Atlantic And Riverside - Accommodation , Bed and Breakfast in Easkey, Sligo, Ireland - Local Attractions Page

The village derives from the Gaelic term for fish 'iasc' and Iascaigh means abounding in fish due to the Easkey river that lies in the village itself. The village attracts a wide variety of tourists interested in water sports such as surfing, kayaking and fishing. The village boasts many attractive walking routes around the river estuary and coastline with splendid views of the Slieve League and Benbulben mountains. Geologists have become increasingly interested with the rugged coastline around Easkey as it holds fossil structures that date back millions of years.

O'Dowd Castle

Built in 1207 the castle became home to the O'Dowd chieftains of Tireragh. The castle was originally built for Oliver McDonnell who came to the area to marry an O'Dowd widow. The castle is situated adjacent to Easkey pier. Much of the original structure of the castle has been lost over time, yet the main body of the castle remains. It is 63 feet high, the highest part is known as 'Sailors Bed'.

Easkey Abbey

Un-usually the centre of the village is dominated by the structure of the Old abbey and graveyard which also dates back to medieval times. The graveyard was in use up until Roslea graveyard opened in 1888 and holds some uniquely designed tombstones.

The Split Rock

Outside the village in the townland of Killeenduff lies the ice age boulder known locally as 'The Split Rock'. Local legends holds that the rock was split as a result of an arguement between two giants on the Ox-Mountains, one of whom was Fionn Mac Cuimhall. It is said that the rock will close if one walks throught the rock three times.

Easkey Bridge

The bridge provides access to the village from the Sligo side. Iw was built in 1847 after the old bridge was washed away in a storm in 1844. It contains the Bullance stone which is built into the bridge wall, this qualified the village to hold a 'Fair Day'. A similar type of bridge is located south of the village in the local woods. This is known as 'Fortland Bridge'.

Culture

Jack Harte (Irish Writer) was born in the Easkey townland of Killeenduff where his father was the local blacksmith. He draws on his experience growing up in the area and ultimately being torn away from it as his father was forced to move in search of work, in his novel 'In the Wake of the Bagger'.
The scupltor Fred Conlon was born and grew up in Killeenduff.
The mother of Irish playwrights Martin McDonagh (director of film 'In Bruges') and John Michael McDonagh (director of film 'The Guard') comes from Easkey.
A comedy drama about a priest called 'Calvary' with irish actor Brendan Gleeson was filmed in Easkey.

Easkey Courthouse

Opposite the local vocational school is the location of the Easkey Courthouse. It came into existence during the Irish famine and is one of Easkey's most historical buildings. At the start of the 20^th century the County Sligo court held its sessions here. In October 2010 the courts service of Ireland announced that Easkey Courthouse would no longer hold its monthly sessions.

For anyone interested in birdwatching, the Sligo coastal area can be full of surprises. Red Throated and Great Northern Divers can be seen in the bays around the coast along with Eider Duck and Long Tailed ducks. There is an abundance of waders, the commonest being Oyster Catchers and Redshank but Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Lapwing, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Sanderling, Greenshank and the whole range of Gulls can be seen. Look out for the odd Iceland Gull. October to April is the time to see large flocks of Brent Geese at low tide in the bays along the coast and Barnacle Geese in coastal fields around Lissadell. Winter visitors include Snow Bunting, Redwing and Fieldfare. But spring and Autumn can be a good time to see a wide range of birds. Look out for Great Skuas usually with other large gulls, also Arctic Terns and in Summer Sandwich Terns. Swallows, House Martins and Sandmartins are regular Spring/Summer visitors. Stonechats are common residents throughout the year and in local rivers Dippers and Grey Wagtails are not uncommon. In the winter of 2008 several flocks of Waxwing were seen in the Bundoran area. Dunmoran Strand, Sligo Bay, and Ballisodare Bay are all good sites to see some of the above. If you are lucky you may also see the odd seal.