Mullaghmore, County Sligo
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Mullaghmore () is a village on the
Mullaghmore Peninsula The Mullaghmore Peninsula (), also referred to as Mullaghmore Head, is a small peninsula in the north of County Sligo, Ireland. The coastal village of Mullaghmore is the peninsula's sole settlement. The village has 136 year-round residents accord ...
in
County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in the county. Sligo County Council is the local ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is a holiday destination with a skyline dominated by Benbulben mountain. It is in the
barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
of Carbury and parish of Ahamlish.


History

From the 17th to the 19th centuries it was part of the large estate belonging to the Temple family in north Sligo. The land, some , was granted to Sir John Temple (1600-1677),
Master of the Rolls The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the President of the Court of Appeal (England and Wales)#Civil Division, Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales a ...
in Dublin. Sir John's direct descendant, The 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865), began the building of
Classiebawn Castle Classiebawn Castle is a country house built for The 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1784–1865) on what was formerly a estate on the Mullaghmore Peninsula near the village of Cliffoney, County Sligo, in the Republic of Ireland. The current castle wa ...
on the peninsula, a baronial-style house designed by
James Rawson Carroll James Rawson Carroll (1830 – November 30, 1911) was an Irish architect who was involved in many projects throughout Ireland during the Victorian Era. He was a founding partner of the Carroll & Batchelor architectural firm in 1892, alongside F ...
. Lord Palmerston also built the stone-walled harbour in the village, which was designed by the marine engineer
Alexander Nimmo Alexander Nimmo FRSE MRIA MICE HFGS (1783 – January 20, 1832) was a Scottish civil engineer and geologist active in early 19th-century Ireland. Life and career Nimmo was born in Cupar, Fife in 1783, the son of a watchmaker, and grew up i ...
. It was built between 1822 and 1841. The Temples were mostly absentee landlords, with the estate being run initially by middlemen, and later by land agents, such as Stewart and Kincaid, a Dublin firm with offices in
Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
. These agents, in their attempts to make the estates profitable, oversaw the "assisted emigration" that took place on the Palmerston and adjacent Gore-Booth (
Lissadell Lissadell () is the name attached to three townlands in north County Sligo on Magherow peninsula west of Benbulben. Until the late 16th century Lissadell was part of the tuath of Cairbre Drom Cliabh under the Lords of Sligo, Ó Conchobhair Sligi ...
) estate that began before the Great Famine and continued until at least the 1860s. Thus, in May 1862, a Sligo newspaper reported: "In accordance with a custom of some years' standing, about sixty persons have been selected for emigration from the Parish of Ahamlish ... whose passages and outfit has been provided by his Lordship. They consist of twenty-four young girls, and twenty young men ... ndfamilies who were wholly unable to support themselves ... who had asked the favour of being sent out ... The emigrants took their passages ... this day, for Liverpool, en route for America." Lord Palmerston presided over Mullaghmore and North Sligo during the worst years of the Great Famine of the mid-19th century. During the summer and autumn of 1847, nine vessels, carrying over 2,000 persons left Sligo port with tenants evicted and "shovelled out" from his Sligo estates. They arrived in Canada half-naked and totally destitute. The city of St. John in the Canadian province of New Brunswick had to take many of Palmerston's evicted tenants into care and, outraged, sent a scathing letter to Palmerston expressing regret and fury that he or his agents, ‘should have exposed such a numerous and distressed portion of his tenantry to the severity and privation of a New Brunswick winter ... unprovided with the common means of support, with broken-down constitutions and almost in a state of nudity ... without regard to humanity or even common decency.’ The graves of many of these unfortunate victims can be seen today on the old quarantine station, now a museum, at Grosse Ille near Quebec. Classiebawn was a favoured holiday retreat of Admiral of the Fleet
Louis Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...
. It was off the Mullaghmore coast in August 1979 that Mountbatten, along with his fourteen-year-old grandson Nicholas Knatchbull, Doreen Knatchbull and
County Fermanagh County Fermanagh ( ; ) is one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the six counties of Northern Ireland. The county covers an area of 1,691 km2 (653 sq mi) and has a population of 61,805 a ...
teenager Paul Maxwell, were killed by a bomb planted by the
Provisional IRA The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, fa ...
. In 2007 it hosted the final stage of
Rally Ireland Rally Ireland was added to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar in 2007. It was not part of the 2008 schedule, but returned as the First round of the championship in 2009. The north–south event is the largest sporting occasion o ...
. Sebastian Loeb wins the Rally of Ireland and went on to win his 4th World Championship title.


Surfing

Mullaghmore is a
big wave surfing Big wave surfing is a discipline within surfing in which experienced surfers paddle into, or are towed into, waves which are at least 20 feet (6.2 m) high, on surf boards known as "guns" or towboards. Sizes of the board needed to successfully su ...
destination. On 8 March 2012, surfers and windsurfers from all over the world rode waves up to high off Mullaghmore Head. These waves were about less than the tallest wave ever recorded in Ireland in
County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
on 13 December 2011, which was high. The waves in Mullaghmore were generated by a complex weather system nicknamed the "Viking storm" leading to big wave conditions in the area for the month of March for 15 years. Some riders suffered bruising as well as broken bones and surfboards. A North American low-pressure system moved east and combined with another
cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
in the Western Atlantic. This system moved into an area off the coast of Ireland that already had high waves owing to a series of strong systems the previous week. In addition, a strong
anticyclone An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon defined as a large-scale circulation of winds around a central region of high atmospheric pressure, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from abov ...
over the
Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
created a large pressure gradient in the North Atlantic that directed a strong fetch towards Ireland. There was also an extended fetch length in the North Atlantic in the direction of Europe while the swell was created. These combined conditions produced waves that were confirmed by satellite data on 7 March 2012 to have exceeded in height.


Amenities

Mullaghmore is served by two hotels, a seafood restaurant, a grocery shop, a spiritual retreat centre and a fish farm. There is also a variety of B&Bs in Mullaghmore. Mullaghmore's busiest times for trade and tourism are during the summer months of May, June, July and August, with the busiest being the weekend of the 12th of July, and the August Bank Holiday weekend. Most of these businesses close for the winter months, except the fish farm. Mullaghmore also has a sandy beach nearly in length. There is no lifeguard on duty.


The Pier Head Hotel, Spa and Leisure Centre

The Pier Head Hotel is situated in Mullaghmore village by the Pier wall. It opened as McHugh's Hotel & Tearooms in the early twentieth century, while also housing a schoolhouse. It is still owned by the McHugh family. In 2005, the hotel oversaw major renovations, including the addition of more rooms, a heated pool, a spa, and a new restaurant. In 2007, it was rally HQ when the final stage in the
Rally Ireland Rally Ireland was added to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar in 2007. It was not part of the 2008 schedule, but returned as the First round of the championship in 2009. The north–south event is the largest sporting occasion o ...
stages got underway. In 2010,
Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
stayed at the Pier Head Hotel, after a request by the Hotel staff. Cohen wanted to stay outside Sligo town and opted for Mullaghmore. He also liked to walk the Beach and meander around the village. He stayed at the Pier Head while he performed two gigs in Sligo in front of 20,000 people at
Lissadell House Lissadell House is a neo-classical Greek revivalist style country house in County Sligo, Ireland. The house was built between 1830 and 1835 for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet (1784–1835) by London architect Francis Goodwin. Sir Robert ...
in his 2010 tour which he said was one of his two favourite venues he has ever played at. In 2015, The Pier Head hosted
Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to ...
, and his wife
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen Consort of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III. She became queen consort on 8 September 2022, upon the acc ...
, on their official visit to Mullaghmore where his uncle was killed. The Pier Head Hotel held a brief history exhibition on the area's history for Prince Charles and his wife. The Hotel now has over 40 rooms, Nimmo's residents bar, named after the designer of the Harbour, and a restaurant named The Clashybann Restaurant overlooking Donegal Bay. As of July 2022, The restaurant is open to the public. The leisure centre is open to the public, as is the Quay Bar.


The Beach Hotel

The Beach Hotel is situated across the road from the Pier Head, overlooking the harbour. It was first opened in the 1950s and has enjoyed prolonged business in Mullaghmore. It was once popular with showbands. In the late 1990s, the Hotel added Corki's Niteclub and a leisure centre, which included a 15-metre pool, gym and a jacuzzi. In 2015, the Hotel was featured in Episode 6 of Series 7 of RTÉ's '' At Your Service'', where hoteliers Francis Brennan and his brother John set out to help lift the hotel and give it more business. The plan drawn up by the hoteliers included renovation of the rooms, a renovation to the function room, and a rebranding of the hotel. The Leisure remained was decommissioned entirely, due to the small budget of the owners. The results turned around the fortunes of the Hotel and the hotel is thriving to this day. The hotel now has 28 rooms, a resident's restaurant, and the Boatmans Bistro Bar, which is open to the public.


Eithna's By the Sea Seafood Restaurant

Eithna's By The Sea is an award-winning seafood restaurant in Mullaghmore situated beside the beach Hotel and across from the Pier Head Hotel. It was first opened in 1990. Chef Neven Maguire once visited Eithna's Restaurant on the Sligo leg of his ''Irish Seafood Trails'' programme which was broadcast on RTÉ in 2019 The restaurant is also notable for its striking mural depicting "By The Sea in Mullaghmore"


Paddy's Place

Paddy's Place is the only shop for 5km, the next nearest shop being in
Cliffoney Cliffoney, officially Cliffony (), is a village in north County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies on the N15 road (Ireland), N15 national route at its junction with the R279 road (Ireland), R279. It is only three kilometres away from M ...
. It is open from March through to October and closes at 6 pm each day. It sells groceries, ice creams, and beach toys and equipment.


Star Of The Sea Retreat and Conference Centre

The Star Of the Sea Building originally housed the coast guard in the nineteenth century, and the Sligo Sisters Of Mercy made it their home in August of 1929. In the 1970s, the Convent began to welcome retreats. The entire building was overhauled and renovated in the 1990s. In 2010, The Mullaghmore Peace Garden was the latest addition to the facility. In 2015, the garden was visited by Prince Charles. In 2013, the Convent was handed over by the Sisters of the Western Province to the Bishop of Elphin and was run by God. Sr. Kathleen Rooney, R.S.M.. She ran the retreat until August 2020 when she was replaced by Louise and Frank McGuinness, who are the current management team at the Centre.


Transport

The village is served by TFI Local Link Route 982, which runs from
Ballyshannon Ballyshannon () is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. It is located at the southern end of the county where the N3 from Dublin ends and the N15 crosses the River Erne. Incorporated in 1613, it is one of the oldest towns in Ireland. Location B ...
to
Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
. The bus arrives at Mullaghmore five times per day Monday to Saturday, and three times per day on Sunday. For long-distance routes, the nearest
Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidia ...
stop is at
Cliffoney Cliffoney, officially Cliffony (), is a village in north County Sligo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It lies on the N15 road (Ireland), N15 national route at its junction with the R279 road (Ireland), R279. It is only three kilometres away from M ...
, around distant, and is served several times per day.


Notable people

* Joe McGowan (b. 1944),
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
and author


Gallery

File:Mullaghmore harbour.jpg, alt=View of Mullaghmore harbour File:Mullaghmore Beach.jpg, alt=View of Mullaghmore beach and hinterland


See also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland *
Surfing in Ireland Ireland has become increasingly popular as a surfing destination, due to its exposed location on the turbulent Atlantic seaboard. Irish surf culture was further introduced in Australia by Sinead. The island has 3,172 kilometers of coastline, an ...
*
Wild Atlantic Way The Wild Atlantic Way ( ga, Slí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin) is a tourism trail on the west coast, and on parts of the north and south coasts, of Ireland. The 2,500 km (1,553 mile) driving route passes through nine counties and three provinces, s ...

Visitor Guide to Mullaghmore


References


External links



{{County Sligo Towns and villages in County Sligo Beaches of County Sligo Surfing locations in Ireland