Glenfarne

Glenfarne (Irish: Gleann Fearna) is a small village located in the north of County Leitrim, Ireland. It is the site of the original "Ballroom of Romance", which inspired a short story by William Trevor and was subsequently turned into a movie by the BBC. Glenfarne also has a lakeside forest near Lough MacNean, a lake bordering parts of Northern Ireland, including towns such as Belcoo in County Fermanagh.

History

The name of the village is an anglicisation of Gleann-fearna, meaning "valley of the alders".[1] It was referred to by this name in the Annals of the Four Masters as far back as 1235[2] as a location in West Bréifne and under a further derivation, Clann-Fearmaighe as far back as 1217, where it is cited as "containing 20 quarters of land".[3]

Historical remains
  • Ruins of Glenfarne Hall – in Glenfarne Forest Park, which formed part of the Tottenham estate, the ruins of the old house, Glenfarne Hall, can still be seen. The estate passed from the Tottenhams to Sir Edward Harland (of Harland and Wolff shipbuilders, Queen's Island, Belfast). Sir Edward Harland died at Glenfarne Hall on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1895. It's said that the flag stones that line the Titanic quay come from quarries in Glenfarne.
  • Myles Big Stone – this is thought to have been an ancient place of worship. Nearby is the Fort of Sile O'Reilly which is reputed to have been an ancient burial ground and a famine graveyard for infants.
Sculpture in Glenfarne Forest

Glenfarne Demense

The Glenfarne Demesne lies on the shores of Lough MacNean. The lake marks the border between the counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh. In 2000, a cross-border and cross-community arts project was concluded with the aim to promote the bonds between the communities of these three counties through the medium of sculpture and the visual arts. A number of sculptures are still in the Demesne.[4]

Walking tours

Glenfarne is a starting point for a long walk on the Leitrim Way which takes the walker south towards Dowra. The Leitrim Way leads over the hills and through an 'Area of Special Conservation' related to the bird life of the area.

Transport

Rail transport

Glenfarne railway station was the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway line from Eniskillen to Sligo opened on 1 January 1880 and finally closed on 1 October 1957.[5] The nearest operational station is Sligo railway station.

Coach/bus transport

Glenfarne is a stop on the Bus Éireann Sligo-Manorhamilton-Enniskillen Expressway route 66. It is also served by local route 470 on Saturdays only (Sligo-Calry-Leckaun-Manorhamilton-Kiltyclogher-Glenfarne).[6][7] Bus Éireann services from Manorhamilton stop at Sligo bus station which is beside Sligo railway station.

References
  1. Joyce, P. W. (1887). The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places. I (5th ed.). Dublin: M. H. Gill and Son. p. 515.
  2. O'Donovan, John, ed. (1856). "From the earliest period to the year 1616". Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. VII (2nd ed.). Dublin: Hodges, Smith and Co. p. 64.
  3. O'Donovan, John, ed. (1856). "From the earliest period to the year 1616". Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland. VII (2nd ed.). Dublin: Hodges, Smith and Co. p. 29.
  4. http://www.coillte.ie/aboutcoillte/community/community_partnerships/connaught/glenfarne_demesne_co_leitrim/
  5. "Glenfarne station" (PDF). Railscot – Irish Railways. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-09-28. Retrieved 2014-07-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2013-05-04.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

See also

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