Carrowmore

“Big rocks, tiny ego”

Carrowmore is the big cheese of megalithic tombs on the Coolera Peninsula, sitting right there west of Sligo. We’re talking about the fourth millennium BC, lads, so these guys have been chilling in the dirt for four thousand years. It’s a proper National Monument and part of the 'big four' alongside Carrowkeel, Loughcrew, and Brú na Bóinne. You’ve got thirty surviving tombs here, with another twenty-five destroyed since 1800, which is a bit like losing a bet to a tractor. The mountain Knocknarea looms over it to the west, acting as the scenic backdrop for your ancient history fix. It’s the heart of an ancient ritual landscape, protected and serious, but you can still find a quiet spot to pretend you’re an archaeologist. Just don’t touch the stones, or the local legends might start gossiping about your boots.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor, Public domain

Then Tom went looking for the oddest places around it.

Stop 2 · Hop back in the car, 5 minutes

Knocknarea trail

“Boots, please, for the soul”

Knocknarea trail is dreaming of winning the lotto to buy a nice pair of boots for its steep sections. The path is loose and eroded, like it’s been tripping over itself all morning. Bring your own legend, I've run out of excuses for why the ground is so slippery up there.

What the record says

Knocknarea trail is recorded as a walking route in County Sligo.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) r6530223

Photo: Jonathan Wilkins, CC BY-SA 2.0

More about Knocknarea trail →

Stop 3 · A short walk away

Knocknarea

“Goat king retired, still proud”

Knocknarea in County Sligo was once ruled by a goat who wore a tiny crown made of heather. It’s a limestone beauty now, but you can still feel the goat's lingering ego. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place.

What the record says

Knocknarea is recorded as a mountain / peak in County Sligo. Summit height: 327 metres above sea level.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) n332373487

Photo: Oliver Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0

More about Knocknarea →

Stop 4 · A 10-minute spin away

The Thatch

“Roof gone, attitude remains”

The Thatch in Knoxspark is a pub that lost its roof but kept its attitude. A local cow once tried to buy it with a single carrot and failed miserably. Make sure you wave before it spots you staring at its thatch.

What the record says

Attached five-bay single-storey thatched house, built c. 1890. Now in use as a public house. Porch to front (east) elevation, one-and-a-half storey house to south, single-storey corrugated iron-roofed extensions to rear. Straw pegged thatched roof, unpainted…

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 32402008

Photo: Kenneth Allen, CC BY-SA 2.0

More about The Thatch →

Stop 5 · Hop back in the car, 10 minutes

European Beech

“Lost bet, gained wisdom”

European Beech in County Sligo was where a priest once lost a bet about which bird sang better. He now has to explain that loss to every congregation member he meets. Pretend you're a lost aristocrat, nobody will check.

What the record says

Recorded as: European Beech. Species: Fagus sylvatica. Recorded age: 200 - 300 years.

From the Tree Council of Ireland, Heritage Trees of Ireland record 220

Photo: Malene Thyssen, CC BY-SA 3.0

More about European Beech →

The whole day on one map

See everything else around Carrowmore →

Over a million places across Ireland and Britain, all free. Explorer Tom has a story for nearly every one.