County Fermanagh
One of the smallest counties in Ireland and often referred to as Northern Ireland's lake district, County Fermanagh is the perfect holiday destination for cruising and other water based holidays. The 70 km of lakes situated in the county are linked to the Shannon system in the Irish Republic via the Shannon-Erne Waterway Canal, making the entire system the longest navigable in-land waterway in Europe.
The limestone hills of west Fermanagh contain many interesting cave systems, and with the exception of County Clare is the most notable area in Ireland for the speleologist. This is a county with many attractions for the visitor; boating and fishing on the 'lakeland of Ulster', climbing, interesting monuments, and throughout the county the charm of good scenery and pleasant towns and villages.
Despite early Christian missionaries settling in Fermanagh, the religion was slow to penetrate the local pagan culture. Viking and Norman invaders couldn't subdue the region and even the Tudors were unable to do so until after 1600 - this was when Enniskillen fell to the English. Planters quickly moved in and a series of castles around Lough Hyne were established. Enniskillen was soon transformed into a centre of colonial power. Strategically its importance to the British led to the town possessing two royal regiments.
Heightened by its predominantly Catholic population, Fermanagh, at the time of Partition was slow to be drawn into Northern Ireland. In 1921 the county returned a nationalist majority in local government elections, however the abolition of proportional representation in 1922 saw all this change with a subsequent loyalist majority.
A useful centre for activities on Upper and Lower Lough Erne, Enniskillen is close to the border with a character all of its own. An island in the waterway, the town centre connects the upper and lower loughs. Attractions within the town include the Fermanagh History and Heritage Centre and the Regimental Museum of the Iniskilling Fusiliers. The Heritage Centre contains artefacts on local farming and manufacturing, whilst the museum is packed with medals, guns and uniforms of the fusiliers and the dragoon guards.
