W.B. YEATS

William Butler Yeats, one of Ireland's most celebrated poets, spent much of his childhood in Sligo. His grandfather was the Rector of Drumcliff church, just to the north of Sligo town, and he and his brother Jack loved to spend their school holidays with their grandparents.

Guests at Coopershill can visit many of the sites in the county that inspired some of W B Yeats best known poems; these include the Isle of Innisfree, Lough Gill, Slish Wood, Dooney Rock & Lissadell House. Yeats is buried according to his wishes in the churchyard at Drumcliffe, "in Benbulben's shadow".

On view in the Niland Gallery of the Sligo Model Arts Centre is a copy of Yeats' Nobel Prize medal together with a complete collection of his poems from 1889 to 1936, and a large body of his prose work.

WB's younger brother Jack has become an artist of worldwide renown and his paintings are much sought after. There is a permanent exhibition of some of his works at the Model Arts Centre.

For a fascinating guided tour of Yeats Country we recommend www.yeatssligoireland.com linking the early landscape poems with the spectacular scenery.