Collooney: Trails, Railways and Architectural History

Collooney brings together several specific travel interests: a station on the InterCity route between Dublin Connolly and Sligo, trails for walking and cycling, and architectural and industrial history. If you are looking for a hotel in Collooney, these themes can shape your plans for the day. The trails differ considerably in distance and estimated time, while the historical details are reflected in very different forms of construction.

Rail connections and railway buildings

Collooney is a station on the InterCity route from Dublin Connolly to Sligo. For your specific journey, it is advisable to check the timetable. The station building also tells the story of the town’s railway history: the detached, four-bay, two-storey stone building dates from around 1890 and is part of a largely unchanged group of railway buildings. The locomotive shed is another distinct structure: a detached, three-bay, single-storey stone building dating from around 1900.

Walking trails and riverside route

From the church tower in Collooney, the Sligo Way follows a waymarked trail towards Union Wood. The walking trails in Union Wood also offer a way to include a walk in your stay. A section of the Sligo Way near Collooney starts on a forest track through Union Wood and continues through Ballygawley Wood to the slopes of Slieve Deane. Follow the current waymarkers; before setting out, you should also check for any diversion notices.

To gauge the time involved, it is worth comparing this with a shorter route: the linear walking route from Ballysadare to Collooney is 4 km long and runs along the banks of the Ballysadare River. The wide, smooth-surfaced path is also suitable for cyclists. By contrast, the section of the Sligo Way from Collooney to Slish Wood is 16 km long, with a stated walking time of four hours and an ascent of 260 m. The two routes therefore differ in length, stated walking time and suitability for cycling.

Architectural history in the town

The Teeling Monument is a freestanding limestone memorial statue of Bartholmew Teeling, set on a limestone obelisk. It was erected to commemorate the centenary of the 1798 Rebellion and has significant historical associations. The churches, meanwhile, bring together different architectural forms. The Catholic Church of the Assumption was built in 1843 in the Gothic Revival style and designed by local architect Sir John Benson. Its three-storey bell tower has a clock, and its set-back spire has four lucarnes.

Collooney Methodist Church is a detached, four-bay, single-storey rendered church building dating from around 1861. It is considered a prominent building in Collooney. Together with the Gothic Revival Catholic Church of the Assumption, it shows how the town’s church architecture can be described through the features of specific buildings.

Mills and industrial history

Collooney’s surviving mill on the east bank of the Owenmore is also part of the town’s built heritage. Its surviving technical features include underground head and tail races, as well as sunken wheel pits. Opposite the mill is a substantial surviving bleach mill complex, which was used to finish linen cloth. The mill and bleach mill complex thus point to different aspects of the town’s industrial history.

Further places to explore in County Sligo

The wider destination of County Sligo offers other distinct cultural and landscape highlights. Carrowmore is Ireland’s largest and oldest collection of Neolithic tombs; more than 30 surviving monuments are almost 6,000 years old. Sligo Abbey is a Dominican priory with extensive surviving medieval remains of its church, sacristy and chapter house. Streedagh Beach offers a different type of landscape: the 3 km sandy beach connects Streedagh Point with Connor's Island. The dunes and estuary are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.

Discover more places to visit: Ballisodare, Ballaghnatrillick, Drumcliff, Ballygawley, Easky, Cloghboley, Gorteen, Tiratick

For the wider travel overview: County Sligo.