Overview
The dance hall on the edge of Glenfarne is why most people have heard of the place: this is the original Ballroom of Romance, the venue that lent its name to William Trevor’s short story and the BBC/RTÉ film that followed. The village itself is a quiet border stop on the N16, about 13 km east of Manorhamilton in north County Leitrim (Irish: Gleann Fearna, ‘valley of the alders’), set where Lough MacNean marks the meeting of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh. If you’re here for an afternoon, the wood and its lakeside sculpture trail are the easy free draw; time it for a night the Ballroom is dancing and you get the other half of the story.
The Ballroom of Romance
Opened in 1934 as McGivern’s Dance Hall by John McGivern, a returned emigrant from the United States, it was renamed the Rainbow Ballroom of Romance in 1952 and became a regional draw for live music and dancing. When the BBC and RTÉ came to film Trevor’s story, they shot the interiors in Ballycroy, Co. Mayo, because the original hall’s inside had been lost. The building is still a working venue for dances, events and weddings, with monthly Old Time Dances keeping the tradition alive. It generally opens daily from noon to 4pm between Easter and October, or by appointment, but much of its calendar runs on events rather than fixed hours, so check ahead.
Glenfarne Wood and sculpture trail
Managed by Coillte, the wood runs along the shore of Lough MacNean on what was once the Tottenham estate. Two easy trails start here: the Glenfarne Demesne walk-and-cycle loop of about 4 km, and the shorter Lough MacNean trail of about 2.5 km. Both are family-friendly and partly wheelchair-accessible on hard-packed paths. The sculpture trail is a set of eleven pieces spread around the upper and lower lakes, part of a cross-border arts project from 2000. Along the routes you’ll pass the ruins of Glenfarne Hall, the Ladies Rest, Myles Big Stone (thought to mark an ancient place of worship) and the badgers well. It’s free and open year-round, though after wet weather the ground turns soft, so bring waterproof boots.
The Harland and Wolff connection
Glenfarne’s most surprising thread runs to the Belfast shipyards. The estate was bought as a hunting retreat by Sir Edward Harland, co-founder of Harland & Wolff, who died at Glenfarne Hall on 24 December 1895; his cortège left from the village railway station and was met in Belfast by thousands of shipyard workers. Local tradition holds that flagstones quarried at Glenfarne paved the quay where the Titanic was built.
Lakeside walks and picnics
The shore of Lough MacNean is a calmer alternative to the wooded paths. A boat-launching pad near the main car park gives anglers access to the lake’s trout and pike, and the area around the wood entrance has picnic tables, a sheltered rest spot and clear views across the water to Northern Ireland. A restaurant, a B&B and a pub sit close to the entrance road. In spring the forest floor fills with bluebells and primroses, and herons, kingfishers and the odd raptor work the lake margins.
Getting there and practical details
- Road: Glenfarne is on the N16 between Sligo and Blacklion, easy to reach from Sligo and Enniskillen.
- Bus: Bus Éireann routes 458 (Ballina–Enniskillen) and 470 serve the village; timetables change seasonally, so check before travelling.
- Parking: a free car park sits at the entrance to Glenfarne Wood, with lay-bys along the N16 for quick stops.
- Railway: the former station (closed 1957) is now a heritage stop, occasionally open to the public.
- Fees and hours: the wood, trails and sculptures are free and open daily; the Ballroom operates on an event basis.
Exploring the wider border region
Glenfarne makes a practical base for the counties around it. The Cavan Burren is a short drive away, a limestone landscape quite unlike the lush glens of Leitrim, while the nearby Marble Arch Caves run guided boat tours through the karst below ground and the Cuilcagh Boardwalk – the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ – climbs to a summit view over the Cuilcagh plateau. For history, detour to Creevelea Abbey, a well-preserved medieval friary, or wander the streets of Blacklion and Enniskillen.
Check the Rainbow Ballroom’s calendar for the next Old Time Dance before you set the date; catch one, and the sculpture walk becomes the warm-up rather than the main event.