Carrowmore, a prehistoric ritual landscape in County Sligo, less than 8 km (5 mi) from Sligo
Sligo's Irish name, Sligeach (pronounced SHLEE-gok, which means the place of shells), comes from the large number of shellfish found in the local river and its estuary, and from the Stone Age food preparation areas in the vicinity. The river (now known as the Garavogue) was originally also called the Sligeach. This whole area, from the river estuary at Sligo, around the coast to the river at Ballisodare Bay, was rich in marine resources, dating back as far as the Mesolithic period.
Sligo was a significant location as far back as the Early Neolithic period, as demonstrated by the numerous ancient sites close by. Particularly notable are the megalithic tombs at nearby Carrowmore. According to local archeological digs (when a new road was being built), 'Magheraboy [now a suburb of Sligo] demonstrates the early Neolithic settlement of this area of Sligo, while the longevity of the activity on the site indicates a stable and successful population during the final centuries of the fifth millennium and the first centuries of the fourth millennium BC.'
The Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Maurice Fitzgerald, is said to have established the medieval town of Sligo, building the Castle of Sligo in 1245. As a result, Sligo became an important crossroads strategically and commercially. Sligo Abbey is the only medieval building left standing in the town.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Sligo
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Sligo - updated May 2024
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Sligo Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
