THE OFFICE of Public Works (OPW) has announced a collaboration with the Rose of Innisfree Boat Tours to create a pilot tour to Parkes Castle on Lough Gill, linking the two counties of Sligo and Leitrim, and inviting visitors to step into a living story of Ireland’s northwest with a unique heritage experience.
Every Wednesday, the Rose of Innisfree will depart from Doorly Park Jetty, Sligo, at 10.30am, offering a scenic cruise across Lough Gill to the majestic Parke’s Castle on the Leitrim shore. Once docked, visitors enjoy a guided tour of the castle at 11.30am, before the boat returns to Sligo at 12.20pm, arriving by 1.30pm.
This experience offers a new way to explore the shared cultural story of Sligo and Leitrim. The route evokes the poetic landscape of W B Yeats, bringing visitors through waters immortalised in the poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree, and into the heart of 17th-century Gaelic and English history at Parke’s Castle.
To make the most of the day, visitors are encouraged to visit Sligo Abbey, another OPW-managed site just minutes from the jetty.
Supervisor guide Emma Timoney said: “We are excited to offer this seamless land-and-lake experience that links two counties, two OPW sites, and hundreds of years of Irish heritage. It’s a meaningful way to connect our natural landscape with our built history.”
The announcement was made following the success of Heritage Week 2025, which promoted the theme of Exploring Our Foundations and invited the public to delve into the building blocks of their cultural and historical roots. Discover more at: https://heritageireland.ie/visit/places-to-visit/parkes-castle/
