NEARBY FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS

If you’re looking to keep your little ones entertained during your family holiday, there are a number of major attractions just a short journey from The Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Sligo. We’ve asked our employees, locals and previous hotel guests to give us some of the best recommendations of nearby attraction that families and children of all ages will enjoy. Here are some that we really recommend:

Island View Riding School
Experienced horse riders, those with no prior riding knowledge and everyone in between will enjoy this family-run horse farm. Take a private or group lesson or just join a trek along the beach. Our horses can carry you for a gentle stroll along the seashore or you can tour with a maritime archaeologist who will tell you all about the Spanish armada shipwrecks as you ride by them. Treks last from 30 minutes right up to 5 hours. Prior booking is essential.

Eagles Flying
In what is the largest birds of prey and owl centre in the country, you can watch different species of eagles show off their hunting skills on prey dummies, while scientists discuss their importance in nature. Opening times vary according to both day and season. Please check the website for latest details.

Perfect Day Surf School
Established in 1998, this professional surf school has a wonderful reputation for being safe and patient with beginners. Take a surfing or paddleboarding lesson while enjoying the beautiful coastline from the water. Lessons are offered in a group or individual setting but pre-booking is required. Visit the website to enrol and don’t forget to grab your Wild Atlantic Way experience card to benefit from the discount.

Lissadell House
Lissadell House is famous as the childhood home of Constance Markievicz, her sister Eva Gore-Booth and her brother Josslyn Gore-Booth. Constance was one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising and was the first woman to be elected to Dáil Eireann, where she served as Minister for Labour, thus becoming the first woman minister in a modern Western European democracy. The exhibitions, galleries and gardens at Lissadell include the Countess Markievicz Exhibition, Yeats Exhibition, Yeats Muses Exhibition and Eva Gore-Booth Exhibition, Waterloo Exhibition and the Alpine and Kitchen gardens. For more information about art walks, art talks and art classes with Gareth Boyle, the artist in residence at Lissadell, contact angela@lissadellhouse.com

Innisfree Boat Tours
No visit to the northwest is complete without a trip on the Rose of Innisfree tour boat. Sail around the Isle of Innisfree, situated on one of Ireland’s most beautiful lakes, Lough Gill, on the Sligo Leitrim border. Depart from the 17th Century Parkes Castle and take a leisurely cruise across Lough Gill, which is surrounded by outstanding natural beauty and steeped in myth and legend. Enjoy tea, coffee, home baking, snacks and full bar service on board while the skipper, George McGoldrick, recites tales of folklore, history and poetry associated with the area and Ireland’s most famous son, W.B.Yeats. Lough Gill’s great diversity of geology, archaeology, history and scenery will provide permanent memories for all visitors.