If you’re looking for a hotel in Cloone, start by deciding what you want to focus on: Bóthar Na Naomh brings nature and landscape into the picture, while the bell tower, cemetery and garden of remembrance offer insights into the area’s history. Cloone thus offers a range of starting points for planning your trip.
Nature along Bóthar Na Naomh
Bóthar Na Naomh begins and ends in Cloone. It passes through broadleaf woodland and restored peatland, loops around Annaghmaconway Lough and offers views of a wetland landscape typical of limestone country. This includes riverbanks, wet meadows, woodland, bog and lakeshore. The trail’s character is shaped by several landscape features, not just the lake.
The trail is a recreational, sporting, cultural and nature trail. It is used both independently and in organised groups for running, walking, horse riding, kayaking and fishing. This range makes it more than just a walking route; you can plan around the activities you want to focus on. Vegetation and trail conditions may change with the seasons. Take this into account when planning and check conditions before your visit.
The bell tower and local history
The free-standing, three-tier bell tower of St James’s Church in Cloone was built in 1822 and is no longer in use. A sensitive restoration preserved its character. The cemetery at St James’s Church is also part of the area’s history: it has been in continuous use since the 19th century and forms part of Cloone’s social history.
The Cloone Garden of Remembrance was completed in 2020 and is located beside the bell tower. Information panels about local history line a path. Another historic site in Cloone is the Catholic church of St. Mary and its cemetery; both are listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.
The Cloone Agricultural Show
The Cloone Agricultural Show is held annually on the Monday of the August bank holiday weekend and has been running since 1988. The exact date and programme vary from year to year. If the agricultural show is part of your travel plans, check the details for the relevant year before travelling.
More to explore in County Leitrim
The wider destination of County Leitrim offers further cultural and landscape experiences. The first section of the Shannon Blueway includes 16.5 kilometres of waterways, as well as circular walking and cycling routes between Drumshanbo and Carrick-on-Shannon. The Leitrim Way offers a different scale: this 56-kilometre long-distance walking route runs from Manorhamilton to Leitrim Village and usually takes two to three days. Comparing the two helps distinguish between different types of trip: a route combining waterways and circular trails on the one hand, and a multi-day long-distance walk on the other.
For a focus on cultural history in County Leitrim, the Kiltyclogher Heritage Centre houses an exhibition about Seán MacDiarmada, a signatory of the 1916 Proclamation. The exhibition includes audiovisual facilities and explanatory panels. Together with Cloone’s history, this example shows the range of themes in the wider destination while keeping the focus on Cloone’s own local and landscape connections.
Discover more destinations: Kilclare, Carrigallen, Drumnafinnila, Mohill, Drumkeeran, Dromahair, Drumsna, Glenfarne.
For the wider travel overview: County Leitrim.
