Overview
Kinlough (Irish: Cionn Locha, ‘head of the lake’) sits at the junction of the R280 and R281 in the north of County Leitrim, about 2 miles from Bundoran and 13 miles from Manorhamilton. It takes its name and its whole character from Lough Melvin, which begins at the edge of the village and runs seven miles west, straddling the border with County Fermanagh. The lake is the reason to come, and it is known for a trout you would struggle to catch anywhere else.
Walking by the lake
For a walk, use the Lough Melvin Eco Park, where paths and a playground sit beside the lake. Follow the signs and leave the shoreline vegetation undisturbed.
Lough Melvin and its islands
Lough Melvin is roughly seven miles long and a mile and a half wide, with four main islands. Woody Island (Inishkeen) is 32 acres; Inishtemple, 35 acres, carries the ruin of a 14th-century church tied to the MacClancy chieftains, and near the southern shore MacClancy Castle stands on a crannóg, a man-made island.
Two more ruins reward a look. Rossclogher Castle sits on its own island, and the nearby Rossclogher Abbey is bound up with one of the odder episodes in Irish history: after the Spanish Armada wrecked along this coast in 1588, the officer Francisco de Cuéllar sheltered with the MacClancys here and later wrote a vivid account of his months on the run.
Fishing and the River Drowes
Anglers come to Lough Melvin for its Atlantic salmon and three native trout, including the rare gillaroo – Giolla Rua, the ‘red fellow’. The River Drowes carries the lake’s water the short distance to the Atlantic.
The lake is a protected site, and its shores hold the endangered globeflower, molinia meadows and pockets of sessile oak woodland. If you plan to fish, check Inland Fisheries Ireland for the rules on the Irish side and confirm access, permits and rules for the water you intend to fish. The lake crosses the border with Northern Ireland.
Mountains and walking
The Dartry Mountains rise straight behind the village. Arroo Mountain (523 m) is the peak directly above Kinlough; the same range carries Ben Bulben (526 m), Truskmore (647 m) and Ben Wiskin (514 m), and its glaciated valleys – Glencar, Glenade and Gleniff – lie close by. The quiet R280 makes for a scenic cycle toward Ballyshannon or Glenade.
History
Kinlough is the modern remnant of the ancient territory of Dartry, seat of the MacClancy chiefs; the name Cenn Locha is recorded as early as the 8th century. The village grew up alongside the Johnston estate, which at its height held more than 12,000 acres spread across four counties. In 1815 the old parish of Rossinver was split to create the modern parishes of Kinlough, Glenade and Ballaghameehan. The population fell steadily from the Famine onward and only began to recover this century.
Nearby
Two oddities are worth the short drive. The Kinlough Folk Museum gathers the everyday history of the district, and up in Glenade the cave of Poll na mBear – ‘the hole of the bears’ – gave up the bones of brown bears, animals long extinct in Ireland.
Getting there and practical
Kinlough is on the R280 and R281, close to Bundoran and Ballyshannon. Check current bus services with Bus Éireann before you travel, as services in this part of Leitrim are limited and a car is the more reliable way to get here.
Eating and staying
Accommodation in the village is mostly family-run B&Bs and guest houses, so it pays to ring ahead. Check opening times locally for pubs, restaurants and takeaways before you go.