Latest news with #LeitrimGathering
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Range of events for 'The Leitrim Gathering' to take place
An extensive programme of cultural, heritage, literary, food, recreational, music and dance events will take place in communities across Leitrim this weekend as part of 'The Leitrim Gathering'. The initiative which aims to celebrate place, connection, and heritage with Leitrim people at home and around the world was officially launched in Carrick-on Shannon last night. Leitrim County Council CEO Joseph Gilhooly said the gathering has received significant support from community groups. Mr Gilhooly said he was "encouraging Leitrim people everywhere to be part of the celebrations either by attending an event or sharing in the fun via social media". The launch of the Leitrim Gathering heard that the local authority hopes to engage with its diaspora to act as ambassadors around the globe for their native county. Chairperson of the Leitrim Gathering Steering Group Cllr Enda Stenson told the launch of the impact immigration had on his own family. He spoke of the diaspora's connection with the county. Carole Coleman, a member of the steering group, spoke of the importance of remembering those who have left the county in the past for a myriad of reasons and how they supported many people who remained at home. Leitrim County Council is undertaking a survey seeking to establish where the county's diaspora resides across the globe. The Leitrim Gathering coincides with the UK Bank Holiday weekend. Over the coming days, the county will host a diverse range of activities and events including Sessions at the Shannon, Leitrim Cycling Festival, Mohill Old Fair Day, Taste Leitrim, Kayaking on Lough Rynn, Leitrim Jamboree, Leitrim Women Through Time Exhibition and Genealogy workshops. Census 2022 showed that the population of Leitrim was about 35,000 people - an increase of 10% from April 2016.
Extra.ie
03-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Revealed: The county that less Irish people have visited than gone to Asia
More Irish people have visited Asia than Co Leitrim, according to a new survey from Airbnb. Airbnb have announced a new Rural Tourism Fund, which will commit €100,000 in grants to support innovative tourism for communities that heavily rely on tourism. However, a survey that was carried out by the letting app found that more people holiday abroad than go on a 'staycation' — with 74% of Irish people holidaying abroad, in comparison with 48% of respondents who said that they want to travel more around the country. More Irish people have visited Asia than Co Leitrim, a new survey has found. Pic: Shutterstock Staggeringly, however, were the places that Irish people have visited; with 25% of the population saying that they've visited countries in Asia, which is more than those who have said that they visited Leitrim (18%) and Westmeath (24%). Other remarkable statistics found that more people have gone to North America (39%) than Sligo (37%), Tipperary (37%) and Meath (36%), while 81% of Irish people who have gone to countries in Africa have never gone to Monaghan. Speaking on the staggering results about her home county, comedian Katherine Lynch said that people are missing 'a lot' in the county that is the smallest by population, according to the latest census. A new Airbnb survey found that more people had travelled abroad than visited some counties, including Leitrim and Monaghan. Pic: Shutterstock 'People are missing a lot. They are missing Glencar waterfall, they've got Mohill, which is the capital of Leitrim — Carrick-on-Shannon thinks it is, but Mohill really is — and we've got Lough Rynn,' Katherine told Oliver Callan. 'And we've got great people. That's the most important thing, and we have the Leitrim Gathering soon.' Other fun facts Katherine told Oliver about Leitrim was that they didn't get their first full set of traffic lights until 2016, 13 years after they were promised (yes, really), and that they were the last country to get full phone numbers; joking that Leitrim only having three digits saved her from getting kicked out of the Gaeltacht for speaking English. 'It's a great place,' she said. 'We have such fantastic things to see. We have Drumshanbo, the home of gin. It is the most fantastic gunpowder gin you can taste and Carrick on Shannon is a great place and Dromahair is beautiful. We've got everything.' Airbnb have announced their new Rural Tourism Fund, which will hopefully boost tourism to rural areas. Pic: John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images The new Airbnb survey found that 71% of bookings are made in predominantly rural areas, with the majority being outside of Dublin. Through the Rural Tourism Fund, grants from €1,000 to €10,000 will be available to local organisations and community groups to boost local tourism and bring projects to life. 'We're fortunate to have some of the world's most stunning places right here in Ireland, and it's exciting to see nearly half of Irish people eager to explore more of our own country,' Derek Nolan, Airbnb's Head of Public Policy, said. 'Airbnb plays a key role in spreading tourism across Ireland, and the Rural Tourism Fund will boost and preserve the best of rural Ireland, allowing more people to experience our culture and beauty while benefiting local communities economically.'
Irish Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leitrim gets snubbed in new survey but local comedian isn't having it
Leitrim comedian Katherine Lynch has laughed off a shock survey that revealed Asia is visited more often than her home county. The Irish Mirror revealed that research by Airbnb showed that more Irish people have visited sprawling Asia (25%) than lovely Leitrim (18%). Tourism bosses hope for a surge of interest in the county later this month when the two-day Leitrim Gathering is held from May 23 to celebrate the county's 'diversity and richness'. Award-winning personality Katherine, 53, who is from Mohill in Leitrim, said: 'People are missing a lot. They are missing Glencar waterfall; Mohill, which is probably the capital of Leitrim; and we've got Lough Rynn. We're got great hotels. They're fantastic and we've got great people, that's the most important thing, and we have the Leitrim Gathering soon.' The Airbnb survey claimed 82% of people in Ireland have never visited Leitrim - prompting Katherine to joke: 'How much more abuse can we take?' Katherine revealed some top features of Leitrim, including its secret four-kilometre coastline, the stunning Glencar waterfall, and famous writer and novelist John McGahern, who died in 2006. She also joked about Leitrim, which various Census results have recorded to be the county with Ireland's smallest population, not getting its first set of traffic lights until 2016. The lights were first announced in 2003 when a council spokesperson said: "It's progress. People have to cross the road.' When the push-button controlled lights were eventually installed on the main N4 Dublin-Sligo route in April 2004, some locals claimed they caused "havoc". But the first traffic lights in Leitrim village at Church Road, which leads to the main street, were not in place until 2016. The 2022 Census gave Leitrim's population to be 35,199, a significant drop from the 155,000 who lived there at the time of the 1841 Census, but famine and lack of employment decimated the county's figures amid emigration. The remaining friendly locals joke with visitors that the county is so vast it is divided into north and south. Those in north Leitrim are close to Donegal and Sligo, while south Leitrim residents can feel more in the midlands, neighbouring Longford. Some say Carrick on Shannon is the capital of the south and Manorhamilton is the capital of the north. Katherine, who is a great niece of renowned poet Patrick Kavanagh, has had a series of TV hits, including her 2008 RTÉ Two show Katherine Lynch's Working Girls. She told presenter Oliver Callan on RTE Radio 1 earlier this week: 'We were the last place to get traffic lights and we were the last place to get full phone numbers [on the home landlines]. We only had three digits until then. Leitrim is a great place. We have such fantastic things to see. We have Drumshanbo, the home of gin. It is the most fantastic gunpowder gin you can taste and Carrick on Shannon is a great place and Dromahair is beautiful. We've got everything.' Katherine, who is appearing on Sunday in The Roast of Panti Bliss at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, added: 'We have a great coastline. It's gorgeous at Tullaghan. It's really pretty.' The beautiful sandy beaches of Tullaghan stretch for four kms (2.4 miles) between Donegal and Sligo. Katherine also highlighted the Leitrim Sculpture Centre, Ballinamore Theatre, and Fowley's Falls which is a series of waterfalls that cascade into the Glenariff River beside a picturesque three-km walk. Visitors to Leitrim love 17th century Parke's Castle on the shores of Lough Gill, stunning Lough Rynn Castle's estate and gardens, and Drumhierny Woodland Hideaway near carrick on Shannon, with famous names like former Ireland soccer boss Jack Charlton visiting the county and Starsky and Hutch star David Soul holidaying in Kinlough. Katherine said: 'Leitrim is a great place to come for fishing. Jack Charlton came here for fly fishing.' Other famous people with links to Leitrim include Quinnsworth shopping empire Pat Quinn; philanthropist Margaret Haughery, who has a statue in New Orleans for her work with the poor; 1916 Proclamation signatory Seán Mac Diarmada; and explorer Thomas Heazle Parke, who has a statue in Dublin.
