Florence Court
Dating from the 18th century, Florence Court is one of three National Trust properties in Fermanagh. The house itself, despite numerous fires, is noted for its rococo decoration and its fine Irish furniture. The estate includes a walled garden with displays of both temperate and semi-tropical plants, a working water-powered sawmill, an ice house, a natural spring well and the Florencecourt Yew. The Larganess River flows through the estate. Pasture lands and forestry occupy much of the estate. It is a prime source of Irish yew wood.
Marble Arch Caves
The Marble Arch, near Florencecourt, was a well-known tourist attraction in Victorian times and even in the 18th century before anyone knew of the underground water system that makes up the caves today. Over the years since the end of the 19th century, more and more caves have been discovered underground as cavers explored the fissures in the limestone bedrock of the area. Three rivers, the Sruh Coppa, the Aghinrawn and the Owenbrean join in channels they have formed through the limestone to become the Claddagh. A show cave has been built to display some of the formations at the Marble Arch Cave and a visitors’ centre and car park have also been constructed. The caves and the blanket bog on the land above have been designated a Global Geopark Status.
Shannon - Erne Waterway
The Shannon–Erne Waterway is a canal, 39 miles long with 16 locks, that links Upper Lough Erne in Fermanagh with the Shannon at Leitrim village in County Leitrim. Although the idea to link the two waterways had been discussed over the years since 1780, it was not until 1990 that work on the present route commenced. It was completed in 1994 and, since then, has proved a very popular attraction for pleasure boating enthusiasts.
Enniskillen castle
Originally built in the 16th century by Hugh Maguire, it was eventually taken, after an eight day siege, in 1594 as part of the rebellion against English rule. Ownership then went over to the English garrison. A second tower built in the Scottish style, the Watergate, was added to the original fort by Capt. William Cole in 1607. It has been substantially rebuilt in several stages since then but the basic structure has remained the same throughout. The building is now a State Care Historic Monument and houses the Fermanagh Museum and the Inniskillings Museum, displaying flags and historical items pertaining to the famous British Army regiment, the Royal Inniskilling Fusileers.
Belleek Pottery
Pottery began in this area shortly after the Famine when John Caldwell Bloomfield set up a pottery business to provide employment for his tenants who had been badly affected by the failure of the potato crop. The enterprise rapidly gained a reputation for its Parian China and sales were made throughout Great Britain, Europe, North America and Australia. Over the years, ownership has moved from company to company but the brand of Belleek Pottery remains strong internationally. A visitors centre has been built and tours of the Pottery are available.
Magho Cliffs
The stunning 5.6 mile limestone escarpment of the Cliffs of Magho are a proposed Area of Special Scientific Interest, and little wonder as they are home to the extremely rare Irish Rock Bristle, a black moss found on wet calcareous rock, as well as lots more unusual flora and fauna. Of course, this makes for a wonderful variety of wildlife, from feral goats to tufted ducks. The rugged and mixed nature of the terrain means it is an obvious location choice for Fearmanagh's annual fitness challenge, and a great day out for hill-walkers and geology enthusiasts alike.
Crom Estate
As with many estates run by the National Trust in Northern Ireland, the origins of Crom Estate reach back to the Plantation of Ulster when 1,350 acres of land adjacent to Upper Lough Erne were granted to Michael Balfour, the Laird of Mountwhinney, who built a castle on the land. The ruins of this original castle are still to be seen in the grounds of the estate. A new castle was built in 1840 and the present Lord Erne still lives there. It is not accessible to the public. The grounds, though, contain an award winning visitors centre and hides to view wildlife, including the pine marten, which is making a comeback in Ireland after many years when it was believed to be on the verge of extinction. Some of the oldest yew trees in Ireland are also to be seen in the estate.
