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Maud Gonne
Maud Gonne MacBride was an English born Irish revolutionary, patriot, social activist, actress, feminist and one of the founders of Sinn Fein.
Maud met and fell in love with Lucien Millevoye, a French political activist. Both had a secret relationship as Lucien was already married. She shared his interest in politics, where he had a deep passion for france, but a hatred for England. It was him who told Maud Gonne to get involved in ireland's independence movement. Based on this, she started spending time in ireland, observing the oppression that the Irish sufferend under their English landlords. She also witnessed evictions of tenants which got her involved with famine relief efforts and the land league, an organization dedicated to reform tenancy laws. When she met Yeats, she became his muse. Many of WB yeats's poems are inspired by her. He also wrote the plays "the countess Cathleen" and "Cathleen ni houlihan" for her. He even proposed to her on many occasions, but she always declined. Credit: Blowdesigns (Nik purdy) |
WB Yeats
This man doesn't need an introduction. WB Yeats or William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. Yeats's mother was Susan Mary Pollexfen who came from a wealthy merchant family in Sligo. Soon after his birth, the family relocated to Sligo.
In 1923, Yeats received the Nobel prize in Literature . The medal he received can be seen in the Sligo County museum right beside Sligo Library. Yeats is also commemorated in Sligo by a statue, created by sculptur Ronan Gillespie. The statue can be found outside the Ulster bank. Across the river is the Yeats Memorial Building , home to the Sligo Yeats Society. His final resting place is at Drumcliff church . Credit: Blowdesigns (Nik purdy) |
Queen Maeve
Queen Maeve ("Maedbh" , "Medb") was the ‘Celtic’ warrior queen of Connacht. According to legend, Queen Maeve is buried in Queen Maeve's grave, a 40-foot high cairn located on top of Knocknarea.
According to legend, she is buried in an upright position facing her enemies in Ulster. The most famous story about Maeve is the cattle raid of Cooley. Maeve insisted she be equal in wealth as her husband. When she discovered he was one powerfull stud bull richer than her, she started the cattle raid of Cooley. When visiting Sligo, it is worthwhile climbing Knocknarea and admiring the cairn. But even if it was just to admire the fabulous views as far as Donegal and Mayo, it is recommended to climb this beautiful limestone mountain located on the Coolera peninsula. Credit: Marian Noone, aka friz |
1916 Easter rising
The Easter Rising was an Irish insurrection in ireland during Easter week, April 1916. The rising was launched by Irish republicans to end British rule and establish an independent Irish republic.
In the picture, you can see the 7-man military council of the Irish republican Brotherhood who organised the rising which began on Monday, 24th April. The 8th person in the picture is Constance Georgine Markievicz, nee Gore-Booth, who together with her sister Eva Gore-Booth lived in Lissadell House located north of Sligo town. The sisters were childhood friends with the poet WB Yeats who frequently visited the family home Lissadell House. Markievicz joined James Connolly's socialist Irish Citizen Army (ICA) and took part in the Easter rising being a member of the ICA. If you are in Sligo, you should visit Lissadell House Credit: Blowdesigns (Nik purdy) |
Sligo, set your spirit free
Sligo, Set your Spirit free . Sligo is the place where you can relax, enjoy the great outdoors or just eat fabulous food.
Aligo is known as a surfers paradise, and Mullaghmore has established itself as a big wave surfing hotspot. When the winter storms arrive, so do the big wave surfers. |
Adelaide Street Car Park
In this car park, you find street street art from artists such as JMK ,... The art is varied , colourful,...
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Westlife
Westlife is an Irish pop vocal band. Three of the four members ( Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily) are schoolmates from Summerhill in Sligo.
All three of them participated in a school production of Grease with fellow Sligo men Derrick Lacey, Graham Keighron and Michael Garrett. These six formed a group called six as one which was seen as the start of Westlife. Later, they changed the name of the band to IOYOU. Later on, Louis Walsh formed a new band with three of the members (Shane Filan, Kian Egan and Mark Feehily) and Brian McFadden and Nick Byrne who were added to the line-up . The rest is history. Credit: Kelan Curran |
Scouting Ireland
In Sligo's Peace park, you find another mural of Baden Powell and three scouts. At this location, you find Sligo town's Scout branch.
Scouting Ireland has its history in 2 legacy scouting organisations, the scout association of Ireland formerly known as the boy scouts of Ireland and the Catholic boy scouts of Ireland. The former was established in 1908 tracing it;s legacy to Lord Baden-Powell's Scout Movement. |
Joe Carroll
Joe Carroll was a legendary character in Sligo town. Joe was nicknamed "Straightback", a name he wasn't to fond of. Joe was a regular sight on Sligo's streets during the 80's and 90's where you could spot him walking the streets with his blue trench coat and famous cap.
Joe was often mistaken as a garda or a traffic warden as he loved to direct the towns traffic. His black bike was never to far away either as it was his favorite way of transport. Credit: Blowdesigns (Nik purdy) |
Sligo fiddle player Joe O'Dowd
Joe O'Dowd, originally from Knocknaska nearby Gurteen, was a well known fiddle player.
Joe started playing the fiddle at a young age, and a lot of his talent was picked up by listening to Michael coleman and other musicians. At a later stage of his life, Joe and Carmel Gunning restarted the Sligo branch of Comhaltas in 1975 again after it had lapsed for a few years. One of Comhaltas institutions is a nationwide system of contests. Joe was renowned as a fiddle player among music lovers worldwide, and his son Seamie O'Dowd is still on the music scene in Sligo and further afield. Seamie in his own right is a very talented musician who is a brilliant guitarist, singer and songwriter who also plays the fiddle, harmonica, mandolin,... Credit: Blowdesigns (Nik purdy) |
Shoot the Crows
Shoot the crows is a traditional pub in Sligo town. it's window is illustrated with celtic mythology artwork which is changed regularly. Story goes that in the early part of the last century, there was a bounty paid on crows which were seen to be pests.
Hunters got paid weekly, so a Sligo publican would accept the dead birds as a payment in the pub, and then exchange them himself later for cash. |
Bram Stoker
"What manner of creature is it in the semblance of man"
Sligo has strong links with the Author of dracula, Bram Stoker. His mother Charlotte Thornley was born in Sligo on June 1818. When she was 14 years old, Sligo town was struck by a severe Cholera epidemic which saw many people die on the streets each day. It was these stories which were passed on to a young Bram which would stay with him forever and provide a story line for his world-renowned book "Dracula" Credit: Marian Noone, aka friz |