Wild Atlantic Surf Village Celebrates History And Heritage in New Video Campaign

Thursday August 22nd: Strandhill Tourism have today launched a new and final video in the #StrandhillMoments series –  this time celebrating the Strandhill/Coolera Peninsula’s history and heritage to coincide with the nationwide Heritage Week festival.

County Sligo is steeped in myth and legend; its landscapes have inspired poets, artists and warriors down through the centuries, and continue to draw many people to come to live here and visit the area. Throughout autumn and winter, there are still many things to see and do to enjoy your very own ‘Strandhill Moment’ with most businesses operating through the season as well as the winter surf season kicking off.

The new Strandhill Moments video features five main sites to visit during Heritage Week, with some available to visit all through the year.

The Strandhill/Coolera Peninsula is rich in megalithic sites and is home to Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery which pre-dates the more well-known Egyptian Pyramids and Newgrange. Monuments range from five thousand to five thousand eight hundred years old. A permanent exhibition is housed in a converted cottage on site and guided tours are available. The OPW site is open seasonally each year and will remain open until November 3rd 2019.

The Killaspubrone Walking Loop, spearheaded by Sligo County Council, and brings walkers past the Killaspugbrone Church which is believed to have been founded by St. Patrick in the fifth century. The walking trail takes in iconic views across Sligo bay and the Strandhill/Coolera Peninsula, and is open to the public all year round.

The Queen Maeve Trail on Knocknarea Mountain is another walking loop developed by Sligo County Council which culminates in Meascán Méadhbha or Meave’s Cairn, the megalithic burial place of Maeve, Queen of Connacht. The instantly recognisable mountain is one of the busier walking trails in County Sligo and provides views of Sligo Town, the Ox Mountains, Lough Gill and Benbulben.

Dolly’s Cottage is a thatched cottage sitting at the foot of Knockarea and is today run as a country museum by the ICA and local volunteers. The cottage was erected sometime around 1800 and has survived without alteration to this day. The turf fire is still alight in Dolly’s Cottage and visitors are welcome to explore the little cottage and its many artefacts.

Coney Island is the largest and the most famous of the three islands off the northern coast of the Coolera peninsula. The island which is 1½ miles long by ¾ mile across is accessible by boat from the pier at Rosses Point, but the most popular route is by way of Cummeen Strand when the tide is out. This strand is exposed at low tide and is marked by 14 stone pillars for a distance of 5km leading to the island.

For further information on Strandhill, things to see and do and where to stay, visit www.gostrandhill.com