

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Wesley Chapel

This Methodist chapel in the heart of Sligo is where Methodist founder, John Wesley, was a frequent visitor to the town as you'll hear from the audio piece.

Audio

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Wesley

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City Hall

Currently the City Hall, this site served as the New Fort for Oliver Cromwell's troops in the mid 17th century. The current building is in the Italian Renaissance style and dates from 1865.

Audio

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City Hall

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Famine Memorial

This is the town's tribute to the people who died or emigrated as a result of the Irish potato famine of the 1840s. The shows a starving family with a young girl pointing to the nearby docks where many fled to North America from.

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Famine Memorial

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Yeats Memorial Building

Headquarters of the Yeats summer school and home to a great Yeats museum. www.yeats-sligo.com Hyde Bridge Sligo, Co. Sligo 071 9142693

Audio

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Yeats Memorial Building

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Hyde Bridge

One of the main bridges along the Garavogue river since 1846 and not without its fair share of incident as you'll hear in the audio piece.

Audio

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Hyde Bridge

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Yeats Statue

Standing by the Ulster bank, this Rowan Gillespie sculpture was erected on the 50th anniversary of the poet's death in 1989. Look closely to see Yeats's own words enwrap the statue.

Audio

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Yeats Statue

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Connolly's Pub

Forget the Irish pubs you've seen abroad with bikes nailed to the roof - this is the real thing, where Parnell himself supped, groceries could be bought and in numerous cubbie holes where colourful tales told. Please make your way through it coming out the back on to Holborn Street.

Markievicz Road,
Sligo
071 9143340

Audio

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Connolly's Pub

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Milligan's Homestead

Spike Milligan, the original alternative comedian, had an Irish passport, due to his Sligo roots. This house is where his father. Leo, lived for a number of years. Take note of the plaque on the door. You'll be making your way down the street past Connolly's pub and turning left on to Stephen Street.

Audio

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Milligan's House

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Sligo County Museum and Central Library

Look out for the Yeats Room as well as paintings by Irish artists from Jack B. Yeats to George Russell.

Stephen Street,
Sligo 071 9111679
www.sligolibrary.ie

Audio

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Library and Museum

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The Model Gallery

The Model is home of The Niland Collection, is one of Ireland's leading contemporary arts centres. Take note of the fine red bricked building beside it - the local Masonic lodge.

The Model
The Mall,
Sligo
071 9141405
info@themodel.ie
http://themodel.ie/
Hours
Wed – Sat: 11am – 5:30pm
Sun: 12 – 5pm
Closed: Mon – Tues

Audio

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Model Gallery

map

The Mall Walkway

As you make your way down this sloping walkway by Calry church, we'll tell you about the story of one of Sligo's most famous sons, Captain Edward Doherty, the 'brave avenger of Lincoln' no less!

Audio

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Lincoln's Avenger

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John Fallon Footbridge

As you make your way across the Garavogue river, we'll tell you what to look out for. Once you are over the river, take a right to find a seat 200 metres further up by the river and we'll tell you about Bram Stoker's connections with the town. Once done, make your way up the slope on to Thomas Street where you'll be taking the first left for Sligo Abbey, which is signposted.

Audio

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Bram Stoker's Sligo

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Sligo Abbey

Built around 1252, this is Sligo's only remaining medieval building with a rich and fascinating history accordingly. Open 10am-6pm Last admission 5.15pm. EU3 adults, EU8 family. Guided tours available.

Abbey street,
Sligo
071 9146406
sligoabbey@opw.ie

Audio

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Sligo Abbey

map

The Courthouse

This site has witnessed everything from the 1832 cholera epidemic to some famous historic trials. Look out for the plaque of the law firm Argue and Phibbs across the road! Staying on the Courthouse side of the street, you'll be making your way up Market Street after this and right on to High Street.

Audio

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Courthouse

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High Street

One of the oldest streets in town, we take you back to the days when local merchants plyed their trade here. Walk down the hill making your way to Lady Erin which is pictured, the 1798 uprising monument and the end of the tour. We do hope you have enjoyed yourself.

Audio

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High Street

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