Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1908-03-14
BEAUTIES
OF County Sligo and Her Lakes
Described BY Eastern
Journalist.
Wooded Isle Can BE Made to
Teen With Plenty BY
Diligence.
Rivers Are Few and Short in
Course, But Move Very
Rapidly.
TELLS OF MOUNTAIN And DALE

A recent writer in the New Eng
land journals gives an admirable
description of the topography of
County Sligo and her lakes. In part
he says:
The surface of County Sligo is
much varied, having near the sea
coast extensive plains backed by
lofty mountains. The interior is
hilly. with several lakes interspersed
with some rivers. which, though not
of great lengtht or size, add much to
me beauty of the scenery by their
romantic borders and precipitous cur
rents.
There are three lakes in this coun-
~ remarkable alike for their size and
beauty The most northern is Tough
Gill, near the town of Sligo, on the
east. Ii is about nine miles long and
three broad. studded with islands,
some of which are richly wooded. and
others present an expanse of verdant
meadow. The two largest islands are
lnnismore (also called Church Island
from the remains of an ancient mon
astic building, the cemetery of which
is still occasionally used as place
of interment and Cottage Island, So
called from a beautiful lodge erected
on ii. Besides these there are six
teen other islands, all more or less
wooded.
Lough Arrow, nearly of the same
size as the preceding sbut more ir-
regular in its outline and equally
beautiful for the picturesque variety
OF its scenery, contains the three
islands of Innismore, Innisbeg and
Annaghgowla. At the most southern
extremity of the county. and forming
part of its boundary on the side of
Roscommon, is Tough Cara, equally
picturesque and irregular and also
studded with islands, the chief of
which are named Derrymore, Inse.
Inchymore, and Inchybeg. In the Ok
mountains is Tough Calf. or the High
Lake, surrounded by cliffs that seem
to have been thrown up by some ex.
lake, which is about a mile long by
half mile in breadth, is well stocked
with fish. More northwards in the
same range of mountains is Tough
Easkey.
The rivers of the county are few.
and short in their course. but GEN
orally rapid; that which flows from
Tough Gill is usually called the Sligo
river, from its passing through the
town, but its proper name is the
Garvogue. The water of Ballysadare
river, also named from a town but
properly called the Awenshien. is
formed by the River Arrow, which
flows from the lake of that name and
joins the Owenmore and the Owenbeg
near the town of Collooney; the
united waters constitute the first
named river, and, flowing northward
to Ballysadare, over a succession of
cascades, form the greatest horn or
inlet of Sligo bay.
The River Moy rises in the Ok
mountains, and runs nearly south =.
through the barony of Leney. where
it enters the County of Mayo. flowing
westward through the barony Of
Gallen, and shortly after turning due
north and joining the waters of
Loughs Conn and Cullen; thence it
proceeds by Foxford to Ardmore.
where ii becomes the boundary be-
tween Sligo and Mayo; and PASS
ing by Ballina, Rosserick Abbey. and
Moyne, to the sea. opens into the spa-
cious bay of Killala. The Easkey
rises in Tough Easkey, between the
Ok mountains and Knocknarea, and
flows due north to the sea parallel
with the Moy. There are many
smaller streams, particularly among
the mountains, but all tributary to
those above mentioned.