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With a population of 18,000, SLIGO is, after Derry, the biggest town in the northwest of Ireland and a focal point for the surrounding area. This engaging place, overshadowed by the presence of Knocknarea and Benbulben mountains, manages to be relaxed and busy at the same time, with a fair dash of the Irish New Age spirit that suffuses much of the west. If you've been too long in the wildernesses, you can soak up something of a city atmosphere. The annual Yeats summer school in August, the arts festival in May and the choral festival in November are indications of Sligo's vitality. The first recorded mention of Sligo dates from 807 AD, when the town was sacked by the Vikings, and by the thirteenth century it had become the gateway between Connacht and Ulster, with a castle (since destroyed) on what is now Castle Street. The Middle Ages was a period of sporadic violence, most notably between the Anglo-Norman Maurice Fitzgerald and the O'Connells. Thanks to its strong defences, Sligo was the last of the western garrisons to surrender to Williamite forces after the Battle of the Boyne. The town suffered during the Great Famine, when its population fell by a third through death and emigration, but by the end of the nineteenth century things had picked up to the extent that it was described in guidebooks as "a progressive and busy centre". The upswing has continued to the present day, and in summer the streets are always crowded with visitors - but if you have a chance to look at the photos of old Sligo hanging in the County Museum on Stephen Street, you'll appreciate how remarkably constant the look of the town has been with its narrow, tightly packed back streets. Apart from the Dominican Abbey there's not much left in the way of sites that recall the town's long history, but the old-fashioned market town atmosphere, the pleasant riverside cafes and the atmospheric old pubs make it an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside and sights. Lough Gill, Drumcliff, the megalithic dolmens of Knocknarea and the beaches at Strandhill are all within a five-mile radius of town; Lissadell, Benbulben and Glencar Lough are within ten. If you are without transport, it's worth calling in to the tourist office and checking out details of minibus and walking tours of the area to make the most of at least some of these.
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