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heritage · Friday 21 August 2026 · 9:00pm 
The Poems of Johnny Carroll
At Cloonacool Community Centre · Cloonacool, Co. Sligo
At Cloonacool Community Centre · Cloonacool, Co. Sligo
An evening of poetry rooted in local memory, “The Poems of Johnny Carroll” brings together residents and visitors at Cloonacool Community Centre to honour a figure from the area’s own literary tradition. Organised by Cloonacool Heritage Group as part of National Heritage Week 2026, the event is a chance to hear verse that grew from this particular corner of Sligo - the south of the county, in the shadow of the Ox Mountains. If you have any interest in rural Irish life, local history told through language, or simply want a quiet and genuine evening out in a community setting, this is well worth the journey.
The evening centres on readings and discussion of Johnny Carroll’s poetry. Events of this kind during Heritage Week typically draw local knowledge-keepers alongside anyone curious about the area’s past - the format is informal and conversational rather than a formal lecture. Expect the poems to be read aloud, with time for reflection on what they reveal about life in this part of Sligo across the generations. The Cloonacool Heritage Group has been active in preserving local cultural memory, and evenings like this one tend to carry a warmth that polished arts venues rarely match. Bring your questions - the discussion element is usually as rich as the readings themselves.
Cloonacool sits roughly 15 km southwest of Coolaney on the road towards Ballina, at the foot of the Ox Mountains. The nearest large town is Tubbercurry, about 10 km to the south. The most practical way to reach Cloonacool is by car - the roads through south Sligo are straightforward once you are off the main N17. Public transport to the village itself is limited; TFI Local Link bus 566 (Sligo to Dowra) serves the broader area, but check current timetables as evening services can be infrequent. Parking is generally available at community centres in rural Sligo villages - expect roadside or car park space without difficulty.
The village sits in a stretch of County Sligo that runs from the Ox Mountains down towards the River Moy, a landscape shaped by sheep farming and river fishing for generations. An evening event here pairs well with a daytime drive through the south Sligo hills before or after the programme. There is more to see in Cloonacool and across Co. Sligo.
Heading to Cloonacool Community Centre in Cloonacool? Sligo has plenty more to see. Read the Cloonacool area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.