Sligo - Irish Pictures (1888)

From Irish Pictures Drawn with Pen and Pencil (1888) by Richard Lovett

Chapter VIII: The Donegal Higlands … continued

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East Window, Sligo Abbey

East Window, Sligo Abbey

Continuing our journey from Ballina, the best approach is by way of Sligo and Ballyshannon. The former is an important county town, well-situated and fairly prosperous. Lough Gill, a lovely sheet of water, dotted with islands, is only a few miles distant, the waters of its only outlet flowing through the town. There is a considerable shipping trade, since Sligo is a port, and stands at the head of a fine bay. Like almost every Irish town of importance, it contains an ancient ruined monastery. This was founded by the Earl of Kildare in the thirteenth century, but the fine ruins which all visitors to Sligo should inspect are those of the monastery and church, rebuilt after a fire early in the fifteenth century. These are of considerable extent, the choir of the church exhibiting a splendid four-light east window, and the unusually perfect cloisters being worthy of careful study, since they have many richly decorated arches which enable the student to appreciate the native Irish school of architecture.

Cloisters, Sligo Abbey

Cloisters, Sligo Abbey

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