A short distance away from Drumcliffe churchyard, in the village of Rathcormac, is the Roman Catholic Parish of Drumcliffe’s St. Columcille’s Church. Originally built in 1833 and renovated in 1963 with the addition of its distinctive bell tower.
Previously, there was also a Methodist Chapel at Drum (now a private residence, and protected structure), and a Presbyterian chapel (now a ruin) in Cloonderry.
The stumped remains of an 11th century round tower, rising to a height of only nine metres, stands to the west of Drumcliffe Church, and the High Cross. The only example of a round tower to be found in Sligo, Drumcliffe Round Tower was originally a much taller structure, possibly up to 30 metres in…
Drumcliffe is best known as the location of a monastery founded by St Columba, or Colmcille(meaning ‘dove of the church) in or about 575AD. It was built close to Culdreimhne (Cooldrumman), just north of Drumcliffe on the slopes of Benbulben, where the ‘Battle of the Books’ was fought.The Battle of the Books by Annie West, North Sligo’s Illustrator in Residence This…
In ancient times, Drumcliffe was referred to as Druim Cliabh na gcros, or Drumcliff of the crosses, due to the number of high crosses found there. While most were probably made of wood, at least some were stone and one of these remains fully intact at Drumcliffe. The standing undecorated shaft of another high cross…
In 2008, Archaeologist Faith Bailey identified four possible boulder burial stones were identified on a north-facing slope in Kintogher townland, at the far end of the Branley’s Yard Nature Trail. Possibly dating to the middle to late Bronze Age, boulder burials consist of megalithic size stones set on top of three or four smaller supporting…
Located in Rathcormac park is a statue of Countess Constance Markievicz (1868-1927), Irish nationalist, suffragette, politician, and champion of the poor. Born Constance Gore-Booth, the daughter of local land owner Sir Henry Gore-Booth, she spent her childhood living in nearby Lissadell House, before moving to London and later Paris to study art and where she met her…
Located a short distance to the north of Drumcliffe, at the base of Benbulben in Cúl Dreimhne (Cooldrumman) townlands, is the reputed site of the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne (Cooldrumman), more popularly referred to as the “Battle of the Books”. Recorded as having taken place in or about 560CE, the battle between the northern and southern…
