Coolera Peninsula facts for kids
|
Cúil Iorra
|
|
|---|---|
Coolera Peninsula (Red) within County Sligo
|
|
| Geography | |
| Location | Ireland |
| Adjacent bodies of water | |
| Area | 48.1 km2 (18.6 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| County | Sligo |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 9,022 (2016) |
| Pop. density | 187.6 /km2 (485.9 /sq mi) |
The Coolera Peninsula (Irish: Cúil Iorra) is a piece of land that sticks out into Sligo Bay in County Sligo, Ireland. It's the most populated peninsula in County Sligo and the second largest by land area. The main towns on Coolera are Strandhill by the sea and Magheraboy, which is part of Sligo town.
Contents
Ancient History of Coolera
Coolera Peninsula is famous for its many ancient tombs, stone piles (called cairns), and round forts (ringforts) from the Stone Age. These old structures are spread all over the landscape.
Carrowmore Megalithic Complex
The Carrowmore Megalithic Complex is a huge collection of ancient stone monuments. It dates back to around 4,000 BC, making it one of the oldest and largest groups of megalithic tombs in Ireland.
Queen Médb's Tomb
One of the most famous landmarks is the tomb of Queen Médb. It's a massive stone cairn, weighing about 30,000 tonnes, located on top of Knocknarea mountain. This tomb, known as Miosgán Médhbh, can be seen from many parts of northern Sligo. It's a very recognizable sight in the county.
World Heritage Site Bid
Because of all these amazing ancient sites, Sligo County Council has asked UNESCO to make this network of monuments a World Heritage Site. This would recognize their importance to the world.
Strandhill: A Modern Town
Even though Coolera has a very old history, its main town, Strandhill, is quite new. It was only built in the 20th century. Before that, people lived further inland because of the strong winds and sand along the coast.
How Strandhill Started
In 1895, a man named Benjamin Murrow from Belfast bought land on the west coast of Coolera. He wanted to attract visitors, so he built a road from the inland village to the sea. By 1913, he had also built a bathhouse and a hotel. This road, which went uphill from the beach to the village, gave the town its name: Strandhill.
Strandhill Today
Today, Strandhill is one of Sligo's most popular places for tourists. It has many hotels, restaurants, surf schools, and a golf course. In 2019, construction began on the National Surf Centre of Excellence in the town. This shows how important surfing is to the area.
Getting Around Coolera
In the 20th century, Sligo town grew westwards, and the area of Magheraboy became part of the Coolera Peninsula. The R292 road goes all around the coastline of the peninsula. It connects Strandhill to Sligo town and Ballysadare.
Fun Places to Visit
There are many interesting places to explore on the Coolera Peninsula:
- Ballysadare Bay Natural Heritage Area
- Carrowmore Megalithic Complex
- Cloverhill Megalithic Chamber
- Coney Island
- Cullenamore Beach
- Killaspugbrone Ruins
- Knocknarea
- Lisheen House
- Maguins Island
- Marian Shrine
- Miosgán Médhbh (Queen Médb's Tomb)
- The Nun's Beach
- Rathcarrick Wood
- Rinn Ringforts
- Seafield House
- Seaweed Baths
- Sligo Airport
- Strandhill Beach
- Strandhill Golf Club
- Strandhill People's Market
Images for kids
-
Carrowmore Passage Tomb
-
Knocknarea
-
The Glen
-
Coney Island
-
Surfer at Strandhill
-
Queen Méabh's Cairn
-
Strandhill Beach
-
Dunes at Strandhill Golf Club
-
Sligo Airport
.jpeg)
.jpg)
