Ballybay
Ballybay lies along the shores of Lough Major with the challenging Dromore river system right on your door step.this 200 acre lake has excellent access on all shores with waterdise parking is some places. This is an excellent fishery for Bream, Hybrids and Berch.
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross is an attractive town with a spacious main street, in the southern part of County Monaghan; there is coarse fishing in the lakes near by. The exquisite Carrickmacross lace, which gained the town a great reputation, is still for sale at a local convent. Some slight traces remain of the castle built by the Earl of Essex, on the site now occupied by the St Louis convent.
Castleblayney
Castleblayney is named after Sir Edward Blayney, who received a grant of land here from James I. The town is built on ground sloping up from the western shore of Lough Muckno, the largest and most beautiful of Monaghan’s lakes and a well-known coarse fishing water. There are boats for hire, sailing, horse-riding, tennis, golf (9) and forest walks. In the grounds of Lough Muckno Leisure Park stands Hope Castle; the ill-omened Hope Diamond derived its name from the family which lived in the castle. The leisure park is set on 900 acres of wooded country with facilities of many kinds available.
Clones
Found in the Western part of the County, this town was originally founded on a Monestery which was founded by St Tighearnach. There are some points of interest for visitors to note, the remains of an abbey which was destroyed and a well kept Round Tower should definitely be taken in.
Emyvale
Emyvale was the stronghold of the McKennas, a powerful Celtic family. Originally from Meath, it is said that they established here after one John McKenna came on a hunting trip and spent two days chasing his prey, a wild stag. After the hunt, he rested with the Treanors, the local chieftains and while here, he heard that his position in Meath had been usurped. He subsequently married one of Treanor’s daughters, established himself in Tully Fort (which is still in evidence south-east of the village) and his family grew to be the most powerful influence in the area.
Glaslough
Glaslough village is 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Monaghan, with the beautiful timbered demesne of Glaslough House near by which is also an equestrian centre. A few miles west of there is Emyvale,in the heart of a picturesque, well-wooded district. Lough Emy, near the village, is noted for the number of its fowl and swans.
Iniskeen
Although the village of Inniskeen is situated in County Monaghan Much of the surrounding countryside, of what has become known as Kavanagh Country, in honour of Patrick Kavanagh, celebrated Irish poet and native of Inniskeen, is located in County Louth. The village itself is on the county bounds south of the Dundalk to Castleblaney road and has Dundalk as its postal centre. Inniskeen was part of the ancient Magh Muirthemtne and is the site of an early Celtic church foundation founded by St. Daig mac Carell in the 6th-7th century, the remains of which includes a round tower.
Monaghan
Monaghan town became a parliamentary borough in 1613, by James I. However, before Monaghan became a Scottish Calvinist town, Celts and pre-Celts settled here, farmed the land, formed a power base and erected their monuments here. Convent Lake, in the grounds of St Louis Convent contains the remains of a crannog which was the stronghold of the MacMahons, the most powerful chieftains on the area. Monaghan was a planned town, with a 17th century market place called The Diamond, and the Courthouse (1830). Also, St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Church (1831) Charles Gavin Duffey was born here in 1816. He was one of the leaders of the Young Ireland Movement, and founded “The Nation” – a nationalist newspaper. He later became Prime Minister of Victoria, Australia.
Rockcorry
Rockcorry is a lovely neat village with handsome stone buildings. It was built as a linen town by the Corr family. John Cregg, inventor of the shorthand system which bears his name, was born here in 1867. The ruin of the old linen mill can be seen on the outskirts of the village.