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CROSSMOLINA |
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Five or so miles southwest of Ballina, relaxed, raffish CROSSMOLINA
, at the top of Lough Conn, has a place to stay that's a sight in itself.
Not far south on the lakeshore, Enniscoe House (tel 096/31112;
£90-110/114.28-139.67), a Georgian mansion that does B&B, is a good
example of easygoing Georgian attitudes to architecture. Originally
built in the mid-eighteenth century as a three-storey house, it was
extended in the 1790s (and damaged in 1798 when the French army marched
down the back avenue) to include a grand facade overlooking Lough Conn.
The result inside is two completely different structures whose floor
levels and room sizes don't correspond at all. The nearby North Mayo
Family History Research and Heritage Centre (tel 096/31809,
www.mayo.irish.roots.net/ ) is where visitors can trace their north Mayo
ancestors and browse around the heritage centre which has mainly
agricultural artefacts, with demonstrations of traditional crafts (June-Sept
Mon-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat & Sun 2-6pm; Oct-May Mon-Fri 9am-4pm).
There is a tourist office in the new Enterprise Centre near the statue
that marks the middle of town (May-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-1.30pm & 2-5pm, Sat
10.30am-1pm & 2-4.30pm). The Dolphin Hotel (tel 096/31270;
£55-70/69.84-88.88) makes for a comfortable alternative to the Enniscoe
, or for B&B try Lake View House (tel 096/31296, lakeviewhouse@oceanfree.net
; £33-40/41.90-50.79). You can get good daytime meals in the Tea Room ,
or in the lively Hiney's pub nearby; there are plenty of other bars ,
most with music a couple of nights during the week - McMorrow's has
traditional sessions on Friday nights, and also sells fishing tackle for
anglers bound for the nearby lough.
The main attraction of Lough Conn is for fishermen: the lake itself is
rich in trout, and the River Moy is a delight for salmon anglers, though
the area has plenty of scenic and historical interest to sustain
non-anglers. The moorland hills that border the lake are good for gentle
walking ; for a taste of the Nephin Beg wilderness and some more
demanding hikes head south from Crossmolina down the west side of the
lough and take a right at Lahardaun. The lakesides themselves are
scattered with abbeys, castles and megaliths, as well as some hidden
sandy beaches.
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