Find the quieter caves
Higher along the cliffs are three less obvious caves, Coffey's Cave, Plunkett's Cave and the twisting Water Gallery, which rises, falls and turns like the inside of a gut. Several of the caves interconnect.
Keshcorran Caves
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About
A line of caverns cut across the west face of Keshcorran Mountain, high above the Sligo plain and woven through some of Ireland's oldest legends. A short, steep climb from Keash village reaches them.
Things to Do
The legends of Keshcorran
These caves run through Irish myth: the infant Cormac Mac Airt was reared by a wolf in one, Fionn and the Fianna were trapped here by three hags, and the fairy king Conaran ruled the hill.
Climb the Keash Hill Trail
A 3.4 km waymarked upland walk (red arrows) starts from the car park by the church in Keash and climbs to the caves in roughly 20 minutes. It is graded strenuous: one short section is steep, with loose gravel and some steps.
Explore Cormac's Cave
The largest cave, Cormac Mac Art's Cave (also the Hermit's Cave), has a cross-shaped interior and a huge mouth framing views across Sligo, Mayo and Galway to Croagh Patrick and Nephin. Bring a torch; the floor is rocky and uneven.
Watch the sunset from the caves
Every cave opens west, so they catch the setting sun, and around the equinoxes light floods far back into the deepest chambers. Cormac's Cave looks out over tiny Feenagh Lough.
The Pinnacle cairn
Carry on to the flat summit for the Pinnacle, an unopened Neolithic cairn about 27 m across and the highest cairn in County Sligo, known locally as Fionn MacCumhaill's Chair.
Plan Your Visit
- Parking: Free car park with plenty of spaces right beside the starting point in Keash village; if it is full, park in the village across from the church. Trailhead coordinates 54.050685, -8.445581.
- Food: No food or cafe on site. The nearest refreshments are in Keash village, where a visitor point sits next to the Fox's Den pub, and there is a picnic area beside Keash Hall.
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