Cullenamore shellfish middens - how Sligo got its name. Sligeach means the Shelly Place.
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Cullenamore is a beautiful stretch of beach along the west side of Knocknarea Mountain. Two large colonies of seals have their homes on the great sand banks here. Archaeologically, the beach is rich with ancient middens - large piles of oyster shells, many of which date back to early neolithic times. Obviously, since there are so many ancient monuments on the Knocknarea Peninsula, this was a popular seasonal gathering place in the past. The people who came here may not have lived on the Peninsula - though some 27 hut sites have been discovered on Knocknarea above. They may have come to the area for seasonal ritual purposes - and indulged in the local sea foods while landing at Culleenamore, possibly on their way into Carrowmore. The Glen of Knocknarea may have been an entryway into the sacred space of Carrowmore, and certainly people travelled up there from the beaches, as several more large midden piles are to be found there. There are fine views across Ballisodare Bay to the cairns on Doomore and Croghaun mountains from the Culleenamore Middens. A large colony of some 300 seals lives on the sandbanks south and west of the shoreline. |
Midden with the west cliffs of Knocknarea as a backdrop.
