THE IRISH TIMES ASpecial Report Wednesday, July 6, 2011 SLIGO To cherish memories forever, you have to live them first. Experience world class surfing at Strandhill, or immerse yourself in the spectacular landscapes of Ben Bulben or the Ox Mountains. Horse riding, trekking, mountain biking, kite surfing, golfing or just lazily walking some of the most beautiful beaches in Ireland – in Sligo you’re free to do it all. /SLIGO discoverireland.ie P28422 FI SLIGO Beach IT Supp. 257x175 CB.indd 1 27/06/2011 12:00 SLIGO Index OUT OF THE BLUE You don’t always need a THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT The many 4 surfboard to catch awater buzz in Sligo 20 reasons to visit Sligo over the coming months SLIGO MAP WAVES OF PLEASURE Surf beaches worth 7 22 seeking out ALL IN GOOD TASTE Fine dining and fresh ON THE TOWN The very best of Sligo 82produce are abundant in Sligo town and county 4nightlife STAY AND PLAY Accommodation to suit all TEE TIME The county is home to some of the 11 tastes and pockets 28 best, most understated golf courses in Ireland FAMILY FUN From swooping raptors to ceramic SOUL FOOD Replenish body and soul 15 painting there are thrills for all the family 29 with seaweed baths and bracing walks POETIC LEGACY Sligo’s cultural highlights go BUY BUY BABY Go on aspending spree 18 well beyond the literary heritage of Yeats 30 in Sligo An Irish Times Special Report in association with FRONT COVER IMAGE: Benbulben from Streedagh beach SLIGO EDITOR: Madeleine Lyons PRODUCTION EDITOR: John Lane CONTACT: Special Reports Department, The Irish Times, Tara St, Dublin 2 TEL: 01-675 8000 E-MAIL: [email protected] ADVERTISING: 01-675 8585 E-MAIL: [email protected] Every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine to ensure accuracy at the time of publication. The Irish Times cannot accept responsibility for omissions, or alterations occurring after the guide has been published. SLIGO ADVENTURE Hook, line, sinker The wild waters of Sligo are second to none for those in search of adventure. Laurence Mackin dived in head first E’RE MAKING schoolboy errors all over Daryl Ewing’s fishing boat and Wwe’ve barely left the harbour at Rosses Point. I’ve already speared the tip of my finger with afish hook and my fishing companion Ciaran Duggan has shown up dressed as the most changed, and soon the regular pull The revelatory red gurnard. unprepared fisherman in the world. on the rod is replaced by asharp Photographs: Laurence Mackin Thankfully, Ewing and the tug –coley fish, small and playful, experienced fishermen on board are but not much worth eating, are so distracted by his denim jacket soon clogging up the reels. Then we revelation on the fork). The pollock and flip flops they don’t notice my hit ashoal of mackerel, and up they are the best to try to catch, pulling ineptitude. come, three or four to aline, hard on the rod and bending it It’s afine day for it all the same, beautiful purple-green scales down with asolid, underwater and chugging out from Rosses glinting in the sun that, now and wrestle. There are few more Point it’s easy to see why so many again, emerges. satisfying feelings than landing a people use fishing as arefuge from We change location and Ewing fine glinting fish to the cheers of all the troubles of the mainland. advises us to drop the lines fast to your new mates. Seagulls bounce along optimistically get through the clouds of mackerel We change bait and tactics again, in our wake, the waves are and hunt the bigger game –pollock bouncing chunks of freshly cut slapping happily at the bottom of mostly, amuch more robust fish mackerel along the bottom of the Ewing’s Sea Star,and the banter on and acres more fun on the line. At sea slowly, trying to tempt abottom deck is cheerful –itseems only the the prime spots at the back of the feeder, with ray at the top of the fish have anything to be worried boat that the other fishermen are most-wanted list. about. kind enough to give up to us “If you feel apull, leave it alone And worry they should, because novices, we’re making amerry for 30 seconds or so, then bring it in what we lack in preparation and blood bath, and soon the catch steady,” advises Ewing. Aray’s ability we more than make up for in bucket is filling up with reams of mouth is underneath its large, flat bolts of beginners’ luck. After afew mackerel, afine brace of pollock, a body and it will bite on the bait, but unsuccessful stops, Ewing putters dogfish and the odd gurnard the trick is in giving it time to get up the boat to afresh spot, bait is (which, it turns out later, is a on top of what it thinks is an easy 4 | THE IRISH TIMES Sligo |July 6, 2011 SLIGO ADVENTURE fishing trips aboard the Sea Star. Full- or half-day and evening trips are available, with all gear provided. The catch-and-cook option is not to be missed. ■ Tel: 086-891 3618, sligoboatcharters.com TRANDHILL IS WELL known for its surfing, and if you are Sgoing to hit the waves, then make sure to get afew pointers from the appropriately named Perfect Day surf school. Owners Tom and Simone Hickey have been running the school since 1998. Their surfing coaches, led by daughter Elisha, are charged with enthusiasm for all sports waterborne. Our instructor does his best not to laugh at my pathetic attempts to stay on top of some admittedly difficult surf (the waves are too small to compensate for my lack of balance, and crumble into white water after afew seconds) and full of advice as to what I’m doing wrong –not to mention strongly encouraging during the few seconds when something inexplicably goes right. After the challenges of the open sea, though, we’re after amore serene experience, and this is where Tom and Simone’s latest offering comes in. Stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) is arelatively new phenomenon in this part of the world and is adifferent challenge from surfing, although it is still a terrific workout –big-wave pioneer Laird Hamilton is messianic in his meal before reeling it in. head to Austies restaurant, where devotion to it. Twenty minutes –and another staff whisk the bulging bags of fresh We drive beyond Sligo town to shot of luck across the bows –later catch off to the kitchen and prepare Doorley park and pontoon, where and two ray are ready for hanging afeast fit for afleet of fishermen we unload four large SUP boards. for aday or two so they are ready kings, while we sup creamy, dreamy Tom and Simone talk us through for cooking and eating. pints of Guinness and take in the the stance, feet beside each other It’s adecent day’s haul, and after view. We’d have asked the crew to and fairly far apart, knees bent and stopping off for afew barely earned join us but there’s no point –not back straight. In minutes we’re pints in the beautiful Beach Bar in one of the hardy fisherman standing alittle shakily Aughris Head (see pages 24-26) has any interest in eating on the water. With and the cosy pub on Coney Island what they catch (it’s Trá Bán in Strandhill paddles in hand, (there’s only one, see page 23)we clear we’re not the cooks one of the best we move into head for port. En route, Eoin only ones making the wind, McLoughlin and Peter Callaghan schoolboy errors post-surf meals in the west. pushing gut the fish cleanly and precisely, when the plates of Impeccable service and awell-priced ourselves despite the rolling sea, spits and delicious fish winelist complement unfussy food along with squalls. Ewing’s most regular arrive, including with top-drawer ingredients. Starters slow, solid passenger, alarge seagull, George, that revelatory strokes. takes up his post on the trawler’s gurnard). of mussels set us up nicely for the This cabin roof. Most seagulls follow a Daryl Ewing, steak with ahalf tail of lobster that couldn’t be boat in the hope of getting afew fisherman, skipper, barely left room for pints downstairs further from easy morsels, but George is an quantity surveyor, in the Strand bar. 071-912 8402, the hustle of altogether more regal character web designer and trabansligo.ie surfing. There’s and demands to be hand-fed. all-round top bloke, time to appreciate Once back at Rosses Point, we organises sightseeing and the scenery as we THE IRISH TIMES Sligo |July 6, 2011 | 5 SLIGO ADVENTURE The Garavogue river makes its way into Sligo town cruise down the Garavogue river Armstrong walks us through the straight line, using landmarks and and into Sligo town. Once you hit various manoeuvres we will be the sails’ string guides as pointers. your rhythm of paddle and stroke, practising on the water. Once we’re As we head for shore, hands tired it’s ablissful experience. When we wet-suited and lifejacketed up, we from holding ropes, minds drained turn around, and the brisk wind is push the boat out and climb aboard, from studying the horizon, the at our backs, the effort needed is taking positions to keep the weight Fireballsare swirling around one halved. It’s abreeze to chat while evenly distributed.