SLIGO, a county of Ireland in the province of Connaught. The area is 452,356 acres or about 707 sq.m. Pop. (1926) The coast-line is very irregular, the principal inlets being Killala Bay and Sligo Bay. Among the islands are Inishmurray and Coney. In the north are the limestone elevations of Ben Bulbin (1,712 ft.) and Knocknarea (1,078), contrasting with the adjacent rugged gneiss mountains, among which are King's Mountain (1,527) and Gullogherboy (1,430). On the boundary with Leitrim, Truskmore reaches a height of 2,113 ft. In the west are the ranges of the Slieve Gamph and Ox Mountains, upwards of 1,300 and 1,600 ft. respectively. The Curlew Mountains, an abrupt ridge of limestone gravel, upwards of Soo ft. in height, with flattened sum mit, separate Sligo from Roscommon. The principal rivers are the Moy, flowing into Killala Bay; the Easky, flowing northward from Lough Easky; the Ballysadare; and the Garvogue, or Garavogue. Lough Gill (extending into Leitrim), Lough Arrow and Lough Gara exceed 3,000 acres in extent. The salmon, sea-trout and trout fishing are excellent.
The county was created by Sir Henry Sydney in 1579. At Drumcliffe (5 m. N. of Sligo) are the only round tower remaining in the county and a Celtic cross 13 ft. in height. The principal monastic ruins are the abbey of St. Fechan at Ballysadare, with a church of the II th or 12th century; the abbey of Sligo; and a group of buildings on the island Inishmurray, which include a cashel or walled enclosure; three oratories; two holy wells; and also altars, pillar stones, inscribed slabs (one of which has an inscription partly in Latin), and several examples of beehive cells.
This settlement is associated with Molaise, a saint of the early 6th century (not identical with the Molaise of Devenish in Loch Erne), and the remains still attract pilgrims.
In some parts the soil is a light sandy loam resting on a free stone bottom, and in the lower districts a rich and deep mould pre vails resting on a substratum of limestone. Owing to the moist ness of the climate cattle feeding is found to be the most remunerative method of farming. Oats and potatoes are the principal crops, but the acreage devoted to them decreases. Coarse woollens and linens are manufactured for home consump tion, and there are tanneries, distilleries, and breweries in the principal towns. Lead was mined at Ballysadare, and the clay ironstone from the east of the county was at one time smelted. A considerable general trade is carried on at the ports of Ballina (on the Moy) and Sligo. The fisheries on the coast are valuable, and there are important salmon fisheries at the mouths of the rivers. The town of Sligo is the chief centre.
The Great Southern lines from Limerick and from Dublin meet at Collooney Junction which is also used by the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties line. The three routes unite in the section from Collooney to Sligo town. From Kilfree on the main Dublin line a branch serves Ballaghaderreen in Co. Mayo. The counties of Leitrim and Sligo together return 7 members to Dail Eireann.