Drumlin country puts a lake behind almost every hill here, and these seven places are scattered across the county rather than gathered on one road, so taking in more than two or three in a day means driving. Castleblayney is the largest, on the western shore of Lough Muckno, with a wide 1830s main street running the whole way down to the promenade. The Outdoor Adventure Centre on the lake works from spring to autumn, so an off-season visit is a walk and a look at the Big Tom bronze at the Market House rather than a day on the water.
Ballybay sits in the middle of the county between Lough Major and Lough Minor, with three waymarked loops starting from the lakeside Town Park and whooper swans arriving on the Dromore River wetlands from autumn. Carrickmacross, in the south, has the most to see on foot: a Georgian and Victorian centre, the Lace Gallery where the appliqué lace is still worked, the Famine-era Workhouse and the ruined Magheross church, with Castle Leslie and the Tin Church at Laragh a short drive off.
Inishkeen, east along the River Fane, is a single-stop visit for most people, built around the free Patrick Kavanagh Centre in the deconsecrated St Mary’s Church. Drum in the west, Rockcorry on the edge of Dartrey Forest and Scotstown up near the source of the Blackwater are villages, better treated as stops on a longer drive than destinations in themselves.
Sits on Lough Muckno with a wide 1830s main street, a Big Tom bronze at the Market House and watersports from spring to autumn.
Three waymarked loops leave the lakeside Town Park, and the Dromore River wetlands bring in whooper swans and other wintering wildfowl from autumn.
Patrick Kavanagh was born here in 1904, and the free centre in the deconsecrated St Mary's Church is the main reason people make the trip.
The county's second-largest town, with appliqué lace still worked at the Lace Gallery and a Georgian and Victorian centre around the Famine-era Workhouse.
7 of 7 shown — tap a pin for the place.
Castleblayney, monaghan
Castleblayney sits beside Lough Muckno, with a wide 1830s main street running down to the lake. It calls itself the Nashville of Ireland for the show-band and country singers who came from here, and there is a bronze of Big Tom McBride in town. Lough Muckno Leisure Park has marked walks to Black Island, a playground and picnic areas.
Ballybay, monaghan
Ballybay sits between Lough Major and Lough Minor in central Monaghan, with three waymarked walking loops starting from the lakeside Town Park. The Ballybay Wetlands on the Dromore River draw whooper swans and other wintering wildfowl from autumn, and the 1848 timber Market House still hosts markets and craft fairs.
Inishkeen, monaghan
Patrick Kavanagh was born here in 1904 and drew Tarry Flynn and The Great Hunger from these drumlin fields. The free Patrick Kavanagh Centre in the deconsecrated St Mary’s Church is the main reason to come; the stump of a 9th-century round tower and gentle walks along the River Fane round out the visit.
Carrickmacross, monaghan
Carrickmacross is Monaghan's second-largest town, best known for the fine appliqué lace made here since the 1820s and still worked at the Lace Gallery. Around the Georgian and Victorian centre you'll find the Famine-era Workhouse, the ruined Magheross church and, a short drive off, Castle Leslie and the corrugated-iron Tin Church at Laragh.
Rockcorry, monaghan
Rockcorry is a small village on the R188 in north-west Monaghan, on the edge of the old Dartrey estate. It keeps a Georgian market house dated 1805, the Dawson Memorial Column to MP Richard Dawson, and the ruins of a mill from its 19th-century trade.
monaghan
North County Monaghan, monaghan
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