Leitrim village is known as the gateway to the Shannon-Erne waterway, and has an excellent record in the national tidy towns competition. The village is just three miles from Carrick-on-Shannon, and has a population of about 600 people. There are several good pubs in Leitrim village, so good food and drink are assured.
There is strong evidence of stone age settlements in nearby Lough Scur, and the national museum in Dublin holds some interesting relics from the lake. There is a dolmen as the south western end of the lake believed to have been constructed four and a half thousand years ago.
Leitrim Castle was the destination of an epic march from Glengariff by Donal O'Sullivan Beare in 1602. Following defeat at the battle of Kinsale, O'Sullivan Beare led one thousand of his kinsfolk from Bantry bay to join with Brian of the Battleaxes in Leitrim and continue the fight against the English. He arrived 14 days later with only 35 of his people, the rest were dead or fallen by the wayside.
A castle existed nearby called the Castle of Dromahaire. In ancient times, the princess Devorghal was taken from the castle by Dermod the king of Leinster, and this act would prove to be one of the causes of the English invasion.
The river between Leitrim and Drumshanbo produces some very good quality roach, particularly at the famous Battlebridge stretch, which has excellent fishing using stick floats.
Carrickport lake is about three miles from the town and is a good water with bream of 3-4lb and good roach and hybrids. The lake has depth of up to 20 feet.
Lough Scur is a well known water which can be accessed via the Erne system. Plenty of bream, roach, hybrids, skimmers and perch. The water 6 - 10 feet deep.
Acres Lake has a busy amenity area but has good stocks of hybrids, roach, rudd and bream.
Lough Bran is sixty acres of easy access fishing. There are twenty fishing stands from which can be caught bream, hybrids, perch, pike, roach and tench.
Also in the area are Drumboylan lake and Drumkeellan lake
The last remaining wall of Leitrim castle can be found close the marina in Leitrim. This was the destination of Donal O'Sullivan Beare's epic fourteen day march from Glengariff.
Battlebridge: The name suggests that Battlebridge was the scene of a great battle, and there were some skirmishes in this area when General Humbert led his French forces up river to Castlebar in 1798. There is some nice mooring here and a fine old stone bridge.