The Shed Distillery Visitor Experience located in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, is the latest tourist attraction in the town, which is hoped will lure whiskey/gin lovers, as well as others looking to discover more in this part of Ireland.
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The distillery recently launched its own single pot, triple-distilled Irish whiskey, but the company’s Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin is still its most popular brand.
The gin takes its name from its primary ingredient, gunpowder tea.
The €3 million center includes a botanical glasshouse, an extensive visitor journey into the heart of the distillery, two separate tasting bars, a bright and spacious café, in addition to a gift shop.
The distillery was established in 2014 by PJ Rigney — the man behind the Boru Vodka and Sheridan’s Liqueur brands — and is located in a former jam factory.
The Shed marks a return to the traditional whiskey distilling methods using medieval copper stills.
If you’re visiting Leitrim, be sure to check out all that the Shed Distillery Visitor Experience has to offer in Drumshanbo.
Here are a few of the other tourist attractions you’ll find in this charming county.
Order Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin on Flaviar
Drumshanbo
Its location at the foot of the Sliabh an Iarainn, meaning “Iron Mountain,” and at the southern end of Lough Allen make Drumshanbo worth exploring.
It is a popular spot for anglers, as well as walkers, hikers, and cyclists, with lots of marked trails to enjoy.
Despite being inland, there’s plenty of waterways to enjoy since Drumshanbo marks the official start of the Shannon Blueway, a series of trails both on and off the water that highlight the beauty of the area.
One of the on-water trails is located in Drumshanbo.
It is Ireland’s first floating 600-meter (close to 2,000-foot) boardwalk, which is part of a 6.5-km (4-mile) linear walking and cycling trail.
During the summer months, there’s plenty of activity around Drumshanbo, including the annual An Tóstal, a festival established in 1953 to celebrate Irish life.
It is the only remaining town to continue the tradition.
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Glencar Waterfall
This quiet spot is often associated with Sligo since the poet William Butler Yeats, who spent so much of his time there, used the waterfall as inspiration for his poem, “The Stolen Child.”
It is actually in County Leitrim.
The waterfall is situated at Glencar Lough, which extends into Sligo.
Be sure to take a walk around the lake, one of 10 across the county.
The nearby TeaSHED Café is a great place to stop, grab a bite to eat, and savor the fabulous scenery nearby.
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Carrick-on-Shannon
Take a stroll along the Marina in this lively town and consider taking a day cruise along the Shannon, Ireland’s longest river, or a three-day journey on a rented boat.
Like other towns across Ireland, Carrick-on-Shannon is also steeped in history.
Be sure to visit the Costello Chapel, which is believed to be the smallest one in Europe, as well as the 19th-century courthouse, which has been restored and serves as a center for the arts.
“The Dock” has a 100-seat performance space, three art galleries, various artists’ studios, and The Leitrim Design House, which showcases crafts makers and designers from across Ireland.
The town has lots of restaurants, cafes, and hotels to choose from. If you’re in Ireland’s Midlands, be sure to stop here.
Carrick-on-Shannon is 153 km (95 miles) from Dublin.
Parke's Castle
This is a Plantation-era castle that is situated on the banks of Lough Gill, which is located in both Counties Leitrim and Sligo.
The site where the castle now sits once belonged to the O’Rourke clan in the form of a tower house, discovered during excavations in the 1970s.
Based on evidence that was found, it appears that the shipwrecked captain of the Armada fleet, Francisco de Cuellar, after escaping from Streedagh Strand in Co. Sligo found his way to the tower house and was given a safe haven by the head of the clan, Sir Brian O’Rourke.
Unfortunately, O’Rourke was later captured by the British for harboring de Cuellar and was executed in London in 1591.
O’Rourke’s son, Brian Oge O’Rourke, inherited his title and continued to follow in the footsteps of his father, harboring several Irish lords wanted by the British during the Nine Years’ War.
The O’Rourkes eventually lost the title to the tower house.
The castle that you see today was built by the English Planter Sir Robert Parke in the early 17th century.
Admission to the castle is free through the end of 2021.