Lough Gill

#21 among destinations in Ireland

Nature, Natural attraction, Lake, Top attraction

Gallery (8)

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Gallery

Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Oliver Dixon / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Oliver Dixon / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Niallio77 / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Niallio77 / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / D Gore / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Dzlinker / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Oliver Dixon / URL

Facts and practical information

Nestled in the heart of Yeats Country, the picturesque Lough Gill is a serene freshwater lake in the northwest of Ireland. This idyllic expanse of water is a hidden gem, located in the counties of Sligo and Leitrim, and serves as a tranquil retreat from the bustling city life. Spanning over 8 square kilometers, Lough Gill is famed for its scenic beauty and the inspiration it provided to the Nobel laureate William Butler Yeats, who mentioned the lake in several of his poems.

Lough Gill's crystal-clear waters are encircled by rolling green hills and a patchwork of dense woodlands, offering a perfect backdrop for outdoor activities such as kayaking, fishing, and leisurely boat tours. The lake boasts over twenty small islands, with the most noted being the enchanting Isle of Innisfree, which further rose to prominence through Yeats' poetry.

Visitors to Lough Gill can embark on the Lake Isle of Innisfree Boat Tour, which provides an immersive experience of the lake's natural and literary significance. Anglers also frequent the lake, as it is home to a variety of fish, including pike, perch, and trout, making it an angler's paradise.

For those who prefer to stay on land, a drive around the lake offers stunning views and the opportunity to visit historic sites such as Parke's Castle, a restored 17th-century plantation castle on the shores of Lough Gill. Hiking trails around the lake allow for leisurely strolls or more challenging treks through the surrounding woodlands.

Alternative names: Length: 4.97 miWidth: 6562 ftMaximum depth: 102 ftElevation: 3 ft a.s.l.Coordinates: 54°15'5"N, 8°23'2"W

Location

SligoIreland

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Day trips

Lough Gill – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Parke's Castle, Sligo Abbey, Hazelwood, St. Angela's College.

2.2 miNE
Imposing 1600s castle overlooking lake
Parke's Castle, Dromahair
56 min walk • Parke’s Castle is a plantation era castle situated on the northeast shore of Lough Gill, in County Leitrim, Ireland. The castle is built on the site of an earlier fifteenth-century O'Rourke tower house.
3.7 miW
1200s Dominican friary with noted altar
Sligo Abbey, Sligo
96 min walk • Nestled in the heart of the bustling town of Sligo, Ireland, lies Sligo Abbey, a monastic site steeped in history and spirituality. This Dominican friary, founded in the mid-13th century, stands as a testament to the region's rich ecclesiastical heritage and offers...
1.9 miW
Nature, Natural attraction, Forest
Hazelwood
49 min walk • Hazelwood is an ancient area of woodland located just over 2 miles outside the town of Sligo in northwest Ireland, in the parish of Calry. It is the setting for W.B.Yeats's The Song of Wandering Aengus.
0.6 miN
Universities and schools
St. Angela's College, Sligo
15 min walk • St. Angela's College, Sligo is a college of NUI Galway located beside Lough Gill. St. Angela's College have had a strategic partnership with NUI Galway since 2006. St. Angela’s College was founded by the Ursuline Order in 1952 and was a recognised college of the National University of Ireland from 1978-2006.
3.9 miW
Museum
Sligo County Museum, Sligo
99 min walk • Sligo County Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of County Sligo. The museum is housed in a former manse on Stephen Street, Sligo town.
3.3 miSE
Archaeological site
Creevelea Abbey, Dromahair
85 min walk • Creevelea Abbey is a medieval Franciscan friary and National Monument located in DromahairCounty Leitrim, Ireland. Creeveley Abbey is now in use for as a grave yard.
3.5 miNW
Museum, Art museum
The Model, Sligo
91 min walk • The Model, home of the Niland Collection, formerly called Model Arts and Niland Gallery, is a contemporary arts centre and gallery space in Sligo, Ireland.
1.1 miE
Nature, Natural attraction, Lake
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
29 min walk • "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a twelve-line poem comprising three quatrains, written by William Butler Yeats in 1888 and first published in the National Observer in 1890. It was reprinted in The Countess Kathleen and Various Legends and Lyrics in 1892 and as an illustrated Cuala Press Broadside in 1932.
2.7 miW
Archaeological site
Carns Cairn
69 min walk • Carns Cairn is a cairn and National Monument located in County Sligo, Ireland.
1.9 miN
Archaeological site
Magheraghanrush Court Tomb
50 min walk • Magheraghanrush Court Tomb is a court cairn and National Monument located in County Sligo, Ireland.
2.1 miW
Art gallery, Shopping, Museum
Hazelwood House, Sligo
53 min walk • Hazelwood House is an 18th-century Palladian style country house located in a 70-acre demesne in the parish of Calry, approximately 2 miles south-east of the town of Sligo in north-west Ireland.