Overview
The Church of Ireland churchyard in Irvinestown holds the largest group of Second World War airmen buried anywhere in Northern Ireland – 74 of them, marked by a Cross of Sacrifice and their own entrance. Most were flying-boat crews from the RAF base a few miles east at Castle Archdale. That base and the town’s two July festivals are the real reasons to stop here; the rest of Irvinestown is a plain working town of about 2,300 people on the north shore of Lower Lough Erne, useful mainly as a base for the Fermanagh Lakelands.
If you only have an hour, spend it at the free Garden of Celtic Saints in the middle of town and then drive out to Castle Archdale. Everything else is a bonus.
A layered history
The area was originally Necarne, or Nakerny, from the Irish Na Caorthann, ‘the rowans’. In 1618 Sir Gerald Lowther received a Plantation land grant here and founded the settlement as Lowtherstown. Ownership later passed to the Irvine family, and by the early 19th century the town had settled on its present name.
Two castles anchor that history. Necarne Castle (once Castle Irvine) now runs as an equestrian centre out at Castle Irvine Demesne, keeping up the estate’s old connection to horses. Castle Archdale served as an RAF base for Sunderland flying boats during the war before being turned into a country park.
What to see and do
Most of the town’s sights need no booking, which makes them easy to slot into a loose day.
- Garden of Celtic Saints – A free, open-air set of eight oak statues of Irish saints, including Patrick, Brigid, Columbanus and Molaise, carved by the Lithuanian sculptor Jonas Raiskas for the town’s centenary garden. Open daily and wheelchair accessible.
- Castle Archdale Country Park – Lakeshore and woodland trails, a red-deer enclosure, wildfowl ponds, a butterfly garden and wildflower meadow, plus a caravan park, campsite, tea rooms and a boating marina. Park entry is free; boat hire and water sports cost extra.
- Famine graveyard, Reihill Park – A memorial stone stands here alongside the original 1841 workhouse doorway inscription, a quiet reminder of the town’s harder years.
- St Molaise’s Church – The Catholic parish church on Lettermoney Road, worth a look if the door is open, though it keeps no fixed visitor hours.
- Bawnacre Leisure Centre – A council-run centre with squash and tennis courts, indoor and outdoor football, a gym and a sauna and steam room. Check current opening times and prices before you go, as the online listing has been unreliable.
Festivals and community life
Two events lift the town’s pace each July. The Lady of the Lake Festival is a ten-day carnival that starts on the first Friday after 12 July, with parades, music and family events built around the local legend of a lady in a blue gown crossing the lough.
The Irvinestown Truck Festival, first run in 2000, is a charity convoy for Marie Curie: a 60-mile (100 km) run of lorries around the Fermanagh lakes that has drawn as many as 700 trucks in a single year. It turns the town into a temporary logistics yard for a day and is worth timing a visit around if you like the spectacle.
Year-round, local sport keeps things ticking over. St Molaise’s GAA club traces its roots to 1918 and opened St Molaise Park in May 1947; Irvinestown Wanderers play football and the tennis club runs regular fixtures.
Outdoor adventures
Most of the outdoor pull is at Castle Archdale and on the lough itself.
- Water sports – The marina hires out boats and kayaks, along with pedal-powered hydrobikes. Summer slots go quickly, so book ahead and check current rates.
- Cycling and walking – Forest trails inside the park run from gentle family loops to longer, rougher paths for experienced walkers.
- Fishing – Lower Lough Erne is a serious coarse-fishing water and hosts a major competition in early May.
- Wildlife – The red-deer enclosure, wildfowl ponds and butterfly garden give reliable viewing, best in spring and early summer.
Getting here and around
Irvinestown sits on the A32, about ten miles north of Enniskillen and 17 miles southwest of Omagh, which makes it a natural stopover on routes across the Lakelands or on towards Donegal.
Buses are run by Ulsterbus (Translink): route 194 links Enniskillen and Pettigo, route 83 runs to Omagh, and the 94A connects Enniskillen and Omagh. The old railway station closed in 1957 and there has been no train service anywhere in Fermanagh since, so a car is by far the easiest way to reach the islands and heritage sites around the lough.
Free parking is available at the Garden of Celtic Saints, which has public toilets and is wheelchair accessible. Castle Archdale has several car parks, including a large free day-visitor lot; the main paths are firm, but woodland trails can be muddy and uneven.
Beyond Irvinestown
A short drive brings you to some of Fermanagh’s best-known sites:
- Boa Island – Reached by causeway, known for its ancient Janus figures and early Christian carvings.
- Devenish Island – A well-preserved monastic settlement and round tower, with a seasonal ferry.
- Belleek – The pottery village on the Erne at the Donegal border.
Book B&Bs and hotels well ahead if you’re coming for either July festival – they fill weeks out. Otherwise, arrive early to park near the marina, walk the Garden of Celtic Saints before lunch, and check the noticeboards for any seasonal trail closures.