Sligo remains a bit of a secret. All the better for visitors to the county, writes Marese McDonagh
LOOK IN any direction, travel any road and the sights are beautiful, framed by the landmarks that inspired WB Yeats: Lough Gill, the spectacular Ben Bulben and Knocknarea mountains and a slew of beautiful beaches. Sligo is steeped in enough history, culture and ancient myths to have tourism promoters rubbing their hands in glee. But the county remains something of a secret, a place that is easy on the eye but where you have to do a bit of work to uncover its many attractions.
Surfers, culture vultures, archeology enthusiasts and those who emphatically don't agree that golf is "a good walk spoiled" will find plenty to delight them in Sligo.
It's easy to see why Yeats and his brother, Jack, were so drawn to the home town of their maternal grandparents, and Sligo continues to be magnet for artists, who add to the bohemian atmosphere. Hotels and shopping centres have been springing up, but despite the buzz Sligo retains a charming old-world feel.
When to go
• There is no bad time, but a varied programme of festivals provides plenty of incentives. This weekend, for example, the Vogler Spring Festival, which prides itself on being one of the most successful chamber music events in the county, takes place in the beautiful setting of St Columba's Church, Drumcliffe.
• The Yeats International Summer School this year runs for the two weeks from July 26th to August 8th. Traditionally a magnet for academics and scholars, it welcomes visitors, who can dip into the lectures at the Hawk's Well Theatre.
• The Sligo Live Festival, on the October bank-holiday weekend, will feature local traditional musicians in an eclectic programme that will also include international acts and a lively mix of fringe events.
What to see
• Woodcarver Michael Quirke, a former butcher, used to pass the time between customers carving myth-inspired figures. Having long ago abandoned the meat trade, he has filled his shop, on Wine Street, with beautiful carvings, and he has a trove of stories for those who drop in.
• Spike Milligan was very proud of his local connections, and Sligo Borough Council has erected a plaque at 5 Holborn Street, the old British army barracks where his father, Leo, was born and grandfather, William Milligan, was stationed.
• Sligo County Museum, on Stephen Street. Visitors will miss out on the Model Arts Niland Gallery this year; it is set to reopen in 2009, as the centre of the city's long-awaited cultural quarter.
• Sligo Abbey, the town's only surviving medieval building, was founded in 1252 by Maurice Fitzgerald, Chief Justice of Ireland.
Where to party
• If you're looking for good Irish music, check out Shoot the Crows. This pub on Grattan Street is a hang-out for musicians, writers and artists. Connolly's, on Bridge Street, is beautiful; some say it serves the best pint in town. The Strand bar in Strandhill, a few kilometres out of town, is synonymous with surfers and good music. Barry's pub in Grange in north Sligo is another popular music venue.
Where to visit
• Lissadell House, near Drumcliff, is the former home of the Gore-Booth family, of whom the best known was Constance Gore-Booth, or Countess Mark-ievicz, one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising. Visitors can see the room where WB Yeats is believed to have stayed when he visited the family.
• Carrowmore, near Strandhill, is Europe's second-largest Stone Age cemetery. It is said to predate Newgrange by 700 years.
• A walk up to Queen Maeve's grave, on top of Knocknarea, is worth it for the views as much as for the sense of history.
• Less well known are the passage graves at Carrowkeel, on the Bricklieve mountains, with spectacular views of Lough Arrow. Nearby is Moytura, site of the battle between the Tuatha de Danann and Formorians.
• There are seaweed baths at Strandhill and Enniscrone.
What to buy
• Local Michael Kennedy or Breeogue pottery, works by emerging local artists at the Cat the Moon, on Castle Street, good food next door, in Kate's Kitchen, and ironworks by blacksmith Michael Budd, based at the Folk Park, Riverstown.
What's special
• The tea room at Drumcliff church beside Yeats's grave, the seals in Ballisodare Bay, walking to Coney Island (check the tides), a cruise on Lough Gill past Innisfree, a breather in the cafe in the Yeats Building at Hyde Bridge, also home to the Sligo Art Gallery.
Where to stay
• Sligo's newest and most striking hotel is the aptly named four-star Glasshouse (Swan Point, 071-9194300, www.theglass house.ie), on the Garavogue in the centre of town.
• Clarion Hotel Sligo (Clarion Road, www.clarionsligo.com, 071-9119000) is in the former St Columba's psychiatric hospital.
• Sligo Park Hotel Leisure Club (Pearse Road, www.sligo parkhotel.ie, 071-9190400) is on the approach road from Dublin.
• If you fancy a bit of old-world atmosphere and don't mind being based out of town, Markree Castle, in Collooney (071-9167800, www.markree castle.ie), Coopershill House, in Riverstown (071-9165108, www.coopershill.com) and Temple House, in Ballymote (071-9183329, www.temple house.ie) are family-run and well worth investigating.
Where to eat
• Montmartre (1 Market Yard, 071-9169901), a French restaurant close to Hawk's Well Theatre, is hard to beat. It seats only 50, so book a table.
• Lovers of Italian food should not miss Bistro Bianconi on O'Connell Street (071-9141744, www.bistrobianconi.ie).
• Poppadom, an award- winning Indian restaurant, is also on O'Connell Street (071-9147171, www.poppadom sligo.com).
• There are plenty of great spots for lunch: Tobergal Lane Cafe, off O'Connell Street, Osta and Grappa, on the riverbank, and the upstairs restaurant in Lyons department store, beside the post office.
• What's not so hot Finding a parking spot can be a nightmare; finding a public toilet is harder. Sligo was recently dubbed Ireland's dirtiest town, a worrying label, but one that many locals feel is unfair.
• Bizarrely, long after the main street was pedestrianised, people insist on keeping to the crowded footpaths - maybe because no effort has been made to provide street furnishings and an attractive layout.
• Parts of the city look run-down, partly due to delays in getting developments started. Some worry that too many new buildings may threaten the place's character.