County Sligo
W.B. Yeats' "Yeats Country" branding capitalizes on Nobel laureate's landscape poetry—Ben Bulben profile and Drumcliffe burial site anchor literary tourism while Strandhill surfing diversifies.
County Sligo leverages W.B. Yeats' association—"Yeats Country" branding capitalizes on the Nobel laureate's landscape celebrations. Ben Bulben's distinctive profile, Lough Gill, and Drumcliffe churchyard (Yeats' burial site) attract literary tourists.
Sligo town provides regional services for northwest; IT Sligo (now Atlantic Technological University) supplies graduates. The county's position between Galway and Donegal creates some through-traffic without generating the concentration either achieves.
Surfing culture developed around Strandhill and Mullaghmore beaches; surf schools and competitions attract sport tourists. This diversification complements literary and scenic tourism.
Sligo demonstrates how cultural associations create tourism identity. Yeats' poetry immortalized landscape that might otherwise lack distinctive appeal. The county capitalizes on literary heritage while developing contemporary attractions; success requires converting day visitors into overnight stays generating greater economic impact.