Enniscrone

[edit] Enniscrone is in County Sligo on Ireland's Atlantic coast, overlooking Killala Bay, 12 km north of Ballina. The R297 regional road passes through the town. The area around Enniscrone includes the townlands of Muckduff, Lacken, Lacknaslevia, Frankford, Carrowhubbock North and Carrowhubbock South. Carrowhubbock South townland (from Irish Ceathrú Hobac, meaning 'Hobuck's Quarter') is approximately 2.3 square kilometres (0.9 sq mi) in area and spans much of the centre and north of the town. Residential development plans in this part of Enniscrone met community opposition in 2007.

[edit] Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort sites in the townlands of Muckduff, Frankford, and Carrowhubbock North and South. The ruins of a fortified house, known as Inishcrone Castle and built c.1650, lie just north of the town centre. The local Church of Ireland church was built c.1829, and a Roman Catholic church followed in 1892. The latter remained in use by the local Catholic congregation until a new church was built in 1965. The "cliff baths", built c. 1890 In A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, published by Samuel Lewis in 1837, Enniscrone is described as having "a coast-guard station [..and..] constabulary police station". This coast-guard station was destroyed in August 1920 following an IRA attack during the Irish War of Independence. There were no casualties in the attack, in which a small garrison of British Royal Marines were forced to surrender the building, arms and ammunition. Reflecting the town's development as a seaside resort, a number of bathhouses were built in the town in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

[edit] Amenities in the area include a number of shops, pubs, restaurants, holiday accommodation and a pitch and putt course. The local primary school is a co-educational Catholic national school, which had an enrollment of over 120 pupils as of 2020. The local Kilglass/Enniscrone Soccer Club play their home games at Michael McGowan Park. As of 2018, local man David McGowan had begun construction of a "glamping" village, with the main focus being the Boeing 767 he bought to convert into accommodation.

[edit] The beach at Enniscrone strand Enniscrone's public sandy beach stretches over a long area of shoreline, and is split near the lower part of the village by a small crossable river. Part of the beach is overseen by lifeguards in the summer period. The "Valley of Diamonds" is one of the hidden features along the beach, and is the largest of the "volcano-like" compositions among the long-grassed sand dunes. Sligo County Council fenced off the sand dunes as part of their "Dune Restoration Works Programme". Other county council restrictions include limiting road access to the beach, a measure taken to maintain Enniscrone's Blue Flag beach status.[citation needed]