COMING SOON

By Paul J Allen

The waters of Lough Gill are surrounded by mountains, hills, forests and shoreline that have altered little in thousands, thousands and thousands of years. Peoples from all ages, prehistoric, pre-Christ, dark ages, mediaeval and modern have roamed the lands and woods that frame this beautiful region of Sligo and Leitrim. Through those many, many unknown centuries, the landscape has silently witnessed the huge variety of historic, social and cultural aspects of Irish life.

Stand in the fields of Kiltycahill, or at the banks of Parkes Castle, or on Church island, stare into the water, look around the lands, the mountains and hills and imagine the coming and goings of all that have passed this way, that have swam, sailed or fished in the deep waters of this immense lake. Huddle against the penetrating wind blustering in a storm whipping up its waters, in its ruthless crashing waves. Shelter from the pelting rain beating hard against the person, relentlessly, cold and continuous. Rejoice, in the sunlight that brightens its skies and colours the water a beautiful blue, and on still day, turns the depths into a large mirror, reflecting the tips of its mountains reproducing their magnificence upon its surface. Visualize sunsets, shading and tinting the slopes and tops of its inclines, or moonlight lighting the skies above them and dazzling the water below.

Envisage the men and women who have lived, cooked, slept around the shores and the grounds off this enigmatic lough. Step into the shoes of those who have wandered through its many woods, walked on its fertile soil, hunted on its plains, and cultivated its rich earth. Listen to the thoughts of its writers, poets and lovers who have marvelled at its majestic unrivalled wonder.

It is difficult describing, to write out or simply explain ones thoughts on the sights and splendour of Lough Gill and its adjoining lands. William Butler Yeats , Ireland's most illustrious poet, loved Sligo, the county of his childhood, titling it 'The Land of Hearts Desire'. Throughout his youth, he returned from London for holidays with his maternal grandparents, the Pollexfens. Thus, it is not surprising that the county's beauty, archaeology and folklore features so prominently is his early poems, particularly the overwhelming location of Lough Gill, so inspirational to his poetry. And this is the aim of this brief account to centre on this expanse he loved so much, not only Yeats but many eminent persons before and after him. '…a fine river flows through the town; and towards the east, the banks of the river upwards are redolent of every kind of beauty, and soon expand into Lock Gilly-one of the most lovely of the Irish lakes'.

The lake is about 2 miles from Sligo Town. Regarded as one of the most attractive of Irish lakes Lough Gill (Loch Gile) is a lake mainly situated in County Sligo, but partly in County Leitrim. There are nineteen islands on this lake (all within the Sligo boundary) which is about 8 km (5 miles) long and 2 km (1 mile) wide, this stunning lough surrounded by a ring of wooded hills and mountains, and not surprisingly bearing in mind its beauty, wooded surroundings and considerable number of historical and archaeological sites, many legends are associated with the lake, even the story that the old city of Sligo lies at the bottom of its deep waters. The lough itself drains into the River Garavogue which travels into the nearby modern county town of Sligo and in turn out to the Atlantic Occean.