Make a holiday rental home or holiday cottage in County Monaghan, Ireland your home away from home

County Monaghan is in Ireland and Counties Tyrone, Armagh, Louth, Meath, Cavan and Fermanagh, border it and the main town is Monahan. The county is divided into the five baronies of Cremorne, Monaghan, Farney, Dartrey and Truagh. County Monaghan is scenic and peaceful with rising and falling countryside, gentle hills, lakes, farms and market towns. It is often referred to as the Land of the Little Hills because of its gentle whale-shaped hills (drumlins).

Places to holiday in County Monaghan

There are several mountains in county Monaghan including Slieve Beagh, Coolberrin Hill and Mullyash Mountain and a number of large lakes, which makes it perfect for hikers, golfers, anglers, climbers, horse riders, extreme sports and nature and birdwatching. Monaghan county council promote tourism in the area and you will be able to get a county map from the county council offices.

There is no shortage of accommodation in the major towns of Monaghan, Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Clones with hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast (b&b), self catering apartments but many people prefer to stay in the smaller villages in the countryside, such as Inniskeen, Rockcorry and Glaslough Village. Many houses and homes for sale in the villages are being renovated and converted into self-catering holiday cottages.

Holiday cottage accomodation offers more freedom to explore than bed breakfast establishments or a hotel. Cottages in Carrickmacross are ideal if you are interested in traditional crafts and lace making and a holiday cottage in Clones is well situated to watch a game of Gaelic football (Monaghan GAA) at St Tiernach's Park.

Things to do in County Monaghan

Cottage holidays in a log cabin put you close to the Lough Muckno Leisure Park in Castleblayney, which has lakeside and woodland trails as well as canoeing, horse riding tennis, sailing and water-skiing. There are also numerous parks, lakes, woods and forests with nature reserves for those interested in the environment and wildlife including, Dun na Ri Forest Park, Rossmore, Dartrey and Carnagh Forest.

County Monaghan has several castles, towers, galleries, crosses, pre-historic remains and Bronze Age megalithic sites such as the Tullyrain Ring Fort close to Shantonagh, historical forts like Drumbanagher Hill at Glaslough, historical convents such as St. Louis Convent Heritage Centre and monuments like the Richard Dawson Obeliskin in Rockcorry. Historical homes of interest include Hilton Park; also not to be missed is the Monaghan County Museum.

For sports enthusiasts, the Tanagh Outdoor Education Centre has kayaking, canoeing, night hikes, aerial slides, and abseiling, orienteering, hill walking, camping, assault courses, archery, banana boating and a great deal more. Golf courses include Hilton Park in Clones, Mannan Castle Golf Club, Donaghmoyne in Carrickmacross and Castleblayney Golf Club at Onomy. Equestrian Sports are available at Carrickmacross School of Equitation and Greystones Equestrian Centre at Castle Leslie. Other sources of entertainment include Garage Theatre, Patrick Kavanagh Rural and Literary Resource Centre, Fiddlers Elbow nightclub and the Angling in County Monaghan Festival.

Weather in County Monaghan

County Monaghan's climate is damp and windy with frequent showers and mists, but is generally considered very healthy.

Travel to County Monaghan

Aer Rianta Dublin Airport and Belfast International Airport are convenient for County Monaghan, as are P&O European Ferries, Stena Line and Irish Ferries. Iarnród Eireann - Irish Rail and Bus Eireann operate in the area.