Activities
Visitors to County Monaghan will be surprised at the diverse range of activities and entertainment available.
Fishing
- Fantastic fishing around Carrickmacross includes Loughs Capragh, Spring, Monalty and Fea. Contact details for guides, boat hire and tackle are listed on:
www.monaghantourism.com - Cootehill nestles between the rivers Dromore and Annalee, both main tributaries of the vast Lough Erne system. The sport in these fisheries alone would satisfy many anglers with roach, rudd, skimmers, hybrids and bigger bream together with perch, pike and the occasional big trout. However, with 26 lakes also within a 10 mile radius of Cootehill, who could ask for more? The size and nature of these lakes varies from the vast Lough Sillan in the south to beautiful Annamakerrig in the north and the smaller reed-fringed town lake in Cootehill itself. The variety of species and sizes of fish also varies from one venue to the next, but all are capable of providing good catches on their day. Visit Cootehill on your next angling holiday and you won’t be disappointed.
www.cootehilltourism.com - Active Irish Angling - Active Irish Angling is a company specialising in travel to Ireland. www.activeirishangling.com
- Irish Angling Development Alliance - An Alliance of Anglers working closely with a wide diversity of stakeholders and others, to proactively develop angling for the benefit of indigenous, tourist and junior anglers, and for the local and regional economies. www.irishangling.ie
Hiking & Trekking
- Monaghan Way - The Monaghan Way is a 64km-long linear walking route that links Monaghan town with the pretty village of Iniskeen, near the birthplace of poet and novelist Patrick Kavanagh, via the town of Castleblayney. The terrain of the first part of the route south from Monaghan consists mainly of a prolonged, 44 kilometres of meandering narrow tarmac side roads and about 9km on main road, but there are a couple of short woodland path and field sections.
www.irishtrails.ie/Trail/Monaghan-Way/24/ - Táin Trail - Carlingford is the starting point for the 40km Táin Trail, which makes a circuit of the Cooley Peninsula through the Cooley Mountains. The route is a mixture of surfaced roads, forest tracks and green paths. The tourist office has trail info.
Nature & Wildlife
- Wildlife Educational Centre - This purpose-built Wildlife Exhibition & Educational Centre opened in June 2000, displays one of the largest privately owned collections of mounted birds and mammals in Ireland. The Centre displays 200 species of Irish fauna in five specially designed habitat sets; River/Lake/Coastal, Bog & Moorland, Woodland, Farmland and Garden.
www.wildlifeandheritage.com - Cooley Birdwatching Trail - Much of the Cooley Peninsula is protected and is home to various species of birds including godwits, red-breasted mergansers, buzzards, tits and various finches. Ask at the tourist office for information on the trail.
Fundays
- Mourne Shooting Grounds - Less than a 10 minute drive from Lakeview Apartments, Mourne Shooting Grounds are set amid the rolling drumlins of County Monaghan. Mourne Sports provide a variety of outdoor activities that suit everyone needs, including Mourne Sports provide a variety of outdoor activities that suit everyone needs.
www.mourneadventureactivities.com - GR8 is the North-East's largest Entertainment Venue located in Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan. Our Facilities include 8 Bowling Lanes, over 5000 sq ft of Mega Play Frames, Astroturf, Go-Karts, Laser Tag, Restaurant & Bar, Games and Amusements and Much More. We cater for all ages and always try to provide an experience - GR8 Entertainment.
www.gr8entertainment.ie - Irish Country Quads - Enjoy a tour with Irish Country Quads riding on All Terrain Vehicles on the specially designed courses with skill and thrill. Your course will be chosen for your individual ability. Open all year round. Irish Country Quads hosts a range of activites to suit all age groups and caters for families, stags, hens, and birthdays.
www.irishcountryquads.com - AWOL Paintball and Activity Centre - At A.W.O.L. we provide you with a day you will never forget, may it be for your Stag or Hen Party, a company outing, a get together of friends, team building, birthday party or just simply to let off some steam and go A.W.O.L. Paintball @ A.W.O.L.
www.awolpaintball.ie - Muckno Tri Club - Tri-Muckno Triathlon is a County Monaghan based Triathlon Club which was set up in 2010.The aim of the club is to bring together those who want train or compete to any standard in triathlons. Whether your aim is simply to get fit, to improve your swimming, cycling or running (or all three) or to compete at an elite level in triathlon, there is a place in the Tri-Muckno Club for you.
www.mucknotri.com
Other
- Patrick Kavanagh Centre - The Centre houses exhibitions on local history and on Kavanagh, a sixty-seat Audio- Visual Theatre, and a Research Library. Also on view are twelve specially commissioned paintings illustrating Kavanaghs epic poem "The Great Hunger", a miniature model depicting Kavanaghs classic, "A Christmas Childhood", Kavanaghs Death Mask and other memories.
www.patrickkavanaghcountry.com - Castle Leslie - Offering a program of year-round courses with master chef Noel McMeel. Themed courses cover everything from ‘Irish cooking by seasons’ to ‘death by chocolate’ and ‘food and erotica’.
www.castleleslie.com - Monaghan County Museum - The collection consists of over 7000 objects, which help to tell the story of the county. The chronology of the collection spans some 9,000 years from the Giant Irish Red Deer, which roamed the glacial plains of Mesolithic Monaghan through the county's first farmers, the founding of the town in 1602/03 and on to one of the first televisions ever to arrive in the county.
www.bordermuseums.ie/monaghan.html