Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-07-15
SLIGO
Named After a Famous River
For Its shells in Ancient
Days.
Beautiful Harbors, Bays and
Streams Insure Thorough
Irrigation.
Ruins of Ancient Abbeys Dot
Historic Land on Every
Hand.
SUFFERED FOR IRISH LIBERTY

The County Sligo is the most
northwestern county in the Prov
ince of Connaught. 1t is bounded
on the west by the Atlantic ocean.
on the east by Leitrim, on the south
by Mayo and Roscommon, and on
the north by Donegal and Donegal
Bay. The country took its name
from the River Sligeach, river of
shells. In these days the river is
called Garrogue. The County Sligo is
forty miles long and thirty-eight
miles wide, with an area of 721
square miles. It has a population of
10000.
The eastern part of the barony of
Carbury and the southern shores of
Tough Gill are mountainous. The
greater part of the country is level
or interspersed with undulating
territory. The coast line is an alter
nation of low, sharp rocks and flat.
sandy beaches, relieved by a few
bald headlands, and in one place by
the grand cliff of Knocknarea. Sligo
has numerous islands to its credit.
The original Coney Island, not the
New York affair, is about mile in
length. 1t lies at the entrance of
Cummeen Strand. Maguire's Island
lies beside Killaspug Point. Conor's
Island, Dernish Island and the Rocky
Cluster are all well known to Irish
men. But the most curious and re-
markable island belonging to Sligo
is Inishmurray, in Donegal Bay,
mile in length and containing the
ruins Of the ancient monastery of st.
Molaise. Its few inhabitants are
very primitive and have many quaint
customs.
Sligo is we'll supplied with bays
and harbors. Killala Bay separates
Sligo from Mayo. Sligo Bay opens
eastward and branches into three in
lets-Ballysadare Bay, Drumcliff
Bay and Middle Bay. All have pleas
ant sandy beaches. The county is
watered by the Moy, the Ohenaher,
the TAFT, the Leaffony, the Easily,
the Ballydeare and other rivers and
streams. Besides Sligo is abundantly
supplied with lakes. Sligo, the as
size town or county seat, has a popu-
lation of 10000. 1t is located on the
once famed Sligo river, now called
the Garrogue. 1t has a thriving
commercial trade, and is situated in
the midst of a most picturesque
country. Within the confines of the
city are the ruins of the once beau
tiful Sligo Abbey, which was erected
in 1852 A. ID. Ballymote. Tober-
curry, Ardanree and Ballina are all
prosperous little towns in Sligo. Coal,
iron, lead and copper are to be found
in this county, but centuries of OPP
preston have caused the mines to be
abandoned.
The town of Sligo is the residence
of the Catholic Bishop of Elphin,
whose Cathedral is forty miles away
The Church of st. John in Sligo is
called a Cathedral because the
Bishop resides there. st. Johns
Cathedral is a handsome modern
edifice, cruciform in structure, with
a tall massive tower. The See or
Elphin is one of the most ancient in
ireland, having been founded by st.
Patrick about the year $50. st. Pat
rick appointed Assicus, learned
monk, first Bishop of Elphin. but for
the eight succeeding centuries no
regular succession of prelates is men
toned in church history. There are
many remains in Sligo and the neigh
boring vicinity of the ancient relig-
ious character of the county, some OF
them of great renown. The town OF
Sligo experienced many vicissitudes
In the various wars since the Anglo
Norman invasion, and suffered much
for its devotion to Irish liberty.
Sligo Abbey, Tough Gill and Sligo
Cathedral are beauty spots that all
tourists visit when they enter the
County Sligo. 1t was in that county
that the late Hugh Higgins, father
of William M. Higgins, editor of the
Kentucky Irish American, was born
and where he grew to manhood.