Scotstown
Baile an Scotaigh

The Ireland's Ancient East
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Baile an Scotaigh · Co. Monaghan

The Scot's house. North Monaghan. Hiking and Hollywood Park.

Scotstown (Irish: Baile an Scotaigh, "house of the Scot") is a village in the parish of Tydavnet in north Monaghan along the River Blackwater — closest to the river's source. The landscape is drumlin, the roads are quiet.

Hollywood Park, a recreational area centred on a lake just outside the village, was purchased by a local voluntary committee in 1969 and developed with support from Monaghan County Council. A tourism centre and hotel in nearby Corlat serve walkers using the marked trails of Sliabh Beagh.

North Monaghan is staunchly Republican. In the Troubles, Scotstown was known for having active Provisional IRA members. That history is local knowledge, not tourist information.

Population

~280

Founded

Medieval

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Stories & lore.

The reason to come back. The things every local will eventually tell you about, usually after the second pint.

Community-managed recreation

Hollywood Park

A local voluntary committee purchased the lake and its surroundings in 1969. Since then they have developed marked trails and recreational facilities with support from Monaghan County Council and private funding. The park is open to walkers and fishermen.

Nearby mountain walks

Sliabh Beagh Trails

A number of marked mountain trails are maintained in the nearby Sliabh Beagh area. A tourism centre and hotel have been opened in Corlat as a staging point for these walks.

A staunchly Republican area

The Troubles

North Monaghan, including Scotstown, was known in the 1970s–1990s for having a large number of active members of the Provisional IRA. That history is part of local memory.

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