Ballygawley between music, woodland and megaliths

Ballygawley combines an annual music festival with a community park and surroundings rich in woodland and lakes. If you are looking for a holiday rental here, you can choose between village life, walking trails and discoveries in the landscape. The area’s history is also present: from a sculpture by Ballygawley Lake to Neolithic monuments in the Ballygawley mountain range.

Music and activity in the village

The Ballygawley Music Festival is an annual four-day event in the village of Ballygawley in County Sligo. It combines traditional Irish music with pop and contemporary performances, and is aimed at people aged 18 and over. Check the programme and age policy for the relevant edition if you are planning your stay around it.

Ballygawley Community Park has a lit circular route that can be used in the evening. It also lists a running track and outdoor fitness equipment. As information about park facilities can change, check before your visit. This gives you different ways to exercise outdoors without having to choose a longer hiking route.

Woodland trails, heights and ancient monuments

Union Wood lies in the Ballygawley area, between the villages of Collooney, Ballisodare and Ballygawley. The popular walking trail and the Union Wood–Mountain Access Route offer different perspectives on the woodland. The route follows forest roads and woodland paths through Ballygawley Woods, passes Ballygawley Lough and continues into open mountain country. As trail conditions can change, it is worth checking for current information before setting out.

Section 6 of the Sligo Way also passes through Union Wood and along Slieve Dargan and Slieve Daeane. The Sligo Way as a whole runs mainly along woodland paths and bridleways, quiet minor roads and open tracks through bogland; some sections are often wet and boggy. This distinction is useful when choosing a route: the Mountain Access Route has a described path through woodland and into open mountain country, while the Sligo Way connects different landscapes and trail types.

A boardwalk in the area leads to the summit of Union Rock, where views extend towards Knocknarea and Benbulben. The Ballygawley mountain range is home to four Neolithic monuments in the form of passage tombs, each on one of its highest peaks. The landscape therefore offers not only trails and views, but also evidence of a history stretching far back in time.

Lake, sculpture and literary connections

At Ballygawley Lake, Union Wood is associated with a hand-carved inkwell sculpture made from Kilkenny limestone. It depicts two swans in the water and a large feather transforming into flying birds. The place is also associated with the Cailleach Bérra, whom W. B. Yeats also called Clooth-na-Bare. Stop 12 of the Yeats Trail is also located by the lake.

Ballygawley Lake is a breeding area for swans; their nests can be seen from the only car park. The car park, which has a picnic area, also provides an opportunity to launch a kayak or start a SUP trip. Check the conditions for water access locally.

Other contrasts in County Sligo

Other places in County Sligo add to the picture of the region without replacing Ballygawley’s own landscape. Carrowmore is Ireland’s largest and oldest collection of Neolithic tombs: more than 30 surviving monuments are almost 6,000 years old. Sligo Abbey is a Dominican friary with extensive surviving medieval remains of the church, sacristy and chapter house.

The coast offers a different focus, too. Streedagh Beach is a three-kilometre-long sandy beach between Streedagh Point and Connor’s Island. Dunes and the estuary provide habitats for a rich variety of flora and fauna. Surfing, windsurfing and stand-up paddling are possible in the coastal waters; stand-up paddling takes place in the sheltered estuary. Check conditions before taking part in water activities.

Choose a holiday rental to suit your priorities

If you would like your stay to centre on the festival, Community Park and nearby trails, you could consider a holiday rental in Ballygawley as a base. If Carrowmore, Sligo Abbey or the coast are more important to your trip, choose accommodation according to the places you want to visit in County Sligo. Bus routes 566, between Sligo and Dowra, and 572, between Sligo and Ballinamore, connect Ballygawley with Sligo; both are operated by TFI Local Link. Check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tiratick, Collooney, Gorteen, Ballymote, Derry, Ballisodare, Barroe, Aclare.

For the main travel overview: County Sligo.