A small walk from Ballymote Castle will take you to the ivy-covered ruins of a small Franciscan Friary. It was founded c.1442 AD by three brothers, Patrick, Andrew and Philip O'Coleman, under the patronage of McDonagh, who was then in residence at Ballymote Castle.

A head with a papal tiara over the western entrance is thought to be that of Pope Eugenius IV who granted permission for the founding. Sadly this head is now completely obscured by the ivy.

The abbey was destroyed by the O'Rorkes about 1584 to deprive the then English occupant of the castle of any advantage it might be to him.

Many of the stones from the abbey are believed to have been used to build a "Mass House" in the early 1700's or to mark the graves of the poor and famine victims.

Distance from St Angela’s: 31.0 km

Link: http://www.megalithicireland.com/Ballymote%20Abbey.html

• Ballindoon Friary was a Dominican monastery beside Lough Arrow in County Sligo, Ireland.
• The site is found on the eastern shore of Lough Arrow and comprises church, chancel, tower and transept.
• It was dedicated to St. Mary and founded in 1507 by Thomas O'Farrell.
• It was dissolved c. 1585 and is now in ruins.
  
  

Distance from St Angela’s: 36.0 km.

Link: http://www.ireland.com/en-us/what-is-available/attractions-built-heritage/churches-abbeys-and-monasteries/destinations/republic-of-ireland/sligo/ballymote/all/1-50338/

Leisurely

Moderate

Challenging

Demanding

Chain Driven Cycles Sligo Town

Distance from St Angela’s: 7.4km

Link: http://chaindrivencycles.com/contact

Easkey Bike Hire

Distance from St Angela’s: 49.2 km

Link: http://www.easkey.ie/bikehire.html

Northwest Adventure Tours Rathcormac

Distance from St Angela’s: unknown

Link: http://northwestadventuretours.ie/

Driving Tour of North Sligo

• Taking in Sligo, Rosses Point, Drumcliffe, Glencar Lake and Waterfall, Mullaghmore, Gleniff Horseshoe, Creevykeel Court Tombs and returning to Sligo. A distance of 93km (58 miles), approximately.
• Let the sea to your left and Benbulben Mountain to your right take you along this spectacular route. From the old maritime village of Rosses Point to the Gleniff Horseshoe drive through Benbulben. Don’t miss out on Glencar Lake and Waterfall, Mullaghmore Head and Creevykeel Court Tombs.
• Route can be travelled in any direction and from any starting point. Map illustrations are intended as a guide only and routes should be travelled in conjunction with reference to a good road map of Ireland.

Link: http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/north-sligo-tour-scarlet-route/90159

Driving Tour of South Sligo

• Taking in Sligo, Riverstown, Castlebaldwin, Caves of Keash, Coleman Centre, Eagles Flying, Temple House, Ballymote and returning to Sligo. A distance of 81km/50 miles, approximately.
• Take a step back in time at Riverstown Folk Park, Caves of Keash and Temple House. Enjoy traditional music and its history at the Coleman Centre in Gurteen, or watch a flying demonstration of the birds of prey at Eagles Flying in Ballymote.
• Route can be travelled in any direction and from any starting point. Map illustrations are intended as a guide only and routes should be travelled in conjunction with reference to a good road map of Ireland.
  
  

Link: http://www.ireland.com/en-us/what-is-available/touring-holidays/self-drive-tours/destinations/republic-of-ireland/sligo/sligo-town/all/1-90165/

Driving Tour of West Sligo

• Taking in Sligo, Strandhill, Knocknarea Mountain, Carrowmore Tombs, Ox Mountains, Aughris, Easkey, Enniscrone and returning to Sligo. A distance of 110km (69 miles), approximately.
• For surf spots and mountain tops this route won’t disappoint. Strandhill, Aughris, Easkey and Enniscrone are all well known top surfing destinations. Breath taking views from Knocknarea or Ladies Brae in the Ox Mountain will amaze. Don’t miss Carrowmore Megalithic cemetery which predates Newgrange.
• Route can be travelled in any direction and from any starting point. Map illustrations are intended as a guide only and routes should be travelled in conjunction with reference to a good road map of Ireland.
  
  

Link: http://www.ireland.com/en-us/what-is-available/touring-holidays/self-drive-tours/destinations/republic-of-ireland/sligo/sligo-town/all/1-90160/

Lough Gill loop

• Taking in Sligo, Hazelwood, Parkes Castle, Dromahair, Slish Wood, Dooney Rock and returning to Sligo. A distance of 35km (22miles) approximately.
• Wind your way around picturesque Lough Gill with woodlands of hazelwood, Slish Wood and Dooney Rock to walk alongside the lake which inspired W.B. Yeats poetry. Why not take a boat trip aboard the Rose of Innisfree after visiting Parkes Castle.
• Route can be travelled in any direction and from any starting point. Map illustrations are intended as a guide only and routes should be travelled in conjunction with reference to a good road map of Ireland.
  
  

Link: http://www.discoverireland.ie/activities-adventure/lough-gill-tour-blue-route/90150

Driving Tour of Yeats Country

First head west of Sligo, to Carrowmore (5km), one of the most significant prehistoric cemeteries in Europe. Monuments on view consist mostly of dolmens and small passage tombs. The road winds west around Knocknarea with an ancient cairn on its summit associated with Queen Maeve, a formidable warrior queen of Connacht. There is a car park on the R292 road with pedestrian access to the summit. This 45 minute walk offers magnificent panoramas of the Sligo coast and countryside.

Strandhill is a seaside resort with a distinct Irish village character. It is a popular surfing centre and there is a fine 18-hole golf course running by the bay with backdrop of Knocknarea Mountain.

Return through Sligo and follow the signs for Rosses Point, (8km) one of Sligo's leading resorts. The picturesque village, magnificent sandy beach, the championship golf links and the yacht club justifiably attract visitors each year. Then back along this lovely peninsula facing Benbulben and north to Drumcliffe (8km), the site of an ancient monastic settlement founded by St. Colmcille in the 6th Century, of which just a stump of a round tower and a fine carved high cross, c 11th Century, remain. The churchyard contains the grave of W. B. Yeats. The headstone bears his own epitaph: "cast a cold eye on life, on death, horseman pass by". Head north west to Lissadell via Carney (5km). There is a wildfowl reserve between the road and the sea noted for wintering barnacle geese.

Yeats was a great friend of the remarkable Gore Booths, particularly Eva, the poet and Constance, who as Countess Markievicz, was part of the revolutionary movement in Ireland and was the first woman member ever elected to the Westminster Parliament in 1918. She refused to take up her seat and became the first Minister for Labour in the Irish Free State Dail. Lissadell a classical house of the 1830s.

From Lissadell we travel back to the main road and then north via Grange and Cliffony to Mullaghmore (22km) where there is a fully equipped deep sea angling boat for hire. West of Grange is Streedagh which has some fine beaches and dunes. Three Spanish Armada ships foundered off the point here in 1588. This section of the tour encompasses a long established tour of Grange and district, which runs to and from Grange via the Gleniff Horseshoe.

Link: https://www.activeme.ie/guides/driving/lough-gill-and-yeats-county-scenic-drive-route-map-co-sligo-irelands-wild-atlantic-way/

The Sligo Way

The Sligo Way is a 74 km route that traverses the County of Sligo in the northwest of Ireland from Lough Talt, in the Ox Mountains near the Mayo border, to the town of Dromahair in County Leitrim. There are magnificent views east over to Ben Bulben, north across Donegal Bay to Slieve League and west to the Nephin mountain range from the high moorland in the Ox Mountains during the early part of the route, and some pleasant woodland lakeside sections towards the end.

Link: http://www.irishtrails.ie/trail/Sligo-Way/32/

Approaching Sligo city from Dublin direction

Keep on the main road until you cross the Garavogue river; do not go into Sligo town.

Take second on right and proceed through a roundabout until you come to traffic lights.

There will be a service station at this intersection.

Proceed directly through the lights and continue for four miles.

Follow the signposts for St. Angela's.

When you enter the main entrance to the campus proceed down the avenue and you will notice a MACE sign on your left.

When you enter the residences area you will have reached us.

Approaching Sligo city from Donegal direction

Keep on the main road as you approach Sligo; do not go into Sligo town and do not cross the Garavogue river.

Take second on left before the Garavogue river and proceed through a roundabout until you come to traffic lights.

There will be a service station at this intersection.

Proceed directly through the lights and continue for four miles.

Follow the signposts for St. Angela's.

When you enter the main entrance to the campus proceed down the avenue and you will notice a MACE sign on your left.

When you enter the residences area you will have reached us.

To enquire regarding St Angela’s Lakeside Aparthotel please contact:

Mr Jeremiah Lynch

Director – St. Angela’s Lakeside Aparthotel (SALA),
Clogherrevagh,
Lough Gill,
Sligo,
F91 TCN3

Tel: +353 86 124 7775

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.