Fireweed in the Irish Countryside of County Sligo

Fireweed and native greenery paint the Irish countryside of County Sligo.

Fireweed and native greenery paint the Irish countryside of County Sligo. The lush landscape and sculpted mountains provided endearing inspiration for poet William Butler Yeats, the Nobel laureate, who spent his childhood years in the county and now is buried there.

While it administratively was created in 1585, County Sligo was not actively established until 1603, when Gaelic Irish Chieftains were defeated in their battle against the English, effectively ending what became known as the “Nine Years’ War.”

Archaeological discoveries indicate the county, Ireland’s 22nd largest geographically out of 32 counties, actually might be the cradle of human civilization on the island.

This image appears in my book, Magical Irish Countryside, the third volume in my Mystical Moods of Ireland series.