EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Three miles northeast of Fenagh lies BALLINAMORE , a wide-streeted former coaching town, which has a heritage-folk museum in the library building, once the courthouse, halfway down its main street (July-Sept Mon-Fri 10am-1pm & 2-5pm; free). Highlight of the dull and chaotically organized collection is the "authentic detachable shirt collar worn by executed 1916 patriot Seán MacDiarmada" - and if you don't believe it, there's a photograph of the man to prove it. The library also houses the Leitrim Genealogical Centre. Today, Ballinamore acts as a centre for angling in Leitrim's lakes, and for boating on the Shannon-Erne Waterway. Canal barges can be rented from Riverside Barge Holidays (tel 078/44122), canoes from Thomas Parkes (tel 078/44860). Alternatively, you could take a two-hour river cruise for £7/¬8.89 (takes 2hr; June-Sept only; tel 078/44079).

There's inexpensive accommodation at the fine Ballinamore Holiday Hostel (IHH; tel 078/44955), located above Smyth's Restaurant . One of the nicest B&Bs is Ardnum Lodge (tel 078/44278; £33-40/¬41.90-50.79), on the road towards Fenagh; Town View (tel 078/44464; £26-33/¬33.01-41.90), on the same road, caters largely for anglers and also does evening meals, while Mrs Gormley's (tel 078/44082; £40-55/¬50.79-69.84), Main Street, is plain and unpretentious. McAllister Hotel (tel 078/44068; £40-55/¬50.79-69.84) is central and newly refurbished. Probably the best place to eat is the cheerful Smyth's Restaurant , Main Street, a good spot for tasty homemade food. During the summer you can hear music in one of the town's numerous bars; Reynold's has traditional music on a Thursday.