County Sligo's beautiful scenery inspired many of the great writings of W.B. Yeats. This will come as no surprise to the visitor when experiencing the county's fine mountains, lakes and beaches.
In Celtic mythology, Sligo was the power base of the warrior Queen Maeve of Connaught and the county's legacy of prehistoric sites indicate that the area was heavily populated in Celtic times.
Sligo town, the busy thriving capital of the North West, is rich in culture and history with a heritage going back 6,000 years.
The Ox Mountains in the west of the county form a background to the coastal plain, while north of Sligo town, the landscape is dominated by steep sided and flat topped limestone hills. The loaf-shaped Benbulben is Sligo's most famous mountain.
There are some excellent beaches at Strandhill, Mullaghmore, Rosses Point and Enniscrone.
Indoor and outdoor activities are well catered for in the area. Traditional Irish music is widely played locally, especially around Tubbercurry and Ballymote.
Sligo is also home to Sligo institute of Technology, one of Ireland's most successful third level educational institutions.
