The Lough Gill Tour

Hazelwood → Lough Colgagh → Deer-Park → Lough Gill → Parkes Castle → Creevelea Abbey → Lake-Isle-of-Innisfree → The Holy Well at Tobernault

See the famous Holy Well at Tobernault

from €400 for 1-3 persons & from €450 for 4-8 persons

7 Days a Week: 8am and 2pm

7 hours

Details & Itinerary

Hazelwood Demesne is just 5 Kilometres from Sligo on the road to Dromahair and is located at a place known as Half Moon Bay on the shore of Lough Gill. On arriving you notice a line of row boats moored under the trees at Annagh, Bay. This area is a walkers paradise with an abundance of lovely flowers trees and trails. There is a beautiful picnic area at Half Moon Bay where the Ducks and Swans come to greet you. Along the trails you can see Church Island Cottage Island and Goat Island. You cannot drive past without pausing to see and admire the beauty of your surroundings. We go back on the main road and head for Deer-Park.

Deer Park has three internal burial chambers. The site is on a forested hill overlooking the north shore of Lough Gill and dates back 3000 years BC. When we arrive in the car-park there is a 15-20 minute walk through a wooded area to get to the site of these ancient Tombs.

 

Hazelwood

Parkes Castle – Situated on the north eastern shore of Lough Gill Parkes Castle is a 17th century Manor House with a Bawn (enclosed yard) and round towers on the angles. There are guided tours of the castle every hour. When we leave Parks Castle we enjoy a 7 kilometre picturesque drive to Dromahair.

Parkes Castle

 This is Franciscan Friary founded in 1508 by Owen O Rourke. it was in use until the 17th century when the Franciscans were driven out by the Cromwellian Army. It is a ruin today but is a National Monument. In 1798 General Humbert led the Irish and French forces to defeat the British in battles in Castlebar and Collooney. Humbert’s army rested in Dromahair before they captured British Artillery which was thrown into the River Bonnet. On leaving Dromahair, we can’t leave Lough Gill without seeing the lake Isle Of Innisfree.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree a beautiful Island just off the south coast of Lough Gill and there is a small pier where you can board a boat to visit the island. When William Butler Yeats was in London he would walk down Fleet Street and long for the Seclusion setting of the Isle of Innisfree. The sound of the water coming from a fountain in a shop window reminded Yeats of his childhood on the Lake and on the Island and it was this inspiration that Yeats credits for the creation of the poem; Lake Isle of Innisfree.

Friary

Markree Castle has been the home of the Cooper Family for 370 Years and it has been lovingly restored by the current owners, Charles Cooper and his wife Mary. Set in a secluded 500-acre estate near Collooney Co Sligo. It offers peace and relaxation, good food and wine. The old world charm makes a stay in Markree like a step back in time.

Markree Castle

On our way back to Sligo we visit the Holy Well at Tobernault which is an age old pilgrimage site. In olden times the Druids would come and celebrate mass here when people were forbidden to congregate. There is a legend that says the well’s waters have healing power for ailments of the eye and the head. A brisk stream flows from the well making a constant soothing musical sound. Secluded and sheltered from the elements candles burn here all year round. The gravel walks have religious limestone Stations of the Cross as well as granite stones announcing the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. One feels a unique atmosphere of peaceful and healing tranquility. From here we head back to your accommodation or chosen drop off point.

Holy Well

Recent Reviews

Worth every cent!

If you are heading to Sligo and would like to see all of its highlights we cannot recommend Eugene and Sligo Tours more. We contacted him in advance with an itinerary which he covered but then Eugene went the extra mile (literally) and added four more stunning locations to our day trip. Eugene is a Sligo native and so naturally knows the county, its roads and beyond inside out. The tour was at our own pace and never felt rushed. Private tours are not cheap but Eugene made this day trip worth every cent. It was a lovely way to see all the highlights of Sligo in one day with an excellent guide and chauffeur in a very clean and comfortable vehicle. Thank you again, Eugene! We will be back in 2020. Ross

Book This Tour!

My husband and I enjoyed an absolutely lovely day touring around Sligo with Eugene. He picked us up in his Mercedes and took us around the county for a day full of beautiful scenery and very interesting history. He’s a super knowledgeable and kind person- the perfect tour guide! This tour is well worth its value, you don’t be disappointed. Eugene also provided us with some great recommendations for food and drink. We hope to return to Sligo one day soon to experience one of his other itineraries! Meaghan

Sligo at its best!

My husband and I just got back from the BEST private tour of Sligo and surrounding points of interest. Eugene picked us up at our hotel and spent the entire day sharing all of his personal, local knowledge and favorite spots with us. Places you do not see on the group tours in big coach buses. Eugene, a native Irishman, born in Sligo, feels like a long lost cousin. A warm and friendly man with a great sense of humor. If you want to see the Irish countryside, tiny winding roads, fields and mountainside peppered with sheep, up close views of the Wild Atlantic Way, beautiful country homes, waterfalls, quaint villages and other special, unique places, give Eugene a chance to show you a side of Ireland the travel books don’t mention much. Eugene has a very clean S class Mercedes and will customize your experience to fit your interests. Have no idea what to see? Ask Eugene to take you to his favorite spots. You won’t be disappointed! Devine Travelers

The best choice I made this trip!

I cannot recommend touring with Eugene highly enough!

My husband and I visited Sligo with my septuagenarian grandparents and were wary to drive ourselves around the region. How glad I was to find Eugene’s website! When I contacted him, Eugene responded promptly and was open to customizing a tour to meet our travel goals. (In the end we did a slightly modified version of his Yeats tour and it was totally perfect.)

We four spent about 7 hours with Eugene, who drove us around nearly the entire county — we saw cliffs, mountains, inlets, fishing villages, etc. etc. etc. And, a Sligo native, Eugene is a wealth of knowledge about the area. He shared so much interesting and amusing info with ya throughout the day, I can’t imagine having gone about the area without his expertise! Genuinely, this was the BEST choice we made on our whole 10-day vacation. I only wish we’d spend more time in Sligo, and more time with Eugene!  Erin R

Fabtastic One day tour in Sligo and Slieve League Cliffs

My entire family of 8 went on a fabulous trip with Eugene to the Slieve League cliffs from Sligo with many great stops along the way.
Eugene was able to take us to so may unique places where we saw zero people and beautiful beaches,castles and farms.
Eugene is a pleasure to be around and a genuine great guy who is very down to earth. Kevin M

Mom's 80th Birthday Celebration

My family and I were thrilled to travel to Sligo a week ago for early celebration of Mom’s 80th birthday. We were also so fortunate to meet Eugene McP – owner of SligoTours.com. Eugene made our trip a lot of fun/extra special, as we started our day’s journey visiting my Great Great Grandparents hometown & graveside .. not far from where he grew up. We then had an unexpected trip down the Wild Atlantic Way through Connemara, Clifden, and Sky Road (most beautiful vista I’ve seen in 6 trips) to Galway … Eugene’s expertise/knowledge/graciousness was excellent, and I would highly recommend him to anyone planning to travel in the Sligo area. ShaMac

Best Day In Ireland Of Two Week Stay

We took four private tours during our stay in Ireland. Sligo Tours was simply the best. Eugene McPartland (the owner) gave me the gift of Ireland–through his words, his spirit, his understanding of my need for the natural beauty of Ireland and a necessity for solitude and thin places. He never rushed our group of four, letting us explore at our own pace. His knowledge of the area and his storytelling ability were exactly what I had hoped to find in Ireland. This area is free of tourists, making me hesitant to even write about it or share it. There were no crowds, no massive tour buses, no in-your-face souvenir shops. Mostly there was only peace, solitude and the magnificent natural beauty of Ireland. It’s not a place to visit if you want the usual attractions to take selfies. This is a quiet place–to pause and reflect. Here’s a list of some of the places Eugene shared with us: Tobernalt Holy Well, Rosses Point, Drumcliffe, Benbulben Mountains, Cassiebrawn Castle, Mullaghmore Peace Garden, Creevykeel, Colgagh Lough, Glencar Waterfalls, Parkes Castle, Creevelea Friary. Thank you again Eugene for my best day in Ireland. ScarboroughFair

Personalized and a Treasure!

We booked Eugene online, not knowing what to expect. There were not a lot of private tours to choose from, so we went with Sligo Tours! We booked through email, and were very nervous – knowing that the roads are narrow and difficult, we prayed that we got someone who knew how to drive. We also did not have any idea as to what we wanted to see. We left it with Eugene to select our stops. He brought us to many beautiful areas of Sligo and the base of the Benbulben mountain range. We could not have asked for anything better. Eugene was flexible on each stop in leaving us to decide how long we wanted to stay at each location. He is a wealth of knowledge and shared many historical and interesting details. We could not have asked for a better day!
Laura B

Summer Fun In Sligo with Sligo Tours

I was a solo traveler in July 2019 visiting Sligo. Eugene of Sligo Tours is an excellent tour guide and driver. He drove me around Sligo Town and areas around Sligo County. He provided great commentary on the areas we visited such as Lough Gill, Strandhill, Hazelwood Forest, Parks Castle, The Holy Well, Poet Yates historic places, and much more. Eugene drove me around for two days. He took pictures for me of the places we visited. Now I have a wonderful collection of photographs of my trip. Eugene of Sligo Tours let me choose places I wanted to see. We stopped at sites and stayed as long as I wanted. Eugene lets the travelers like me set the travel agenda which is so great. He suggested places to go to and see that I would not have thought of. Everything was just perfect. I want to go back to Sligo again, And I am going to choose Sligo Tours as my travel guide. I highly recommend Sligo Tours to any traveler. For a safe, friendly, happy adventure it is Sligo Tours for me. Nomad12411909846

Eugene is a Sligo treasure all of his own!

I was recently in Sligo for the first time on a work trip and we were lucky enough to have Eugene show us around for the day. He was so knowledgeable, patient and friendly that the day felt more like a holiday than it did a work trip. As we went from location to location, Eugene educated my colleagues and I on the local area which was equal parts fascinating and fun.

Sligo is an absolutely beautiful place with an amazing history that is not to be missed and it’s my genuine feeling that the very best way to see it is in the company of Eugene. Highly, highly recommend.

Thanks for everything Eugene! Greg10