When travellers & holiday makers come to stay and unwind at Keenaghan Cottage, we always give them advice and recommendations of the best places to visit in the Fermanagh area. Here are some quirky and unusual things to do in Fermanagh; close to Keenagahan Cottage.
With History and Heritage at every turn, discover early Christian settlements like the Devenish Monastic Site and White Island to the many breath-taking churches and monuments dotted around Upper and Lower Lough Erne, there’s something for everyone to discover here.
(White Island is located on Lower Lough Erne situated in Castle Archdale Bay off the east shore of Lower Lough Erne.) On the island are the ruins of a 12th century chuch and 8 archaic carved stone figured dating back to the 6th century.
Devenish of the Assemblies was founded by St Molaise in the 6th century, the monastery of Devenish Island was the most important of Lough Erne’s many island monasteries.
Over the centuries it became a large parish stretching across both sides of the Lough, attracting pilgrims and parishioners until the 1600s.
The remains of the buildings you see today date from the 12th, 13th and 15th centuries. Remnants of the island’s earlier history remain hidden beneath your feet.
Devenish was a holy place of worship, scholarship and burial, accessible only by water.
It was a place of welcome for pilgrims, as well as where people lived, worked and prayed. It was also a safe meeting place for powerful chieftains and religious leaders and was given the name Devenish of the Assemblies.
*** Although Devenish Island is open to visitors we ask you to take care near high walls as this is a remote site and there have been reports of loose masonry ***
***Visitors should note that the toilets on the site are currently closed***
Please note Devenish Island is only accessible by water.
The following operators provide water transport to Devenish Island:
- Manor House Marine +44 (0) 28 686 28100 manormarine.com
- Erne Water Taxi +44 (0) 77 1977 0588 ernewatertaxi.com
- Erne Tours +44 (0) 28 6632 2882 ernetours.com
- Erne Boat Hire +44(0) 07523423232 erneboathireltd.com
The Boatyard Distillery is an award winning farm-to-bottle distillery located on the banks of Lough Erne in north west Ireland. Only the best organic ingredients have been chosen for each of our products with the terroir of the land at the forefront of each new spirit. The distillery is open for tours twice per day Wednesday to Sunday. 3 cocktails and 3 neat samples is provided along with a full size bottle of gin which you must sign and label by hand at the end of the tour.
On the banks of Lough Erne just outside Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, you’ll find the Boatyard Distillery, a distillery focused on producing pure spirits with a sustainable and organic approach.
When temperatures are rising this summer, you can keep cool by visiting the Marble Arch Caves. Enjoy a unique experience by taking a subterranean boat trip. Visitors are guided through a fascinating natural underworld of rivers, waterfalls, winding passages and lofty chambers while stunningly beautiful cave formations glisten all around. Also located in the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark is Pollnagollum Cave in Belmore Forest. A must see for all Game of Thrones fans! The cave is fed by a waterfall and swells to a torrent during harsh weather. If you fancy catching a glimpse, you can follow the Belmore Forest walk which leads to a viewing point for the cave.
It’s been dubbed the Stairway to Heaven because of the spectacular views that are available to climbers at the top. Follow the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail trail to the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain, the highest point in Fermanagh. The view is well worth the hike and this manageable trek should be top of your list this summer.
Lastly you cannot come to Fermanagh and not visit Belleek Pottery and do the Belleek Pottery Visitor Centre Guided Tour. You will get the chance to see the complete manufacturing process at Belleek from start to finish and chat with the craftspeople along the way. After the tour there are many other things to see at Belleek Pottery Centre; including the self-guided Museum dating back to 1857, the extensive Showroom and of course you can then relax and have coffee & a traybake or lunch (all served on Belleek tableware) in the Belleek Pottery Tea Room on site which overlooks the Rose Isle Garden on the River Erne. Sounds like pure bliss? It is indeed!
So you aren't overwhelmed, and if your time is short the day you are visiting Belleek Pottery; then check out their website beforehand so you have an idea of what momentos to purchase whilst you are there.
We would also recommend visiting Gilmartin's Craft Shop whilst you are in Belleek which is a cosy, quirky gift shop! They stock everything from Galway Crystal, Royal Tara & Newbridge Silverware to Counties of Ireland Jewellery & Donegal Socks. Here at Keenaghan Cottage, we are obviously a fan of traditional thatched roof cottages (being one ourselves), and if you are staying with us and want to remember your stay, Gilmartin's Craft Shop currently stocks some traditional thatched cottage momentos (pottery and art work) which will enable you to always remember your stay! There are only 150 thatched cottages approximately left in Northern Ireland and we are the proud owners of one of them.
If you are looking to stay at Keenaghan Cottage and have any questions, please send us an enquiry through the contact form on our contact page.
We regularly update our social media here at Keenaghan Cottage. To keep up to date with all of our news, updates and beautiful photos of the cottage and its surrounding areas, make sure to follow us on Facebook & Instagram.
Unusual Things to do in Fermanagh near Keenaghan Cottage | Keenaghan Cottage 2023