County Monaghan is a renowned angling centre, where nature has provided a rich assortment of lakes, rivers and streams.

Most visitors have returned home to tell impressive tales from all parts of the region, along with memories of good times spent among hospitable people.

The angler will always receive plenty of advice from local experts, and bait, gillies, tackle and boat hire facilities are never far away.

There are plentiful stocks of bream, roach, pike, eel, tench and hybrids to guarantee exciting coarse fishing, while game anglers can look forward to a rewarding catch of wild trout, brown trout and salmon. Quite a number of the best coarse and game angling centres are located conveniently close to Monaghan's main towns. Access to fishing is generally good, with car parking provided, whether the angler chooses waters close to Carrickmacross in the south of the county, Ballybay or Castleblayney in the centre, or along the River Blackwater on the northern border of Monaghan.

Cycling
For the cyclist there is a maze of interesting roads away from the traffic and off the main routes. Because of the gentle terrain the cyclist will make effortless progress, heightening the sense of freedom and relaxation. Exploring by bicycle is a deeply satisfying experience and there is always a quiet village to rest and enjoy local hospitality. The Bragan scenic drive, west of Emyvale in the north of the county is of special interest.

Gaelic Games
Monaghan is renowned for its passionate dedication to Gaelic football and hurling one of the world's fastest-moving games and a wonderful spectator sports. One of the main sporting highlights in Monaghan is the Ulster Football Final held in Clones in July.

Walking
To cater for the growing interest in walking in Ireland, Monaghan is making more and more provision for organised walking routes and planned forest walks around the county. Rossmore Forest Park and Lough Muckno Leisure Park offer great opportunities for the dedicated walker. Alternatively, walkers may decide to strike off from the beaten track and wander as the feeling takes them. Either way, Monaghan offers a haven of peace away from the cares of the world.

Water Sports
There are many lakes and rivers which anglers enthuse about around the county. But they also provide an opportunity to take part in a choice of water sports such as canoeing, kayaking, water-skiing, sail boarding and boating.

A Wealth of History and Culture

History
In order to focus on the broad historical picture of County Monaghan, a visit to the Monaghan County Museum is essential. This outstanding museum won a Council of Europe award for the quality of its display on the history and archaeology of County Monaghan since earliest times.

Another place well worth a visit is the St. Louis Heritage Centre. This fascinating centre traces the history of the order back to the seventeenth century. Providing a strong flavour of local history is the Monaghan Veteran and Vintage Club, situated in the village of Ballinode.

Architecture and Ancient Monuments
Monaghan's St. Macartans Catholic Cathedral is an interesting nineteenth century Gothic Revival building. St. Patrick's Church of Ireland church is built in Regency style and dates from 1836. Other notable buildings are Latlurcan Old Church dating from 1790, the Market House (now the tourist office) dating from 1792 and the classical-style Court House. There are remains of an early abbey at Clones, along with a well-preserved round tower dating from the early Christian era. In the centre of the town is an ancient sculpted Celtic cross. Outside Clones the magnificent period residence called Hilton Park offers accommodation and dining for overnight guests and its extensive gardens are open to the public.

Lace Making Tradition
For shoppers who want to bring home the genuine article, a piece of delicate Monaghan lace is an essential buy. Lace making has been a tradition in Carrickmacross since the 1820s. Crochet lace has also been made at Clones for generations. The main centre for purchasing and commissioning examples of this unique craft are the Lace Gallery at Carrickmacross and the Canal Stores in Clones.

Writers, Actors and Musicians
The remarkable poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh was born in Inniskeen and a permanent tribute to his memory is housed in the former St. Mary's Church in that village. The county has also produced some talented novelists and writers and even has its own retreat where writers and artists can nurture their individual talents, at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Annamakerrig. Eugene McCabe is a well known novelist as is his namesake, Pat McCabe, whose recent novel The Butcher Boy was also released as a film. Monaghan town has its own thriving source of dramatic entertainment with the Garage Theatre.

Traditional music abounds and sessions of singing, accompanied by traditional Irish instruments can be enjoyed in many of the cosy pubs around the county. One of the great innovations in Ireland's calendar of niche musical events is the Monaghan Rhythm and Blues Festival, held each September. Van Morrison performed there in 1998 and other international artists include Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac and ex-Rolling Stones guitarist, Mick Taylor.

Exploring Ethnic Links and Ancestry
Vast numbers of Irish people emigrated to North America in the nineteenth century. This included many people from Monaghan who left Emyvale in the 1830s to seek a new home on Canada's Prince Edward Island. Visitors can trace their ancestry by contacting Monaghan Ancestry at 6 Tully, Monaghan.

Night Time Activities
You will also find lots of places to continue the party well into the night if you wish. The range of entertainment available includes traditional music sessions, jazz and blues gigs, lively discos and the special entertainment laid on as part of Monaghan's range of specialist festivals.

Touring Suggestions Using Castle Leslie As A Base
Castle Leslie is an ideal base for sightseeing. The castle is only 30 minutes from Armagh, the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland, where you can visit the Palace Stables, St. Patrick's Trian & Navan Fort the ancient capital of the Kings of Ulster. Monaghan offers the European award winning Monaghan County Museum, the St. Louis Heritage Centre, Clones Lace, Canal Stores and the Patrick Kavanagh Rural & Literary Resource Centre. Carlingford, a Medieval fishing village with its historic sites and scenic drives in the mountains of Mourne is only an hour away to the east and Enniskillen to the north west has the spectacular Marble Arch caves and beautiful Lough Erne.

Giant's Causeway Tour
Leaving Monaghan town and travelling north-east you reach the provincial capital, Belfast. Heading for Carrickfergus and on to Larne, leave the beaten track and follow the spectacular, uncongested coastal route through villages where time has stood still.

Enjoy the breath-taking nine glens of Antrim . . . cross the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge and marvel at Dunluce Castle, perched dramatically on towering cliffs high above the North Channel. Visit the oldest distillery in the world at Bushmills, and end the day at the eighth wonder of the world the amazing Giant's Causeway. Head south back to Monaghan.

A Day in County Donegal
Spend a day admiring the wild magnificence of Glenveagh National Park, one of Ireland's most treasured beauty spots and just a few short hours drive from Monaghan town. Heading north to Aughnacloy, take the opportunity to enjoy the charming River Mourne valley. On through Strabane, cross the River Foyle to Lifford, County Donegal. Continue to Letterkenny and Kilmacrennan, with Muckish Mountain in the distance. Glenveagh National Park is about two miles further on. Have lunch at the restaurant there before spending some time exploring the wonderful parkland, returning south-east to Monaghan.

Armagh Day
Head north-east from Monaghan to Armagh, where the city's two cathedrals are of great historical interest and well worth exploring. Other outstanding architectural features are the Courthouse, designed by one of Ireland's most famous architects Francis Johnston (1761-1829) who was born in the city. Visit the Royal School and the County Museum, situated on the edge of the Mall a pleasant green area lined partly by attractive Georgian houses. Well worth seeing is the domed Planetarium, which gives public shows daily and has a Hall of Astronomy with a telescope for public use.

A short drive south-west of Armagh is Navan Fort, one of the most important archaeological sites in Ireland and the ancient capital of Ulster. Complete your day in County Armagh by visiting this very interesting site, returning to Monaghan via Armagh city.

The Carlingford Day
Travel south-east from Monaghan, continuing through Castleblayney to Inniskeen. There you can visit the Patrick Kavanagh centre, situated in the former St. Mary's Church. Patrick Kavanagh is one of Ireland's most outstanding poets and novelists. Continue to Dundalk for lunch before driving to Carlingford village, a short distance north of Dundalk.

The Carlingford Peninsula makes a very pleasant circular tour, either in full or as a partial tour, depending on timing. Dominated by Slieve Foy, Carlingford is one of the most scenic corners of Ireland. Historical sites in the vicinity are Taafe's Castle, King John's Castle and Proleek Dolmen. Return to Monaghan via Dundalk.

Erne Waterway Day
Enniskillen is at the centre of the Erne Waterway system. You get there from Monaghan by travelling south-west to Clones, before heading north-west through Newtownbutler, Lisnaskea and Lisbellaw. The town of Enniskillen is beautifully situated between two channels of the river joining Upper and Lower Lough Erne, and is now one of the most popular, yet uncrowded cruising centres in the country.

After lunch in the town the most rewarding route is to continue north-west along the southern shore of Lower Lough Erne, passing through the village of Tully and enjoying fine views along the way. Further west the lake narrows in the River Erne, flowing past Belleek on the County Donegal border. Belleek is noted for its famous chinaware and the pottery has a gift shop, exhibition centre and cafe, with guided tours available.

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