The Shed Distillery Visitor Experience, offering guided tours at its Drumshanbo, County Leitrim location, 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 Northwest 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 are several 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 is 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.
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.
Visitors can 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.
Discover the Top Boat Cruises in Ireland
Carrick-on-Shannon
Visitors stopping in this Leitrim town can take a stroll along the Marina and maybe take a day cruise along the Shannon, Ireland’s longest river, or even a three-day journey on a rented boat.
Like other towns across Ireland, Carrick-on-Shannon is also steeped in history.
The Costello Chapel, which is believed to be the smallest one in Europe, is one of its attractions 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 showcases local craft makers and other designers from across Ireland.
Carrick-on-Shannon is 153 kilometers (95 miles) from Dublin and is considered one of the major towns in Ireland's Midlands region.
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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.
The castle that can be seen today was built by the English Planter Sir Robert Parke in the early 17th century.