OPW and the Rose of Innisfree Boat Tour collaborate for exciting Boat Tour to Parke’s Castle
-
From: Office of Public Works
- Published on: 20 August 2025
- Last updated on: 20 August 2025
Parke’s Castle is delighted to announce the collaboration with The Rose of Innisfree Boat Tours for an exciting boat tour pilot. Visitors are invited to step into a living story of Ireland’s northwest with a unique heritage experience.
Every Wednesday, the Rose of Innisfree Boat Tour departs 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 are welcomed with a guided tour of the castle at 11:30am, before the boat returns to Sligo at 12:20pm, arriving back by 1:30pm. Please note that boat charges apply.
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 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. With its medieval cloisters and sculpted tombs, Sligo Abbey offers a perfect morning stop before embarking on the boat.
Speaking about the initiative, Supervisor Guide Emma Timoney said:
“We’re 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.”
For more information or for a full list of events at OPW locations nationwide visit www.heritageireland.ie.
ENDS
Event: Boat Trip to Parke’s Castle and Tour
Location: Park’s Castle, Leitrim
Date: Every Wednesday
Tour Details:
Departure: Doorly Park Jetty, Sligo – 10:30am
Parke’s Castle Tour: 11:30am
Return to Sligo: Departs 12:20pm, Arrives 1:30pm