County Fermanagh

County Fermanagh (Irish: Contae Fhear Manach) is a largely rural county in the south-west of Northern Ireland and is famed for its numerous lakes. County Fermanagh belongs to the province of Ulster and is one of the six counties that form Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland’s western most county and covers an area of 1,691 km². Its capital (County Town) is Enniskillen housing the tourist attractions of Enniskillen Castle, Cole's Monument, the Ardhowen Theatre and Saint Macartin's Cathedral.

County Fermanagh is a rural area and therefore agriculture and tourism are the most important industries. The agricultural land is mainly used for hay and grazing than for other crops. The two lakes Upper Lough Erne and Lower Lough Erne are separated by the county's capital and linked to the river Shannon.

Towns and villages

54°20′23″N 7°39′0″W

Map of County Fermanagh

Towns

54.345-7.641 Enniskillen (Inis Ceithleann, "Ceithlenn's island") – situated between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne

Villages

54.422-7.5952 Ballinamallard (Béal Átha na Mallacht, "ford-mouth of the curses")
54.296-7.8713 Belcoo (Béal Cú, "mouth of the narrow stretch of water") - and Florencecourt: Florence Court, the Marble Arch Caves
54.4821-8.08664 Belleek (Béal Leice, "mouth of the flagstones") - with Belleek Pottery, the oldest pottery in Ireland producing the finest china.
54.471-7.6345 Irvinestown (Baile an Irbhinigh) - with Necarne Castle and Castle Archdale
54.522-7.7236 Kesh (Ceis, "wicker bridge")
54.317-7.5377 Lisbellaw (Lios Béal Átha, "ringfort at the ford-mouth")
54.25-7.4428 Lisnaskea (Lios na Scéithe, "fort of the shield") and the Crom Estate

Other destinations

54.466945-7.906381 Lough Navar Forest Park

Get in

By plane

There are three main airports in Northern Ireland.

Both Belfast International Airport (BFS^IATA) and George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD^IATA) are a 2 hour drive away.

City of Derry Airport (LDY^IATA) is 1h 45min away.

Alternatively Dublin Airport (DUB^IATA) is about 2.5h drive from Fermanagh and many like to combine seeing both the beauty and culture of both Southern as well as Northern Ireland.

By boat

Many travellers from the UK like to avail of the frequent ferry services operating between Britain and Northern Ireland. Belfast Port and the ferry into Larne are popular points of entry.

Get around

Many like the freedom of self-drive tours of Northern Ireland. AA Route Planner is a good resource for planning your travel routes. You drive on the left hand side of the well maintained roads in Northern Ireland.

For those you prefer to leave the car at home Northern Ireland has excellent bus services. Review Translink or Bus Eireann -(for bus services to and from Southern Ireland)

Buy

Pounds sterling (£) is the local currency. Due to the county's proximity to the Republic of Ireland, Euros (€) are accepted by many retailers, but only notes, never coins. Most retailers and establishments will display if they accept Euro or not, but it is advisable to have your money changed to the local currency.

Eat

You would look at spending about £5-7 on "pub grub" for lunch in a bar. Budget for about £20 for a main course meal in a mid price restaurant in the evenings.

Sleep

B&Bs and Guesthouses

There are a number of high quality B&Bs/family run guesthouses in Fermanagh to select from. Expect to pay around £20-30 per person on average. With over 58 properties on offer this is the preferred method of accommodation for most visiting Fermanagh looking for value.

Hostels

For those on a budget, hostels are a cheaper option but have less coverage than B&Bs. There are only 4 hostels - The Bridges Youth Hostel, Lough Melvin Holiday Centre, Tir Navar and Share Centre.

Hotels

There are only about 11 hotels operating in Fermanagh, ranging from 2 to 4 star

Holiday rentals

For groups and larger families there are over 180 self-catering choices on offer so you will be spoilt for choice.

Stay safe

You be surprised to hear that Fermanagh has the second lowest crime rate in Europe. Even during the height of the "troubles" and civil rights movement Fermanagh tourist attractions were hardly affected. The unrest of the 70s and 80s have become a thing of the past in recent years.

Go next

North East to County Tyrone
North West to County Donegal, Ireland
South East to County Monaghan, Ireland
South West to County Leitrim, Ireland
South to County Cavan, Ireland

This region travel guide to County Fermanagh is a usable article. It gives a good overview of the region, its sights, and how to get in, as well as links to the main destinations, whose articles are similarly well developed. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.