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Tubbercurry
and lots going on in the pubs every evening. It all culminates with Old Fair Day in August, when the town is filled with stalls, demonstrations of old crafts, a pet dog show, a busking competition and amusements for the children. Nearby in Curry, The Goat Festival held in aid of Bothar, is a three-day festival that takes place later in the summer over the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The town’s biggest asset is the great outdoor world and wilderness that lies all around it. Lough Easkey and Lough Talt are wonderfully wild areas, still remote from the busy world, and the surrounding hillsides are believed to be one of the two most important sites of blanket bog land left in the world, the other being in the Ural Mountains.This is a fabulous place to ride, walk, cycle or drive and appreciate all the native flora and fauna, two particular species to look out for being blueberries and orchids that grow especially well here. There is a Walkers Club based near Lough Talt and there are many lovely walks to be done in the area - a perfect way to enjoy the locality. Mass Hill, near Lough Easkey is the site of a penal Mass Rock where Roman Catholics went to hear mass during the time of the Penal Laws. Today you will find a peaceful place with a statue and the stations of the cross - the site laid out like a garden.
The town is famous for its Summer School of Traditional Music and Dance, which takes place 12-18 July. In celebration of this tradition the Fair Green in the middle of town has a sculpted group of musicians and dancing children created by arist Cillian Rogers. The town is also well known for its drama. The Western Drama Festival takes place in March, but there are other drama events during the year, and an active drama club, The Phoenix Players, well known for its Christmas Panto. This is a town well endowed with Clubs and activities. During the summer months there are lots of mini-clubs for kids, and special events for the holiday period and the local Pioneer Club is very active in running activities for young people. Tubbercurry Golf Course is a very popular Parkland Course just on the edge of town, with a club house to relax in after the game. There is also Tubbertelly Pitch and Putt for those who enjoy chipping and putting.This is also a fabulous area for coarse angling, popular with fishermen from Ireland and beyond.
Within easy reach of Tubbercurry is Knocknashee, the legendary hill of the fairies, a spectacular plateau with fabulous views over the north Connaught plain. Gillighan’s World is on one side of the hill, an open park full of fairy creations, as well as a pet zoo – an ideal place to take children. Close by are the ruins of Court Abbey, a 15th Century Franciscan Friary. The 30m high tower still stands at the junction of the east and west chapels, and remains of wall paintings are still just visible in damp conditions. Near Tubbercurry is Achonry Cathedral, the smallest cathedral in Ireland, which is still used occassionally and due for more restoration. A great summer event that takes place every year is the Old Fair Day, which is the highlight of the week-long Tubbercurry Fair in August. There are arts and crafts events for children, street entertainments, a Parade of Vintage Cars, a family Treasure Hunt
Cawley’s GUESTHOUSE
EMMET STREET TUBBERCURRY Tel: 071 918 5025 Fax: 071 918 5963 Email: cawleysguesthouse@eircom.net
Cawley’s Guesthouse in Emmet Street is the perfect holiday base for visitors to Tubbercurry, with 12 bedrooms, private parking and terraced garden. Cawley’s Restaurant is open Tues-Sat, serving lunch daily from noon-3pm and dinner from 6.30pm-9pm. Cawley’s will cater for functions of up to 150 people.
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Towns & Villages
Photo: ©Trudie Lomax
Tubbercurry is Sligo’s second largest town, located in the south of the county. It is wonderfully central for visitors who want to make the most of the area around the Ox Mountains, within easy reach of Knock and Sligo Airports, Enniscrone and the sea, the Moy river and Foxford, Ballina and Westport in Co Mayo, as well as the rest of County Sligo and Sligo Town. Cawley’s Guesthouse in the centre of town makes an ideal base for anyone visiting the area, offering a warm welcome and a home-from-home atmosphere.