County Fermanagh
 The rivers and lakes of Fermanagh are heavy with
fish and Lough Erne has claimed many world
coarse angling match records. The trout
and salmon fishing is good too - so good
in fact, that the locals tend to ignore the
coarser kind - and the whole region is highly
developed for fishing
The intermittent barking of
a raven from the limestone cliffs or an
occasional visit from a circumspect whooper
swan is likely to be the only encounter
of the non-piscatorial kind because Fermanagh
is still wonderfully empty of crowds.
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The
angler's every need is catered for, on and away from
the water: there are clearly
marked access points,
easy parking, well stocked tackle shops, convenient hotels
and B&Bs, good restaurants and pubs.
A bonus when fishing the Navar Forest lakes
is a scenic drive to the cliff top and a tremendous view
across Lough Erne to the Donegal mountains. There are
picnic areas up here and the forest is popular for family
outings when some want to fish and others definitely
don't.
The origins of the island town of Enniskillen
go back to prehistory when this short nexus was the main
highway between Ulster and Connaught. Enniskillen Castle
was the medieval seat of the Maguires, chieftains of
Fermanagh, who policed the lough with a private navy
of 1,500 boats.
Main Fermanagh Tourist Attractions
Include :
Florence
Court
Located at Enniskillen, one of
Ulster's most important eighteenth century houses, Florence
Court was built by the Earls of Enniskillen. Featuring
fine rococo plasterwork, it has a 1780s walled garden
and tea room.
Sheelin
Irish Lace Museum
Located at Bellanaleck, Enniskillen,
all lace in this museum dates from between 1850 and 1900.
Exhibits on display include Irish crochet wedding dress,
veils, shawls and parasols. Sheelin Antiques stock ruby
glass, delph bottles, paintings oil lamps etc.
Castle
Coole
Located at Enniskillen, Coole
Castle is the stateliest of all the National Trust's
houses in Northern Ireland. Designed by James Wyatt for
the Earls of Belmore, and completed in 1798 it a perfect
example of late eighteenth century Hellenism and features
fine furnishings and plasterwork.
Marble
Arch Caves
The Marble Arch Caves at Florencecourt
are one of Fermanagh and Northern Ireland's premier visitor
attractions. The rolling hills and spectacular
scenery of this National Nature Reserve conceal a whole
underworld of caves, waterfalls, passages and high roofed
chambers. This hidden world is littered with geological
treats and treasures, as stalactites and calcite sheets
are widely seen.
Enniskillen
Castle
This famous castle was once the
stronghold of Gaelic chieftains the Maguires and later
a Plantation Castle and Army Barracks. The castle has
exhibitions on the Maguires and the natural and social
history of Fermanagh. Special exhibitions are held throughout
the year focusing on art and history
Killadeas
Churchyard
Killadeas is situated on the
eastern shores of Lough Erne, eight miles from Enniskillen
on the east shore road to Belleek. In the old graveyard
there are unusual stone carvings dating from seventh
and eight century. A fine example of such carving is
the Bishop's Stone, which bears a strolling church man
with crozier and bell on one side and on the other a
grotesque moon face.
Drumskinny
Circle
This stone circle, 13.5 km North
of Irvinestown is part of a complex of five in the immediate
locality. The circle dates back to the new stone age,
2250 BC. Made up of 39 stones, the purpose of the circle
and a small round cairn is unknown, though it is thought
to have involved some form of religious practices, astronomical
observations and calendar functions.
Tully
Castle
Located at Derrygonnelly, Enniskillen,
a fortified house and bawn built in 1613 by Sir John
Hume and burned by the Maguires in 1641. Features of
the castle include a formal garden and visitor centre.
Crom
Estate
Located at Newtownbutler, 1,900 acres of woodland,
parkland and wetland make this one of Northern Ireland's
most important nature reserves. Features of the estate
include self-catering accommodation, a visitor centre
and tea room.
Interesting Tourist Shops
Belleek
Crystal
At Fermanagh's only crystal factory
you can watch craftsmen at work, perhaps even on your
own handcut piece... Elegant table and giftware, corporate,
heraldic and personalised engravings are all produced
at the factory.
Belleek
Pottery Visitor Centre
Situated on the banks of the River
Erne, visiting Belleek is like a step back in time. The methods
and techniques developed by the very first craftsmen are
still followed today. A Video presentation in the audio visual
theatre takes visitors through the production process before
the guided tour begins.
Visitors then move on to the casting, fettling and flowering
shops to see how craftsmen design, mould and shape the parian.
