‘Fare thee well, Enniskillen, Fare thee well for a while’.
The words of this well-known song remind us of the composer’s desire to return to Enniskillen, the county town of Fermanagh. This has also been the desire of countless tourists who have visited this thriving town set in beautiful surroundings. Rich in history, folklore and culture, Enniskillen could be described as a tourist’s paradise.
The Castle, located on the banks of the river Erne has, over the years functioned as a Maguire Castle, a Planter Stronghold and a Military Barracks. Today it houses the County Museum, which charts the history of Fermanagh. The Regimental Museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is based in the Castle Keep.
The Town Hall contains a plaque commemorating Captain Lawrence Oates of the 6th Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1912 he accompanied Captain Scott to the South Pole. Suffering from severe frostbite and believing his condition might jeopardise his comrades’ chances of survival, he chose to leave his tent on 17 March and walked out into a blizzard. His comrades never saw him again.
The Buttermarket was built in 1835. Wholesale buyers from Newry, Sligo and Londonderry purchased their butter at the markets, which were held twice weekly. Salted butter was shipped from Enniskillen Buttermarket to Lisbon, the West Indies and England. The old buildings were restored and in 1990 became the Enniskillen Craft and Design Centre.
The Erne Hospital was built on the site of the Enniskillen Workhouse. Sixty- nine paupers were admitted to the workhouse when it opened on 1 December 1845. Designed to accommodate 1,000 people, the buildings were soon full to capacity. As the Great Famine swept through Fermanagh, the numbers seeking admission increased greatly. In May 1847 it was reported that there were 1,433 paupers residing there. Inmates had to wear the standard workhouse uniform.
The words of this well-known song remind us of the composer’s desire to return to Enniskillen, the county town of Fermanagh. This has also been the desire of countless tourists who have visited this thriving town set in beautiful surroundings. Rich in history, folklore and culture, Enniskillen could be described as a tourist’s paradise.
The Castle, located on the banks of the river Erne has, over the years functioned as a Maguire Castle, a Planter Stronghold and a Military Barracks. Today it houses the County Museum, which charts the history of Fermanagh. The Regimental Museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is based in the Castle Keep.
The Town Hall contains a plaque commemorating Captain Lawrence Oates of the 6th Inniskilling Fusiliers. In 1912 he accompanied Captain Scott to the South Pole. Suffering from severe frostbite and believing his condition might jeopardise his comrades’ chances of survival, he chose to leave his tent on 17 March and walked out into a blizzard. His comrades never saw him again.
The Buttermarket was built in 1835. Wholesale buyers from Newry, Sligo and Londonderry purchased their butter at the markets, which were held twice weekly. Salted butter was shipped from Enniskillen Buttermarket to Lisbon, the West Indies and England. The old buildings were restored and in 1990 became the Enniskillen Craft and Design Centre.
The Erne Hospital was built on the site of the Enniskillen Workhouse. Sixty- nine paupers were admitted to the workhouse when it opened on 1 December 1845. Designed to accommodate 1,000 people, the buildings were soon full to capacity. As the Great Famine swept through Fermanagh, the numbers seeking admission increased greatly. In May 1847 it was reported that there were 1,433 paupers residing there. Inmates had to wear the standard workhouse uniform.